Finally...!

Christmas shopping is something that I just don't do. Fighting for a parking spot. Fighting to walk in a straight line. Just fighting to go where you want to go. Irritated by the crowds. Irritated by the Christmas music. Irritated by Santa. Just irritated. And so while the wife and my in-laws enjoyed themselves in town last Saturday, I headed back to Long Reef as another Beach Stone-curlew had been spotted.

 Sunny Long Reef

This has been one of my bogey birds for quite some time now with numerous attempted twitches over the years coming up blank. Last time I was at Long Reef it was wet and miserable and the Beach Stone-curlew was over in Putney. This time we were treated to glorious sunshine and the Beach Stone-curlew #469 was actually at Long Reef too.

Distant Beach Stone-curlew

Being a great big funny looking thing standing out on the rock platform, it proved pretty easy to spot. It generally kept it's distance but the rising tide eventually encouraged it to move closer to shore for a better view.

With that one finally in the bag, maybe some of my other bogey birds will come out to play over the coming year. Speckled Warbler, Spotted Quail-thrush, Swift Parrot, Little Grassbird...

White-faced Heron (Juv.)