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g'day all,
1
Yesterday I spent 6 hours checking out the 4km
shore of
Wide Bay, Lake
Moondarra, Mount Isa.
This rarely visited bay is on the west side of the
lake.
The black soil edge slopes very gradually into the
water providing good feeding conditions for the visiting waders.
Once again, because of water pipe duplication
works, I had to use an difficult alternative access.
Temperature was a warmish 42 Cels &
57 species were recorded.
I got good views of 4 Oriental
Pratincole posing about 30 cm from the waters edge
2 were in breeding plumage
2 had their necklace looking like a line of uncut
whiskers
and another 2 joined them on the wing after I
flushed them attempting to get better photos
The backs of all birds were a darker grey than that
depicted in the Field Guides.
I did see 5 OPs some time later, feeding on the
grasses at a different location
100m from the waters edge .. they could have been from the same birds.
Although this number is insignificant to the
millions seen at
80 mile Beach, NW WA I got quite a kick out of
recording them here again.
My previous sightings were at Spring Ck Bay, 3/4km
to the north
on Christmas Day and thereabouts almost 3 years
ago.
2
Another rare bird for this area were at least 2
Pacific Golden-Plover.
Both were in non-breeding plumage.
Once again, I do not know if I saw these same birds
again or more.
3
Other northern hemisphere visitors recorded
were
- Common Greenshank (2) .. my 1st sighting this
season)
- Red-necked Stint (3)
- Black-tailed Godwit (5)
- Marsh Sandpiper (30+ est.)
- Oriental Plover (80+)
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (100s &
100s)
I did not see the Curlew Sandpipers seen a couple
of weeks ago
4
Birds that gave me a warm fuzzy feeling
included
- Black-necked Stork (Jabiru) ...
I never get tired of seeing their
regal style walk !
- Cygnets [There were 3 sets of cygnets (young
Black Swans)
being closely shepherded by their
parents in line astern.
One quartet looked 3/4
grown]
5
I never got around to identifying a juvenile
? when I was distracted by the OPs
- it was actively feeding.
- appeared to lack a tail.
- with the sun behind it, its head and body
appeared to be covered with cotton wool.
6
I did not see the Painted Snipe
recorded 5/10/2004
Regards
Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW
Qld.
- Qld sightings,
- Gazetteer of Birding Places
- Field Guide Quick Indexes
- Some ID Tables
- Various downloads
- Birds Queensland 35 year Anniversary
Booklet-
- lots more --
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