FW: [canberrabirds] Short-billed dowitcher , Merimbula

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Hi Mary,

 

That is a curious ID. I don't know if Short-billed Dowitchers have ever been recorded in Australia. I am curious what bird books you checked. It is not a species in the usual Australian books, because it occurs in the Americas. I don't know what you saw, but my guess, based on the Asian Dowitcher that I have seen several of (but never more than 1 or 2) and local common species that are sort of similar, is possibly or likely they are Bar-tailed Godwits. That is just a suggestion.

 

If they are Short-billed Dowitchers, then many people will be very excited.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----From: Alan Bond [ Sent: Tuesday, 19 November 2013 5:15 PM      To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Short-billed dowitcher , Merimbula

On Wed, 13 Nov we observed a large flock ( about 150 ) of what we think were short - billed dowichers flying in close formation - doing figure *s - up and down the 'lake ' at Merimbula in the late afternoon. We were able to get a good look at them as a group of 15/16 landed on a sand bar not far from us. We checked our bird books closely and deduced that they had to be short-billed dowitchers , from the markings , calls and behaviour. ( unfortunately we did not get a photo ).

I understand they are a  rare visitor to our shores and that they stay over the summer.

Any other sightings ?

Mary