Although we’ve not been in the Merimbua/Pambula area for a few years (no aged parents there any more!), we do recall seeing a beach stone curlew (also called beach thick knee) on the beach at Pambula Beach on one occasion in 2003 (the beach between the
main Pambula beach and the river mouth). We didn’t photograph it, but did check it out that day in Slater’s “Australasian Birds” (1992 reprint, page 86), where we can still see our hand-written annotation against the entry for beach thick knee. Slater says
it’s “found on northern beaches and reefs” and (for NSW) “south to Tweed R, rare further south to Shoalhaven R.” That was our only sighting over a period of almost 30 years, but we’ve not been back since about 2009.
One “puzzle” for us non-experts: Slater says its Latin name is Burhinus Neglectus, but others (Bird Life Australia et al) say
Esacus magnirostris (Burhidinae). The photos are definitely of the same bird. Any explanation?
Kevin and Gwenyth Bray
02 6251 2087
0406 376 878 (Mob, Kevin)
0409 584 342 (Mob, Gwenyth)
From:
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 2:52 PM
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Beach Stone-curlew
WOW that pic is soooo clever & beautiful
Sz
From: Ann Eldridge [
Sent: Monday, 21 March 2016 3:45 PM
To: Canberra Birds <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] Beach Stone-curlew
A shot of this fellow on Spencer Park Beach in Merimbula taken on our way to Eden for the pelagics outing on Sunday.
A very exciting day with huge seas & not many birds but great excitement among everyone to see this fellow, seemingly so far from home, a rare visitor.
