On our short holiday on the Yorke Peninsula a few weeks ago we left Edithburgh mid-morning on the last day of our four day visit. We travelled the short distance to Coobowie, another popular holiday destination on the southern end of the peninsula, especially in the summer months. We found a suitable parking spot overlooking the bay and had a cuppa and a few nibbles.

The wind was still very chilly and so we stayed in the car. Birding from inside a car has its disadvantages, but it was far too cold out. This part of the coast can produce a good variety of birds, especially out in the bay at low tide. On previous visits I’ve timed my birding to coincide with low tide. The exposed sandbars can reveal a good variety of shorebirds, especially when all the summer migrants are in town.

No such luck today.

The tide was high, the strong wind pushing the water even higher. Few wading birds were visible and so I had to look to the bush birds in the roadside vegetation and in the paddocks to bolster my list:

• Silver Gull
• Pacific Gull
• White-faced Heron
• Little Pied Cormorant
• Pied Oystercatcher
• Australian Shelduck
• Red-rumped Parrot
• Australian Magpie
• Magpie Lark
• Little Raven
• Singing Honeyeater
• Red Wattlebird
• New Holland Honeyeater
• House Sparrow
• Common Starling

Not a huge list but satisfying considering the poor weather conditions.

Silver Gulls