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On Sunday evening I had the privilege of seeing a
great mass (possibly 10,000) of migrating shore birds from the sandbar on
the western side of Stockton Bridge in Newcastle. The majority flew in flocks of
up to 3,000 above the water seemingly looking for a place to
roost. Some were to land on the small strip of sandy mudflat. When I
arrived at 7:00 pm (high tide due at 9:09 pm) Eastern Curlews, a Whimbrel or
2 , Black-winged Stilts and Red-necked Avocets (stunning
birds) had joined Pelicans, White-faced Herons, Masked Lapwings,
Red-capped Dotterels, a Little Egret and 5 Gull-billed Terns with a begging
juv. In the last of the light around 8:30pm Bar-tailed Godwits began to drop
from the swirling flocks as they passed by. A few of the Bar-tailed Godwits were
in breeding plumage. I did spy 6 Curlew Sandpipers and one Black-tailed Godwit
on the sand bar before I had to give up for poor light for humans about 8:45pm.
I wonder what other bird species were accompanying the godwits.
There had been only myself and a few fishermen to
observe this spectacular of nature.
I did think of the work being done by the Hunter
Bird Observers Club (HBOC) to try to preserve a place for migrating birds as the
Newcastle coal loading facilities are being extended. The HBOC website shows a survey of wading birds was planned for the
Saturday.
Julienne
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