2
An update on the Red-necked Phalarope first
observed Sunday 23/11/2003 at Wide Bay, Lake Moondarra, Mount Isa
>>>
I observed it preening 11.30am Monday morning
24/11/2003 as I drove past on an other activity.
But Monday afternoon I was able to keep it under
observation for 1-1/2 hours. 4 times it flew up to 100m along the
shoreline before resuming active feeding. Its movements were seemingly
haphazard but after feeding along the shore for up to 20m it would do a
U-turn and go over the same water again. It would feed from one side to the
other, with its beak just jabbing the surface of the water. At no time was
it further than 2m from the shore.
Yesterday afternoon I kept it under observation
from 3.15 to 4.25pm. It patrolled the same 30m section of water, feeding all the
time. Weather was clear, temp 39.2Cels. It did not repeat Sunday's turning
circles performance.
3
The "New" Atlas p687 advise it was recorded in the
following 1degree grids.
(The numbers are the lat/long for top LH corner of
the grid.)
South Aust
34.138.
Victoria
35.143,
36.144,
37.144,
38.144.
West Aust
17.122,
17.123,
20.118,
21.115,
23.113,
28.114,
32.115.
NT, Qld. & NSW
None
4
Previous records at Mount Isa that I can find are
-
3/12/1986
Peter Harris
Sunbird Vol 18 (2) p41
25/12/1991
A,B & J Watson, Sunbird Vol 22 (3)
p68
3
- 4 years ago 2nd hand report
from "I forget"
5
Other visiting waders in the area yesterday
were
- Oriental Plovers
+ 150
- Black-tailed
Godwits 15
- Marsh
Sandpipers +20
- Sharp-tailed
S/p +100
6
Other nice birds in the vicinity included
-
- Black Swans
- Australian Pratincoles
- Great-crested Grebes
- Red-necked Avocets
7
I have been corrected in that Nick Dymond (who saw
a R-n P on the Tablelands Hwy crossing of the Playford River) comes
from the Shetland Islands.
Regards
Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW
Qld.
Mount Isa is 1562km from Brisbane and
Sunrise is 1 hour & 7
minutes later than Brisbane.
It is also 1581km
due north of Adelaide.
