2010-04-25 Talawe

Reached at 6:30am on the palm beach road.

In the water there were some waders, gulls and egrets wading around.
First one to be seen was a pond heron, then a redshank and few slender billed gulls near the trail end of the body. Gull billed terns were also flying around.
Gull billed tern


On the farther end was a huge group of brown headed gulls, curlew sandpipers and grey plovers.

Brown headed gulls


Some little stints and curlew sandpiper came in the nearer water body and gave some good photo opportunities
Little stint


Curlew sandpiper


Curlew sandpiper


It was very nice to see the waders in breeding plumage. Even saw the brown headed gulls and gull billed tern in breeding plumage. There was a lone great egret with its breeding plumes fanned out, legs red and blue gape.
Curlew sandpiper


Slender billed gull








We watched them through the scope for around an hour and a half and then headed towards the sea shore.
While watching these a huge flocks of waders flew in and these were lesser sand plovers. It is amazing to watch these flock of birds fly in complete sychronisation turning from one side to other causing a flash of white.

Some of the lesser sand plovers were in partial breeding plumage with orange head and breast and a black eye band.
Flock of lesser sandplover and curlew sandpiper


Lesser sand plover


Lesser sand plover


On the way some people got a glimpse of ashy crowned sparrrow larks in the grasses and a flock of red avadavats flying away.

At the sea shore we saw a flock of grey plover, lesser sand plover and greater sandplover.

Grey plover


There was also a lone eurasian curlew
Eurasian Curlew


In the tree patch between the grassland and the sea shore there were eurasian golden oriole, iora, clamarous reed warbler and grey headed myna also called the chestnut tailed starling.

Chestnut tailed startling