Breaking waves and the remarkable red-necked stints at Little Henty Reef in late winter 2023

Morning light, an offshore wind and solid swell breaking over Little Henty Reef (near Apollo Bay) in late August.

Timeless, fleeting, ineffable, awe-inspiring

The reef exposed as water sucked out in front of the emerald-lipped wave backlit by the morning sun

Photos taken the previous day in the afternoon at the same location

Traffic on the western Bass Strait commercial shipping lane, viewed between waves at Little Henty Reef.

Australian fur seals on Little Henty Reef keeping an eye on developments immediately south of their home.

Photo taken from sea level

Red-necked stints

Small wader, usually found in large flocks. “Migrant from the foothill tundras of arctic Siberia.” They migrate as far south as Australia in their non-breeding season, with adults arriving mainly late August to early October and juveniles late September to November. (Menkhorst, P. et al, The Australian Bird Guide CSIRO Publishing, 2017, page 156).

The following photos were taken on the intertidal zone of the reef at Hayley Point, near Apollo Bay. I find it remarkable that these small birds, so finely built and almost fragile in appearance, have the strength, endurance and know-how to fly between arctic Siberia and Australia (among other places in the southern hemisphere) each year.

These three birds can be found in the lower right of the preceding image.

Conditions mellowed towards dusk.

Cape Patton from Tuxion Beach, Apollo Bay