Having recently seen Grey-tailed Tattlers, I thought I'd look through my
database for all my records on this bird.
Since 11/3/92 I have seen them on 14 separate occasions.
Numbers: highest number was 6 at once at Toolakea Beach in Queensland (near
Townsville). Generally otherwise, I've only
ever seen 2 or 3 together at once.
The book Shorebirds in Australia by Brett Lane/Jeff Davies discusses counts of
8,500 birds at Eighty Mile Beach, WA (wow!).
The book states that numbers of 60-100 have been recorded at Hunter River
estuary, Botany Bay and Port Stephens (NSW). The
numbers get less and less as one goes south in Australia, with a record of 20
at Corner Inlet, Victoria.
Arrival: Earliest date during a year that I've seen these birds is 31 August
(1992) on Magnetic Island, Queensland. 17
October at Lord Howe Island. In the Sydney region where I live, the earliest
has been December at Newcastle.
Departure: The latest date during a year that I've seen them is 15 April
(1995) at Prince Edward Park, Cabarita (about 10 km
from Sydney city). The March and April sightings record the birds with
breeding plumage (bars on breast).
Most of the sightings have been of the birds roosting (either standing or
sitting down) and preening. Only on 4 occasions
were they foraging on sandflats, mudflats or near an oyster bed.
Have seen them mainly in the mornings, with some at midday and with one
exception, all sightings were before 2.30pm (saw 2
birds at Long Reef, Sydney at about 4pm). As I do birdwatch late in the
afternoon, it's interesting to speculate that by
late afternoon they are perhaps off finding their roost for the night. Where
do they go??
Cheers and Happy Times with Nature
Irene Denton
Concord West, 12 km from Sydney city, NSW Australia
33°50.278'S 151°05.406'E
Records in my database:
Birds 28,308
Orchids 1,148
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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