Archive for category Esplanade

Bye, bye waders! Cairns will miss you!

Feb 24

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.

Tags: Cairns, Esplanade, godwits, shorebirds, waders

Godwit Shenanigans

Feb 16

Posted by Sebastian | No Comments

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had noticed the Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) on the Esplanade had, rather unusually, started feeding on the grass. This vigorous feeding has continued and I have seen the birds on the grass in different areas almost daily. I figure it must be a last ditch effort to fatten up prior to migratory departure. Following is a video I took in the heat of the day today.

Note the Common Myna (Sturnus tristis) capitalising on the situation. Two birds followed the godwits, almost in a Willie Wagtail type fashion chasing insects that were disturbed by them. You can actually see all the birds panting amongst the heat waves. Most birds such as the this Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) utilising the minuscule shade produced by this palm, were not willing to brave the heat.

That was not the end of the strange godwits today. In between the group of birds feeding on the grass and others loafing on the mudflat, stood this bird — missing a leg. I can’t say for certain that it was excluded from the two groups, but it certainly seemed a little sickly.

Please excuse the following random characters, it is for Technorati: GSYYX7S8TH6W

Tags: birding, birds, Cairns, Esplanade, godwits, shorebirds

The ‘nade and Helpful Hints Separating Stints

Feb 15

Posted by Sebastian | No Comments

It was another hot day today with the rain that has been forecast every day for the last two weeks still not eventuating. All the same, the tide was just about perfect, being about 10% out and heading that direction when I arrived. The species diversity is reducing but many of the more common species are starting to moult into their breeding plumage prior to their migratory departure . At the southern end on the boardwalk, the storwater runoff enters fairly deep channels allowing small fish to come quite close to shore, bringing predators with them. Here is some footage of a Striated Heron (Butorides striatus) hunting.

It is fairly lucky to catch a Striated Heron this close up actually actively hunting, especially with such success. This bird actually manages three successful strikes in a row. More typically, this species stays quite still with very little movement. Those slow deliberate steps are usually far more sparse and reserved for movement after a strike is unsuccessful.

Another species that got quite close to the shore today was the Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis). With many birds mid-moult, I thought it the perfect time to comment on separating this common little bird from other species and its rarer brethren. About as large as a sparrow, these birds will likely be among the smallest wader on any foreshore. Here is a comparison shot of a Red-necked Stint next to some Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) and Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris ferruginea).

Chances are, if you spot a stint on the east Australian coast, it will be the Red-necked Stint. The key feature to look for, unless you’re looking at a mudflat, is dark legs. This is the only stint of its size present in Australia with dark legs. Another feature I look for to confirm a bird is a Red-necked stint is the bulbous tip on the end of the bill. This is more subtle in some birds than others, but if it is present (and not a chunk of mud), it is diagnostic. Often, Red-necked Stints are confused with Sanderlings (Calidris alba) which makes no sense to me. The Sanderling is a larger bird with much brighter, higher contrast grey and white appearance. Finally, the Sanderling, as the name implies, is usually found on sand. While Red-necked Stints can be found on sandy beaches, it is uncommon to find a Sanderling outside its preferred habitat.

Red-necked Stints feed in small groups and their presence can often be missed as they blend well with their usual surroundings. Here is a video of a motley group. Note the bird coming into moult, it looks particularly light. Moulting shorebirds often confuse me and I have got excited on many occasions at the sight of an ‘off’ looking bird.