New South Wales is in the midst o a 10-year drought, so there was much less water there than on my previous visit 2 years ago. Drought notwithstanding, the skies clouded over and I narrowly escaped a drenching by sheltering under a bridge just as the heavens opened. By the time the rain stopped, the tide had risen considerably and the number of Sharpies on the marsh had increased correspondingly.
I sat quietly and gradually birds walked right up to me.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5723/2434/400/Sandpiper%2C%20Sharp-tailed6.jpg)
Here's an adult Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. The coverts are extremely worn and some tertials seem to be missing altogether so that the primaries are exposed. Sharpies have a rather pot-bellied shape.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5723/2434/400/Sandpiper%2C%20Sharp-tailed15.jpg)
By contrast juvenile Sharp-tails are really bright, smart birds, with beautiful rich colours. The scapulars are noticeably smaller than the adult's.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5723/2434/400/Parrot%2C%20Red-rumped1.jpg)
This colourful male Red-rumped Parrot was a nice bonus. They seem to pop up in various places but aren't really common anywhere.
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