Shorebirds Report
October 2006
The migratory waders are back and once again there are birds roosting in the mangroves and on the beaches. Over the next few weeks we can expect to see even more birds as the later arrivals fly in from the northern hemisphere.
The newly arrived birds have a variety of plumage. Some have completely lost their breeding plumage, while some others still show some brighter colours and more intensely patterned feathers. Many juvenile birds also have lighter and less densely patterned plumage from the adults.
Newly arrived birds need to feed and rest as much as possible. They loose a considerable amount of body weight during their long flights down here and must feed to regain energy and normal body weight.
Some of the birds that we are now seeing will stay for the summer but others will continue further south to other roosting areas. We had a very quick look at a Latham’s Snipe last week. These birds only use our area as a brief stopping place before flying further south.
As well as monitoring roosting sites on the bay we also monitor ponds that are a little way in from the bay waters. Here we see a diverse range of migratory waders and also birds that stay in Australia all year.
This last month we had some great views of the Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regis). This is a most spectacular bird. It is a large bird – 75-80 cm. The plumage is white and the legs and bill black. The bill is straight with a spoon-shaped end. The birds feed by wading through water and swishing the bill from side to side. They quickly snap up any small fish that their sensitive bills touch. They can also eat crustaceans and insects.
The Royal Spoonbill is common throughout northern and eastern Australia. It builds a nest of sticks usually in a tree overlooking water. There are 3-4 eggs and both birds incubate the eggs and feed the chicks.
This last month we counted a total of 27 species and 1614 birds.