birding-aus

Fork-tailed swifts

To: Birding- Aus <>, Prof Michael Tarburton <>
Subject: Fork-tailed swifts
From: Helen Larson <>
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2014 02:07:13 +0000 (GMT)
We saw our first Fork-tailed swifts for the year yesterday, over the farm 
behind us here at Wongaling Beach (FNQ), about 12 mixed in with 12 Australian 
swiftlets.

Then we went down to Tully Heads sandspit at the mouth of the Hull River to see 
what the big spring tides had done and saw about 500 fork-tails, at least. Just 
an estimate based on their constant loose stream going south along the coast, 
some flying high and some close to the river; we counted 100 going south in one 
minute, then concentrated on the shorebirds (a fisherman kept putting up the 
terns and sharp-tailed sandpipers, sandpipers left after two flights); swifts 
stopped coming after about 15 mins. We saw a few extra fork-tails go over as we 
drove out but did not stop to count. 

At Hull Heads we had 8 Fork-tails go low over our heads as we were standing on 
the sandspit (other arm of the Hull River mouth).

No swifts of any kind this morning, more howling wind all rushing to join the 
low off Karumba I suppose. 
Helen

<')//////==<
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