On Cairns Esplanade this week I was watching a group of Bar-tailed Godwits that
were showing very early stages of developing their spectacular breeding
plumage.
A Masked Lapwing took exception to them and chased them off. It was when the
group took off that I noticed that one was completely different to the rest -
instead of having a clear white rump and uppertail coverts this individuals
were so heavily barred as to appear completely brown in colour. On looking
through my on-line version of HBW I assume that this is of the race Limosa
lapponica baueri which "breeds in NE Siberia, E of R Kolyma, to W Alaska;
winters from China to New Zealand and some Pacific Is." but does not
specifically mention Australia in its wintering range. HBW mentions race Limosa
lapponica menzbieri (an intermediate between L l lapponica and L l baueri) "N
Siberia, between R Khatanga and Kolyma Delta; winters from SE Asia to NW
Australia, and possibly E Australia."
This bird was so different in flight that I am sure I would have noticed them
before if they were regular. My question / enquiry is what is the regularly
recorded race in E Australia.
Dom
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