An elegant White-faced heron
White-faced heron
Last night I was looking through some of my photos from a few years ago. I am not sure if I ever used the above photo of a White-faced heron taken at Victor Harbor on the south coast of South Australia, but it caught my eye as I scanned the photos taken on that day. (Mmmm… yes I did use it here.)
What an elegant looking bird.
Sometimes the birds we see, and photograph, almost look as if they are deliberately posing for the shot. I like that.
This also proves that even our most common birds can make wonderful subjects for our cameras.
Good birding.
Further reading:
White-faced Heron, Victor Harbor
White-faced Heron, Victor Harbor, South Australia
I was recently sorting through some photos taken at Victor Harbor nearly three years ago and came across these lovely shots of the White-faced Heron.
This species of heron is common in our region, and is also found in many parts of Australia. It is instantly recognisable and cannot easily be confused with any other species of heron or egret.
I like birds like that. Makes their ID easy.
White-faced Heron, Victor Harbor, South Australia
White-faced Heron, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Pacific Gulls at Victor Harbor, South Australia
Pacific Gulls, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Despite being a popular beach with both locals and tourists, the shoreline at Victor Harbor is remarkably rich in birdlife, particularly shorebirds. On most occasions the observant visitor will be able to see several Pacific Gulls, either on the beach or resting on the rocks near the rocky outcrop known as The Bluff.
A short distance from where I took these photos there is a popular fishing spot. This spot always seems to have a few hardy anglers present, regardless of the weather conditions.
Pacific Gulls, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Pacific Gulls, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Eastern Reef Egret, The Bluff, Victor Harbor
Eastern Reef Egret, The Bluff, Victor Harbor
Last month we went on a day trip with friends of ours to Victor Harbor. We primarily went to see the whales but in that quest we were unsuccessful. Best thing we saw was several seals. It was a wild stormy day and I guess the whales used their common sense and stayed under water as much as possible.
During the afternoon we drove to the base of The Bluff, a prominent hill on the south western edge of town. On the short drive to the fishing jetty there are many rocky outcrops close into shore. I’ve always found this spot to be good for birding. I was not disappointed on this occasion either.
This solitary Eastern Reef Egret (also called Eastern Reef Heron) was busy feeding around the rocks, the photo above showing he has a “crest” – it’s actually the blustery wind giving the bird a “bad feather day”.
This species in interesting in that it can be found in both the dark morph, shown in these photos, and a white version. As far as I know this species is not very commonly seen in South Australia, so I have reported this sighting to Birds SA. In fact, I’ve never seen it in South Australia myself. I’ve only seen it twice before – both times in Western Australia many years ago.
This species is not to be confused with the White-faced Heron, shown in the last photo below.
Eastern Reef Egret, The Bluff, Victor Harbor
Eastern Reef Egret, The Bluff, Victor Harbor
White Faced Heron
Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor
Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor, South Australia
On a recent visit to Victor Harbor on the south coast of South Australia we were staying with friends for a few days. We’d been for several drives and in the evening we went for a walk along the Hindmarsh River to beach. It’s a quiet walk along this small river but there weren’t too many birds showing themselves as we went along.
On the beach however, right next to the mouth of the river, a solitary Hooded Plover was scuttling along the edges of the river and on the beach. I managed several reasonable photos before it flew off.
This species is widespread along the southern coast of Australia but is not common anywhere. In fact, it is on the endangered list because there are so few of them. This beach – one of the busiest in South Australia – is one of its strongholds and is known to nest in the dunes along the sea front.
It’s great seeing – and being able to photograph – such a rare species.
Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor, South Australia
Hooded Plover
Hooded Plover warning sign on beach at Victor Harbor, South Australia