Saturday, October 31, 2009

Golden Plover gilds wader watch


Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) only wader of rare note in or near Tyto through year to date. Not so hard to find up and down the coast, but this solo bird popped into view on Wednesday just beyond the wetlands' westernmost point, on regreening burnt grass alongside young sugar cane. (I was looking for quail.) Plover unfortunately took lead from two Masked Lapwings it was with and would not settle close enough for better pictures.
Then, 100mm of rain overnight and following day. No sign of bird since.


But two more common wader species have dropped in on newly flooded areas. Bit like buses. None for a while and then three turn up! (New Scientist explained why buses do this. Nothing to do with birds in threes.) Anyway, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) trio above could pass as triplets.


Wood Sandpipers (Tringa glareola) not so strikingly alike. Striking enough merely to have three of the often solitary birds so close together. One bird has been the regular daily ration for most of the month. Below, a closeup look at a Wood, taken at a nearby treatment pond.

3 comments:

mick said...

I'll swap you a whole lot of Pacific
Golden Plovers for one good look at a Wood Sandpiper!

Tyto Tony said...

My latest Wood not good enough? ;-)
Sorry, Mick, know just what you mean!

Mark Young said...

I love the bits of white on the edges of the wings on the Wood Sandpipers. I got my first look at one a couple of weeks ago, and I hope it's not the last either.

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