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
|
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)
|
Whimbrel |
Whimbrel |
Eastern Curlew |
Eastern Curlew |
Pelican and Black Cormorant feeding |
Australian Pelican |
Australian Pelican |
Australian Pelican |
Little Black Cormorant |
Little Pied Cormorant |