The SIPO was seen at the usual place by three people (+ a curious non-birder)
on Sunday 5th June: on the rocks close to the embankment opposite No. 21 Orana
Esplanade, Point Halloran.
A flock of about 30 oystercatchers flew in a little more than 2 hours before
high tide from mudflats further out (which went under water shortly after). As
they landed we noticed a couple with a large dog walking towards the birds on
the narrow strip of sand. The birds began walking away and it was clear they
would have flown if the dog got closer. I asked the people if they would walk
on the footpath instead and they obliged. Activity there, even though close,
doesn't seem to bother the oystercatchers.
We very soon identified the SIPO among them. We were there for about 15
minutes. The previous time I was there they flew off after half an hour.
Jim Sneddon
Subject: No SIPO seen in Brisbane
From: "Peter Marsh" <>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:36:17 +1000
Dear Birders,
I had a look for the SIPO that had been reported at Victoria Point on Moreton
Bay in Brisbane over the last month or so. I spent a good part of the day
around Orana Esplanade. I arrived as the tide was going out in calm and
slightly overcast conditions. There were a number of Pied Oystercatchers on the
exposed mud as well as Grey Tailed tattler, Whimbrel, bar-tailed Godwit,
Curlew, Pelican, gull billed Tern and a variety of other birds. When the tide
turned the birds were driven back into a concentrated flock with a maximum of
54 Pied Oystercatchers. I did not see any bird that looked convincingly
different from the others to be picked as a SIPO. Eventually all the birds flew
and there did not appear to be any bird with more extensive white on the
underwing.
I had heard that the POs roost on the rock wall beside the Coochiemudlo ferry
at the end of Victoria Point so I went around there to look. There were no
birds on the rock wall which was not surprising as there was a fisherman on the
end of the wall. As I watched a single PO flew in as though it was proposing to
land on the rock wall, at the last moment it turned and flew off exposing very
briefly, and by now in gathering dusk, what appeared to be more white on the
underwing than the other POs had shown. This was a very brief view in poor
conditions but I suspect that it is possible that the SIPO is still around but
not always with the other POs.
As a side issue I would comment that an advantage of Birding-Aus over other
bird sighting websites is that it allows recordal of non-sightings. Is the fact
that there have been no recent sightings of the SIPO because no-one has gone to
look or is it because they went to look, didn't see the bird but failed to
report that.
Regards
Peter
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