Hi b/ausers the migrant waders
havent increased here in the
Hawkesbury..........................................
Whats happening waderwise in other
places lets have some feedback, please.
a starved wader freak
KEITHBRANDWOOD
Hi Keith,
I just sent a posting on terns, but will now include what's happening
with waders in Caloundra, SEQld. They're on their way Keith.
Yesterday was a mongrel of a tide for observation, as we arrived just
after the high, and from then on the birds spread out more and more.
A heap arrived just as we were finishing off on the sandbanks, and we
missed some. However, here's what waders we were able to log:
Eastern Curlew: 61
Bar-tailed Godwit 318 (including 16 youngsters)
Whimbrel 5
Great Knot 4
Red-capped Plover 6
Red-necked Stint 3
Lesser Sand Plover 101
Pacific Golden Plover 73
Curlew Sandpiper 70
Greenshank 1
Gull-billed Tern 4
Caspian Tern 3
Crested Tern 107
Common Tern 447
Little Tern 23
Mixed terns late arrivals 1892 minimum, probably lots more.
So, what does this mean? The Crested Terns are dropping off in
number, and I expect the offshore islands are now crammed with
breeding Cresteds. One flock of 89 had 38 showing full breeding
plumage. Common Terns are here for the second week of the season, and
Little Terns for their first.
The Lesser Sand Plovers are on their way through, as numbers like
that are not found in high summer. Same goes for Golden Plovers and
Curlew Sandpipers. The Greenshank was a passer-through, because the
sandbanks are not preferred Greenshank habitat.
This location is not typical of the Pumicestone Passage. Caloundra is
a sandy intertidal area, loved by terns and sand plovers. Further
south in the Passage there is better muddy habitat for the rest of
the Little Brown Jobs. Dux Creek (southern) can hold up to 1000
Eastern Curlew on peak passage. I saw about 600 there this week on
the high tide. The previous day there were around 800 Bartails,
according to Trevor Ford. The following day the Bartails had all
moved on. Get out there with your binos Keith.
Cheers,
Jill
--
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Qld
26º 51' 152º 56'
Ph (07) 5494 0994
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