GT Tattlers & G Knots

[jilldening <>]

Frank,

In the past they have almost all moved on - the Grey-tailed Tattler and Great Knot. We always have a few Bar-tailed Godwit around. 

Just checking my records - we've been doing intensive surveys (weekly) since last July, and the Great Knot were totally absent from Caloundra until Sept 21 survey, and the Tattler first showed up on August 31 survey. The only migrant species which remained during the winter were Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and, for other reasons, Double-banded Plovers. Bear in mind this is only one area in one year.  I was unable to got down into the deeper parts of the Passage last winter, but I recall that in previous years the knot & tattler left.

Thanks, I didn't know the detail you gave about the age of species migrating.

Cheers,

Jill

---

    25/6/01 11:12 AM

> Jill Denning wrote :
> > As for the Great Knot, they did surprise me. Furthermore, most,
> > if not all, of them were in breeding plumage.
> > 
> > I also had 54 Bar-tailed Godwit, of which just one was in heavy
> > breeding plumage. Just practising?
>
> Jill,
>
> Based on the data from Broome, the Great Knots are probably two or maybe 
> three years old.  The Bar-tailed Godwits are three years old or less.  The 
> Broome data suggests that Great Knots stay south for two years, and Bar-
> tailed Godwits for three years.  It will be interesting to see if they 
> stay for the next few months.