Shore & Water Birds



About Shore and Water Birds

The region has a rich variety of wetland habitats including large rivers and lakes, perennial and seasonal creeks, mangrove lined estuaries and freshwater impoundments of varying size. The littoral zone includes mud, sand and rock shores. Coral cays and small areas of exposed coral within the mainland littoral zone also provide significant bird habitat. Consequently a wide variety of birds can be observed, including relatively uncommon species such as the Great Billed Heron and Black Bittern. Many shore birds are summer migrants from the Northern hemisphere.

Some shore and water birds are remarkably tolerant of humans, particularly when feeding. Patient stalking often brings subjects into the range of a 400 mm lens. Given many subjects are large birds and active in strong light, photography is an easier prospect compared with forest birds.

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Great Egret


Great Egret

Great Egret

Intermediate Egret

Intermediate Egret


Little Egret
Little Egret (Breeding plumage)
Eastern Reef Egret (Dark Morph)
Eastern Reef Egret (Dark Morph)


Eastern Reef Egret (White Morph)



Eastern Reef Egret (White Morph)


Pied Heron
Pied Heron
Pied Heron (Juv)

White-faced Heron


White-faced Heron
White-faced Heron

White-necked (Pacific) Heron

White-necked (Pacific) Heron

Great-billed Heron

Great-billed Heron


Striated Heron (Intermediate morph)

Striated Heron (Juv)

Striated Heron (Dark Morph)


Striated Heron (Juv)


Striated Heron (Juv)


Nankeen Night Heron


Black Bitten



Black-necked Stork (Jabiru) (C)

Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)(C)

Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)
Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)
Royal Spoonbill (Non breeding)
Royal Spoonbill, Wandering Whistling Duck
And Black Winged Stilt
Royal Spoonbill (C)
Royal Spoonbill (Hybrid with Yellow Spoonbill) (C)

Brolga

Australasian Darter (Male)

Australasian Darter (Female)


Australasian Darter (Male)



Comb-crested Jacana

Comb-crested Jacana
Comb-crested Jacana (Juv)

Comb-crested Jacana (Juv)


White- browed Crake
Masked Lapwing

Masked Lapwing

Masked Lapwing attacking



Purple Swamphen

Purple Swamphen

Eurasian Coot



Australasian Grebe

Dusky Moorhen (Juv & chick)

Dusky Moorhen


Wandering Whistling Duck

Wandering Whistling Duck

Spotted Whistling Duck



Plumed Whistling Duck
Hard Head Duck (Male)

Hard Head Duck (Female)


Radjah Shelduck

Radjah Shelduck

Pacific Black Duck
Pacific Black Duck


Northern Mallard (Female)

Australasian Wood Duck


Green Pygmy Goose (Male left)

Cotton Pygmy Goose (Male)

Magpie Goose

Magpie Goose

Magpie Goose

Beach Stone Curlew

Beach Stone Curlew


Beach Stone Curlew

Beach Stone Curlew


Wandering Tattler


Grey-Tailed Tattler (Non-breeding)

Grey-tailed Tattler

Grey-tailed Tattler (Overwintering)

Grey-tailed Tattler (Summer migrant)



Sanderling
Greater Sand Plover (Non breeding)

Greater Sand Plover (Non breeding)

Greater Sand Plover
(Breeding & non breeding plumage)

Lesser Sand Plover

Red-capped Plover (Female)

Red-capped Plover (Male)
Black-fronted Dotterel

Black-fronted Dotterel
Red-kneed Dotterel
Red-kneed Dotterel

Ruddy Turnstone (Juv)

Pacific Golden Plovers (Non-breeding)

Grey Plover (Non-breeding)

Grey Plover

Great Knot

Sharp-tailed sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Bar Tailed Godwit (Non-breeding)

Bar Tailed Godwit (Non-breeding)



Common Sandpiper

Common Greenshank

Pied Oystercatcher
Pied Oystercatcher

Pied Oystercatcher

Black-Winged Stilt

Black-Winged Stilt
Black-Winged Stilt
Black-Winged Stilt


Black-Winged Stilt (Juv)
Glossy Ibis
White Ibis


White Ibis

Bridled Tern
Bridled Tern
Bridled Tern
Caspian Tern
Great Frigate Bird (Juv)
Common Noddy
Common Noddy


Silver Gull
Crested Tern (Non breeding)

Crested Terns (Breeding and Imm)

Little Tern
Little Tern


Gull-Billed Tern (Juv)


Gull-Billed Tern (Breeding)
Whimbrel
Whimbrel
Eastern Curlew

Eastern Curlew 
Pelican and Black Cormorant feeding
Australian Pelican

Australian Pelican
Australian Pelican
Little Black Cormorant
Little Pied Cormorant