Bird ID please

[Skidlid]

Hi all, firstly forgive the poor quality photo (I wasnt prepared for it and then it flew off). Does anybody know what this bird is ? I saw it on the shoreline near the boat ramp at Crookhaven Heads which is at the mouth of the Shoalhaven River.

It was quite a large bird standing maybe 30cm high? At first i thought it might be some sort of heron and possibly a juvenile Night Heron of which there is a population a few kilometers away but the photos I have seen online of juveniles look nothing like it.

Any Ideas?

[Alan]

Beach Stone Curlew

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beach_Stone-curlew

Cheers

[Skidlid]

Thanks for that Alan, seems they are quite rare down this way. Such a shame I couldn't get a better photo at the time as I might not see one again in a hurry ! Not the prettiest of birds but it certainly had a presence the short time I got to see it.

[avkomp]

yep beach stone curlew.

you did fairly well in the conditions too