Mongolian Plovers in Southwest Queensland Desert

[Kevin Vang <>]

Hello to Everyone

We are new to Birding-Aus, but know many of you through our birding adventures and work with Birds Australia.  We have just posted a series of pictures of Oriental Plovers on our Bird Explorers Website.  These were taken on our Annual Christmas Outing to the Desert.  This year we did the deserts of South-western Queensland and North-eastern South Australia.  Besides literally melting the air-conditioner in our car, we had a marvellous time taking over 5000 photos of many desert natives.  

The Oriental Plovers were a particular treat as they are not well-understood in their inland distribution patterns as few people venture to the deserts in summer to see them.  However, we found 2 groups.  The first group, comprised of 10 individuals, was found in a lagoon 35 km NW of Thargomindah, and the second group, comprised of 2 individuals was seen in a small lagoon 20 km W of Birdsville.  Being as this was late December, there is the likelihood that this was an over-wintering place for the birds.  The recent Birds Australia atlas, 2003, has no inland records for Southern Queensland in the summer and only a very few for spring. So this is important pictorial evidence of their presence.

If you would like to see the photos, please visit our webpage
http://www.birdquest.net/

Look under “Highlights and Breaking News” >>Mongolian Plovers

The Site is still under construction, but it is starting to look presentable.

Regards
Kevin and Woj