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Hi Folks,
I took some people out to Penrice Saltfields
this a.m. to have a look at the Red-necked Phalarope, and in spite of very calm
conditions found it fairly difficult to locate. We spent half an hour searching
its usual haunt without success, then went off to other areas and returned about
two hours later. By this time a breeze had come up causing moderate waves on the
water which often make it even more difficult to find since being so small, it
disappears in the troughs. Up till now the method has been to look for a white
bird (with a curved black eye stripe) about one third the size of the Banded
Stilts it associates with, but today we realised this is now inappropriate
because the bird has coloured up to the extent that it looks overall a dark
bird. The colours are really quite stunning when viewed properly through a
scope. I had noticed some colouring last week but the rate of change has
really accelerated to the point where the bird is now just about in full colour,
the intensity of which suggests it's a female.
Tony.
Adelaide birding by 4WD
phone: 08 8337
5959
e-mail:
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