Graham,
The first year birds of some species of migratory waders
over-winter in Australia in small numbers. This has two benefits to those
species - the young birds build there strength by cutting out the migration
to the north and back, and the breeding birds have less competition at the
breeding grounds. In the Hunter estuary, there are usually 100-200
over-wintering Eastern Curlews each year and 300-400 Bar-tailed Godwits. A
few other species are also around in much lesser numbers, Whimbrel in
particular.
Red-necked Avocet numbers fluctuate considerably in the Hunter
estuary, depending on conditions in inland Australia. In H.B.O.C.'s May
Wadre Survey we counted about 300 Red-necked Avocets, compared to about 70
birds in April. In winter 1999 the counts were of around 2000 birds. The
numbers look to be increasing again this year.
Steve Roderick
H.B.O.C. Committee
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