A summer day at Yamba

Our daughter and her family were having a short break in a holiday park at Yamba. We were invited down to visit and catch up for a Reece's birthday, have a swim, a wander and generally relax. Why not? turned out to be quite a treat for me too because I got to photograph quite a few new birds and one I had first encountered in the UK and had no idea we had around here.

Between the cabins and the mighty Clarence River was a swampy pond with my first exposure to these birds. At first glance I thought avocets which I had seen in the Uk, but a closer look revealed straight beaks ... but you have to love the long legs ... hence black-winged stilts! First a brave pair of chicks exploring beyond mum; second those two back with mum and a third chick - notice mum has much "blacker" wings and the black extends like a partial hood over the back of the head - not yet present for the chicks.

Two wandering black-winged stilt chicks

Recalled by mum with a third chick

While moving around the pond for a better vantage of the stilt family, I was fortunate to capture this young magpie experiencing a successful forage 😊

Young magpie with some tucker

Then, back to mum and the stilt chicks ... they had found a small island to rest those stilts ... fascinating how they effortlessly fold their legs forward (not at all like us when we settle down!)

And on down to the banks of the might Clarence with the tide out and bingo! A whimbrel fossicking successfully for a crustacean on the mudflat and on the march searching for more. This was another first sighting for me.

Whimbrel with crustacean

Whimbrel fossicking

 And on the way back to the cabin in quite the different setting to the earlier swampy pond was another black-winged stilt ... I vividly recall imagining it was the dad of the earlier family off foraging around the bog for his family.

As much as I had been treated to some new finds, I headed off a little later because I had seen a deeper pond framed by a wetland forest on the southern edge of the holiday park. I thought it worth a look, especially as it seemed "out of place" among the surrounding dominant cane fields. While trying to capture some shots of a pacific black duck (not too successfully), I had wandered clockwise to the edge of the forest and had the weird sensation of "being watched" while I was photographing the duck. Just a weird sense ... and when I looked up ... well, I could not believe my eyes, but I could certainly see that there was a pair of very keen eyes on me! And what a pair! This elusive bird I had first photographed in the UK but no where near as clearly or as closely as this, and certainly not in such a natural environment. A peregrine falcon! THIS was a real treat!!

A peregrine falcon watching me closely!

Checking the wider view too

Then back to me to be sure!

I think of all our birds, the birds of prey are imperious and when they pay you close attention like this it is easy to return the respect and easier to admire them. Truly wonderful creatures.

And finally, as we were driving out of the holiday park heading home. we were treated to one final new sighting - what a day - some quail (I think painted button quail) pecking away on the verge of the road. 

Quite a memorable day at Yamba - and Reece (or is that Spiderman!!) enjoyed his birthday too!