Friday 13 February
With the reports of Eastern Yellow Wagtail appearing at Reef Island on Westernport Bay, I decided to make a day trip to see if I could find it. I planned on some additional stops - Stockyard Point to see if I could find any rarer wading birds, Corinella because it’s a nice spot for a break and San Remo for lunch (fish and chips at the Co-Op has been a must for decades).
from Google Earth
I departed home at ridiculous o’clock (4:15 AM) to avoid the Melbourne traffic and arrived at Stockyard Point just after sunrise. First find was this character among the mangroves.
Eastern Grey Kangaroo among the mangroves, Stockyard Point
I was early enough on the incoming tide to make the walk along the beach relatively easy but I wasn’t the first one there.
Beach walk to Stockyard Point
When I arrived at the point, there was still some of the spit exposed with a few birds roosting.
The spit at Stockyard Point
There were no waders but I was pleased to find Australian (Gull-billed) Tern and Caspian Tern among the gulls.
Australlian Tern, Stockyard Point
Caspian Tern (with Silver Gull and Sooty Oystercatcher), Stockyard Point
A Pacific Gull flew in, temporarily disturbing the peace.
Pacific Gull and Caspian Tern (among Silver Gull and Sooty Oystercatcher), Stockyard Point
I didn’t approach the birds for fear of scaring them away so set up sitting on the beach to wait for the incoming tide to (I hoped) move the birds closer. However, as soon as they got their feet wet, they flew off.
Gull-billed Tern, Stockyard Point
Caspian Tern, Stockyard Point
I moved further along the beach and captured this shot of the thin band of the spit remaining above water just as the sun broke through the clouds and serendipitously captured a Greater Crested Tern fly through the scene while fishing in the shallows.
Australian Pelican, Pacific Gull, Silver Gull roosting and Greater Crested Tern fishing, Stockyard Point
A few minutes later, a Cape Barren Goose flew past.
Cape Barren Goose, Stockyard Point
High tide came and went but no waders arrived. I knew the high tide was not really high enough (Stockyard Point is a relatively high location tide-wise which makes it an ideal roosting refuge as other mudflats around the bay become inundated) but I was still surprised to see NO waders. I had planned an early lunch at San Remo but dropped into Corinella for a quick look. There wasn’t much activity at the boat ramp or along The Esplanade but was pleased to find a handful of Cape Barren Geese feeding in the fields as I drove out of town. A quick stop to shoot out the passenger window was rewarded with this shot.
Cape Barren Goose, Corinella
On to San Remo for an early lunch at the Fisherman’s Co-Op. The Co-Op runs a Pelican Feeding session on the beach at midday every day so there are always pelicans gathering in the late morning.
Australian Pelican, San Remo
After a delicious fish and chips lunch, I drove to the car park at the end of Soldiers Road and headed off down the beach towards Reef Island, which can be accessed at low tide via a rock rubble intertidal “causeway”.
Reef Island at low tide.
In fact, the island is accessible at most times other than high tide - but be careful at spring tides not to get caught. It’s best to time your walk with the outgoing tide.
Keep your eye out for birds on the sand and mud flats and among the rock rubble.
Red-capped Plover (female), Reef Island
The key target for this trip was the Eastern Yellow Wagtail that had been sighted on the island most days for the last week. Following advice from a fellow birder (thanks Chanith) that the bird was seen “hanging out with White-fronted Chat near the centre of the island, I made my way to the suggested location. Found several chats among the mangroves and on the rocks and dead seagrass along the “path”.
White-fronted Chat (immature), Reef Island
White-fronted Chat (immature male)
However, no wagtail to be seen. Several other birders joined me and we spread out to get a better chance of spotting the bird. Eventually, it was spotted. I managed to get the camera pointed at and (mostly) focussed on the bird albeit it was facing the wrong way…
Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Reef Island
…and then it was gone.
I waited another half an hour scanning the mangroves and the rocks and piles of seagrass but to no avail. Happy I got the “tick” but disappointed I didn’t get a better look, I departed for the trudge back across the rock rubble and back along the beach to the van in time to drive to Sorrento to catch the ferry rather than endure the Melbourne traffic.