I read with interest Chris's Birdline update, the following in particular:
GREAT KNOT 27 Hunter Estuary, Newcastle 19/3 - high count
TEREK SANDPIPER 66 Hunter Estuary, Newcastle 19/3 - high count
Someone has obviously decided that these are high counts for this area. Not
so! The Great Knot count is about average, under that seen in some years
while the Terek Sandpiper count is about half of what I used to get
conducting shorebird surveys of this estuary a couple of years ago.
The eternal problem is that most birdwatchers don't see all of the birds,
and shouldn't be expected to unless they are carrying out a specific survey
for those species. I was carrying out surveys by boat of all the high tide
roosts getting the best possible (under the prevailing conditions) of each
species. The Great Knot were invariable mixed in among the Red Knot and
Bar-tailed Godwit which could make counting difficult while many of the
Tereks would roost in the mangroves.
I am making the assumption that the knots were counted at the Stockton
Bridge site which many birds use on the falling tide. Unfortunately not all
go there. Some use a small island a little upriver while others may fly
directly to their feeding areas in Fullerton Cove. I also assume that the
Tereks were counted on the oyster leases nearby. This is a regular roost
and all birds can roost there although this is unusual. Many Tereks roost
in the nearby mangroves well out of sight of land based birdos.
I bring this up only because there is a risk that comments such as "high
count for this area" might be perpetuated and result in misinterpretation of
any change in numbers at a later date. It may just as easily mask a real
decline in a species numbers.
Cheers
David Geering
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