G’day all,
In reply to Julienne’s question, yes
we do get Godwits, and most other migratory waders, in breeding plumage, or at
least some semblance of it, in Australia. A fair percentage of the birds that overwinter here are juveniles
or young birds. Adult birds arriving from their northern hemisphere breeding
grounds often have much of their breeding plumage still showing and in many
places, especially in northern Australia the birds attain a fair proportion of their plumage before they
depart. This is because their breeding season is so short in the Arctic that they can’t
waste time waiting to moult into full breeding plumage. A lot of people wouldn’t
recognise some species when they are in full plumage – I was caught out
by a breeding Black-tailed Godwit in Iceland about this time last year and the Turnstones were really something
else in full breeding plumage. Often at this time of year (perhaps a litle
earlier) adult Double-banded Plovers arriving from New Zealand are still in near full
breeding plumage. I can remember years seeing quite a few at Lake Bathurst when it had water in it.
Hope this answers the question.
Mark
