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Today, myself and David Mitford found what we could
relate closely to being a STLT SANDPIPER (if it isn't its certainly a freak
wader that looks like one) in with some Curlew Sandpipers on mudflats
adjoining the high tide roost area below Stockton Bridge near Newcastle (approx.
170 km north of Sydney CBD). Briefly describing the bird (unfortunately we did
not take any notes at time of sighting. If I looked at my note book too much,
I probably would have missed seeing the birds features in
flight), it appeared similar shape and colour like the Curlew Sandpipers it
was associating with all the time, but had obviously longer (brownish
not black) looking legs (we were not certain on the true colour of the legs.
Stilt Sandpipers normally have yellowish-green legs but I have seen photographs
of Stilt Sandpipers with more browner or darker looking legs) making this
bird at least a third taller than the Curlew Sandpipers it associated with, a
long straighter bill (at least one and half longer than the width of the head
length) not tapering at the tip, dark lores, distinct supercilium
and slightly streaked breast. I saw the bird in flight as it moved further
along the flats, showing clearly a white rump (like a Curlew Sandpiper),
a less distinct wingbar and feet clearly trailing well beyond the tail in
flight (unlike the Curlew Sandpipers also in flight with it). I did not see
the bird feed but I have read that they feed like a "sewing machine"
as in the dowitchers. I watched the bird at two places on these mudflats
for a duration of approx. 10 minutes but would have liked to get more prolonged
views of its plumage.
I hope someone follows up this sighting as it would
be an excellent record for NSW!!!
Other more definate sightings (by myself, David
Mitford, Robert Quinan, Alan Morris, Brian and Renee Doyle et
al) included at least one Broad-billed Sandpiper with about 300
Sharp-tailed, 200 Curlew and at least 5 Terek Sandpipers; 10 Red and 7 Great
Knots; 200 Black-tailed (there were about 400 Black-tailed at the
dykes as the wader counters advised today.) and well over 500 Bar-tailed
Godwits, 280 plus Eastern Curlew (others counted 400 of them), a few Whimbrels,
a Greenshank; 7 Grey-tailed Tattlers; 11 Pied Oystercatchers (could not find
the SIPO that was there a few days ago); only 20 Red-necked Avocets
(the hundreds previously appeared to have left the area); some Pied
Stilts; a Mangrove Heron; Great and Little Egrets; Royal Spoonbill; 3
Caspian and 4 Gull-billed Terns and Mangrove Gerygone.
Myself and David saw also along Stockton Beach 7
White-winged Black Terns and Common Terns fishing very close to the beach (the
White-wings flying low over the heads of some swimmers) and many Wedge-tailed
Shearwaters also close to sure. We also found more Common Terns roosting on the
buoys in the lower parts of the Hunter River.
Edwin
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