Common Sandpiper is still at Isabella pond today

[Philip Veerman <>]

There has not been much mention of this bird, which I had thought of as maybe our favourite for the current season, for nearly 2 months. (Actually not many messages the last 2 weeks.) So I decided to have a look today. I was there for about 40 minutes around mid day. Similar to last time. I again arrived at the pond from Isabella drive and walked along the southern side, towards the eastern end. Only took me a minute or two to see the Common Sandpiper. Or at least a bird standing very still, of the right size and shape and basic colours. It was on the other side of the mud flats but that was a bit too far to be completely sure. So I walked over the footbridge on the eastern end. Then down to the water. The water is much lower than 2 months ago with a lot of exposed mud and rocks. Many ducks, ibis, lapwings etc, now there. Now 2 W-h Stilts, 1 Royal Spoonbill, 1 Black-fronted & 1 Red-kneed Dotterel, I sat on the white chair and then could not find the Common Sandpiper in the location where it was about 10 minutes earlier. I searched back and forth and wondered how easy it would be to miss it. Then I was happy to see that I was not actually missing it, as I saw it fly in from the middle of the pond and perch on the lower shelf of the concrete wall, with that really obvious teetering. It then flew up onto the top of the wall and walked along for about 15 metres. I was by then fairly close. It then flew down behind the wall into the swampy area below the pathway. I decided that I had been out in the sun and smokiness enough and went off home.

 

Philip

 

 

From: Philip Veerman
Sent: Sunday, 27 October, 2019 6:02 PM
To: 'Canberrabirds'
Subject: [canberrabirds] Common Sandpiper is still at Isabella pond today

 

I have just come back home from Isabella Pond. My final “blitz survey”. Unless I go out again after dinner……. I again arrived at the pond from Isabella drive and walked along the southern side, towards the very eastern end. Only took me a minute or two to see the Common Sandpiper. The clean white front being really obvious. It stood very still right beside a rock. Within a metre or 2 of where it was when I first saw it with Shorty & Geoffrey, 20 days ago. Just on the water’s edge, below the 2 white chairs. Still sort of close to the 1 pied stilt. To get closer I then walked over the foot bridge then down to below the chairs. I got to within about 5 metres of it for about 2-3 minutes, then it flew 5 M out to a rock and stood there teetering, then flew across to the concrete wall on the north east side and perched on the lower ledge of the wall (just like in Geoffrey’s earlier photo). It has a very jerky flight.

 

I had not found it on my last few attempts.

 

Philip