It has been pouring rain all week up here in the north so unfortunately I have no photos! I have been out birding four or five times in the rain however and as of today, it seems the bulk of the waders have left the Cairns Esplanade. Today I noted small numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits, Eastern Curlews, Whimbrels, Terek Sandpipers, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Lesser Sand-plovers, Pied Oystercatchers and a few Great Knots, but that’s about it. Last week in a seriously torrential downpour I had the opportunity to see the bulk of the Great Knots, a fair few in near full breeding plumage, hurriedly squeezing in one of their last feeds before take-off. The godwits were still feeding on the grass, surprisingly within metres of passers-by and picnickers. It seems they become a little bolder in their final stages of preparation.
It will be interesting to see in the coming weeks if the rest of the birds (obviously not all species as some are not migratory) will also depart, albeit a little tardily, or if they will stay for the coming dry season. Younger or sick birds are known to stay-over from time to time, particularly the godwits. Already today I missed the birds, feeling a little alone while searching the near empty mud flats. I’m sure with the known shot of eco-tourism dollars injected into the arm of the local economy by these birds, I’m not the only one.
