Hi Irene,
GTATattler are tide-driven, and I don't think there is any likelihood of day
and night playing any part in their daily cycle. They are a common bird in
SEQld, and I have never had any impression that there is any drive other
than tide in their daily cycle. I was out spotlighting at 7-8pm (it was
already dark at our latitude) on the Caloundra sandbanks last week, and
there was a GTAT foraging busily amongst the terns that I was there to
observe. Additionally, all our weekly tern surveys take place throughout the
afternoon and evenings, and tattlers are usually active, if the tide allows
it. I could provide detail, but I doubt it would be any more help.
I would have to put your time observations down to coincidence. You would
really need to tie in tide information when it comes to shorebirds.
Cheers,
Jill
--
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Qld
26º 51' 152º 56'
Ph (07) 5494 0994
> From: "Irene" <>
> Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2002 11:12:19 +1100
> To: "Birding-Aus" <>
> Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Grey-tailed Tattlers
>
> Having recently seen Grey-tailed Tattlers, I thought I'd look through my
> database for all my records on this bird.
>
> Since 11/3/92 I have seen them on 14 separate occasions.
>
> Numbers: highest number was 6 at once at Toolakea Beach in Queensland (near
> Townsville). Generally otherwise, I've only
> ever seen 2 or 3 together at once.
>
> The book Shorebirds in Australia by Brett Lane/Jeff Davies discusses counts of
> 8,500 birds at Eighty Mile Beach, WA (wow!).
> The book states that numbers of 60-100 have been recorded at Hunter River
> estuary, Botany Bay and Port Stephens (NSW). The
> numbers get less and less as one goes south in Australia, with a record of 20
> at Corner Inlet, Victoria.
>
> Arrival: Earliest date during a year that I've seen these birds is 31 August
> (1992) on Magnetic Island, Queensland. 17
> October at Lord Howe Island. In the Sydney region where I live, the earliest
> has been December at Newcastle.
>
> Departure: The latest date during a year that I've seen them is 15 April
> (1995) at Prince Edward Park, Cabarita (about 10 km
> from Sydney city). The March and April sightings record the birds with
> breeding plumage (bars on breast).
>
> Most of the sightings have been of the birds roosting (either standing or
> sitting down) and preening. Only on 4 occasions
> were they foraging on sandflats, mudflats or near an oyster bed.
>
> Have seen them mainly in the mornings, with some at midday and with one
> exception, all sightings were before 2.30pm (saw 2
> birds at Long Reef, Sydney at about 4pm). As I do birdwatch late in the
> afternoon, it's interesting to speculate that by
> late afternoon they are perhaps off finding their roost for the night. Where
> do they go??
>
> Cheers and Happy Times with Nature
>
> Irene Denton
> Concord West, 12 km from Sydney city, NSW Australia
> 33°50.278'S 151°05.406'E
>
> Records in my database:
> Birds 28,308
> Orchids 1,148
>
>
> Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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>
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