Final Sunday, April ninth, the tide in Broome was one of many highest of the 12 months and peaked at 9.99m at 12.20pm. Once we get these very large tides we don’t go to the coast till the ocean begins to recede after which the shorebirds are extra relaxed. As the large tides push up the shorebirds should hold shifting and they’re unsettled, however as soon as the tide turns they’re extra relaxed. The header photograph exhibits the bay in between the lighthouse at Gantheaume Level and Cable Seaside. The ocean had been proper as much as the underside of the cliffs and was receding quickly.
Gantheaume Level an hour after excessive tide
You possibly can’t simply entry a lot of Gantheaume Level when the tide is in and even the birds wrestle to search out someplace to roost. There are at all times a number of shorebirds to be noticed, however on the largest tides they wrestle to discover a place to roost at Gantheaume Level. There are a pair of Pied Oystercatchers that reside at Gantheaume Level all year long and so they final efficiently bred in 2020.
Our first view of the small seaside after we wandered via the rocks was of quite a few shorebirds roosting. They have been relaxed and ready for the tide to fall sufficient for them to have the ability to feed as soon as once more. You possibly can nearly see how briskly the tide was dropping from this sequence of pictures. There have been 15 Sooty Oystercatchers and it’s a good location to look at them. The entire Gray-tailed Tattlers at the moment are in good breeding plumage as they get able to migrate to the Northern hemisphere and breed. The Whimbrel have been relaxed after the excessive tide too. One stand out bigger shorebird amongst the flock on the seaside was the lone Seaside Stone-curlew.
Shorebirds after excessive tide
There have been additionally a number of Reef Egrets within the space and one was significantly relaxed after excessive tide.
Reef Egret roosting
As you’ll be able to see there may be some relatively giant pure particles dumped onto the rocks and seaside. We’ve had some stormy climate over the previous few months, however it would quickly subside. Nearly all of the migratory shorebirds will head north and our native shorebirds will begin to breed domestically as soon as once more.
