Beach Thick-knees lead me a merry dance

They're up to something, these Beach Thick-knees (Stone-curlews) (Esacus magnirostris). Took stroll along Lucinda sandspit yesterday and met the pair behaving suspiciously.

They slunk out from behind my back, led me up the spit, circled back, split up, came together again, ran toward me, stopped, propped, ducked into the dune grasses, and popped up again out the shore side. A merry dance indeed.

Are they just playing games? is there an eggy hollow somewhere in the sand? Or some little feathery bundle or two? Off tomorrow to have another look, weather willing.

Elsewhere, major meeting of Caspian Terns offered flight shots ...

... and similar chances with Great Knots. The migrants are among us!

Strolling with sandspit Thick-knees

Stroll along the sandspit at Lucinda yesterday found Beach Thick-knee  (Esacus magnirostris) family also out and about. Can't be certain, but I think it's parents as the twosome.

Junior running off with something it finally dropped as more interesting than edible.

And one of the three flying off.      

Bit of a spat at the sandspit

Bit of a spat at the sandspit: Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) puts down but loses Lucinda splash and dash.

Collared Kingfisher makes a collar

Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) allowed closer approach as it waited patiently for prey along the Lucinda sandsspit today.

Proved bit too quick on the pounce.

But later adopted driftwoody pose.
Click pix to enlarge  

Thick-knees stand alone

Plenty of blue sky and the lightest of breezes made the Lucinda sandspit a joy today, though the local Beach Thick-knee (Esacus magnirostris) pair refused to stand for a picture together.

Same story the other day with the Taylor Beach pair just down coast.
Click pix to enlarge