Broome

Well, I have returned from Broome, with a mixed bag. My main focus in Broome was to photograph the shorebirds. I was lucky to help with the tagging of some shore birds on my arrival, which had been netted about an hour earlier, and so nice to see them close up. But let's just say the rest isn't so good. A 400mm lens is just rather short for these shy creatures, even with the 1.4. There wasn't a lot of shorebirds around, I was a bit early, and didn't get the lie of the land properly in my first few days, so the only shorebirds I got was on the last morning.
However, I will continue on Broome soon. I am off again in a few hours, to photograph a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Specialty show in Sydney, so I only have time for one quick photo. Here is one of a peewee who posed in a nice spot.

Broome and Sea Lions

I am off to Broome tomorrow, staying at the bird observatory. I hope to get myself the shore birds. I have bought a new gimbal head, and a skimmer dish, for low angle photography, so here's hoping!

Back to New Zealand.......
After the oyster catchers departed, I set out again and found these guys. One was leaving, and another came in, and walked around a bit. I did not like to get too close, though a local did get up quite close. I would have preferred a lower angle, but the background made it a bit difficult. Next time I hopefully will get better images, the sort that were in my mind, but didn't quite eventuate.

                                                                            Heading out

 Just came in

Having a mild tussel over territory

Yuck!