We are very fortunate here in Broome to have such great beaches for cycling. Some people just use the wide open space for exercise, but it is great to load up your bike and cycle in search of birdlife. Only the resident shorebirds remain during these winter months, but there are also Brown Boobys diving for fish close to shore at the moment and we rarely see them during the rest of the year. I often cover 45 kilometres in a day whilst I monitor the Pied Oystercatchers breeding, but I do need to plan carefully around large tides. Ideally I will not go along the beach on a 10 metre tide day unless I know I can get back before the tide reaches it’s peak-or I will be sitting watching the tide go out and then return! I always take plenty of water-usually 5 litres-and I always carry it in 1 litre bottles. The reason for this is that it is not that unusual to come across a vehicle that is bogged and people with little or no water. I will always stop and give them some water and relay a message back to town if necessary, but there seems to be a misconceived idea that a four-wheel drive vehicle can “go anywhere”-it can’t!
One of several vehicles that I have helped
My trusty bike on the beach
The local shire allows vehicles on a section of beach near Broome and tries to restrict them to below the high tide mark. The risk of bird or turtle nests being crushed by vehicles above the high tide mark is a possibility, but of course it is hard to police these rules. Even with a pair of Brahminy Kites drawing attention to the rules there can still be problems. These birds are often seen fishing along the shores, but do attack shorebirds and they are very wary of them.
Brahminy Kites
During the week I had one obstacle to deal with-a sudden eruption of small blue Soldier Crabs! They were absolutely everywhere on low tide and although I have seen them before on other beaches I had not seen them in this area before. They can walk forwards unlike other species that can only walk sideways and form large armies. I ended up getting off my bike to get through them slowly and give them a chance to bury themselves.
Soldier Crabs
My biggest excitement this week on my bike was chasing three Humpback Whales! They are on their northward migration at the moment and come in close to the coast. One came in very close and I cycled with it for some time and then attempted a photo as it came up. I didn’t have time to zoom in and just hoped I had got something…
Humpback Whale
On Thursday the tide was too big to cycle where I wanted to go to check a Pied Oystercatcher nest, so I walked several kilometres. I saw something small run into the spinifex grass and then saw a pair of Red-capped Plovers nearby. I walked in and saw the chick trying to be very still and hide. I quickly took a couple of photos and retreated. What a lovely surprise on another perfect day!
Red-capped Plover chick
If you look carefully you will see the chick hiding in this photo!
I would definitely recommend birding by bicycle along the beach-but BE PREPARED!!!
Clare, I enjoyed the pictures so much. Living in Arkansas, USA, I’ve never seen shore birds except in books. I loved reading about your adventure, absolutely adored the red-capped Plover chick. I treasure all wildlife, don’t understand why so many people don’t stop and look at the gorgeous animals God has created for them, and why they don’t try to keep them safe. I look forward to seeing other blogs and pics by you. Keep up the great work, and God Bless!
That car is ridiculous (in a sympathetic way!). How on earth did they dig in this low!?
I once had to drive onto a beach for a few metres in South Africa and immediately got stuck. The only thing that got us out was deflating our tires until they were almost flat. Beaches, with their more coarse sand that is not tightly packed, are plain mean even for the best 4x4s. Bikes rule.
And that’s an amazing picture of the Humpback. When I think of whales, I think of cold, arctic (or antarctic) waters. To see them in the turquoise waters of the tropics is really odd.
In the absence of dangerous critters in this post, I am assuming that either Humpbacks prey on mammalian flesh in the tropics or that there is a very good reason for naming soldier crabs just that?
@ Jochen-there’s a nasty area where you can drive above the high tide mark happily and you can drive near the low tide happily, but if you dare to cross between the two areas by car/bike or even on foot you will know about it! If they had let the tyres right down and reversed back they may have been OK. You know that rental vehicles can go where no other vehicles can go, don’t you!!??
The Humpback Whales maigrate up our cast from way down south following the current and they breed north of us in Camden Sound. When they head north in a few months there will be baby ones! They are dangerous-imagine if it beached itself and I was whizzing along on my bike as if I was Cadel Evans (I am sure you were watching the Tour de France!)and hit it! Imagine if you were a bit tired and had a lie down and a thousand soldier carbs walked all over you-this is a dangerous place!
Ooops, I meant “migrate up our coast and head back south afterwards”-too much time in the sun today enjoying the Great Outdoors! 🙂
Yes, beached whales can be extremely dangerous. Take care!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_whale
Hi Clare, I am so excited to find your blog, because it is so much like mine! I hope you will check out mine and email me. I live in northern Washington state in the US. We have so much in common:)
http://web.me.com/larryfisher1/Bikes,_Birds,_and_Beaches/Blog/Blog.html
Wendy