March 20 - watched huge flocks of large waders circling around and landing on Mangroves surrounding Hickey Island opposite Calypso Caravan Park in Yamba. I could accurately identify, as Whimbrels, the 20 or so birds that landed on the nearest mangrove but could not be confident about the others which could have also included Eastern Curlews. Some of the other flocks which landed in more distant mangroves were huge and could have included several 100s of birds. Overall, I deduced, there could have been a 1000 or more birds. The birds could not land on the mud flats around Hickey Island to feed as they were covered by the muddy flood waters of the swollen Clarence River.
April 7 - about 30 Pacific Golden Plovers in a partly flooded paddock on Palmers Island, just west of Yamba. About half of these birds were in full breeding plumage. I have never previously seen these birds in full breeding plumage. Presumably stopped for a feed on their migration north.
