Broome 2017 _ Wave The Waders Goodbye _ Day 05

Day 05

We had the early morning “off” so three of us, including Emelia the young BBO assistant, decided to give the Mangrove Walk another try as the tide was right first thing. We were targeting the Common Redshank described in Morecombe as an uncommon, but probably regular, summer visitor most likely the ssp ussuriensis, birds that breed in Mongolia, Mancuria and eastern Russia. The Roebuck Bay population are seen all year and I understood that this is the only population in Australia that is reliably recorded with numbers in single figures (not that they are rare elsewhere). On the way through the mangroves [not far, a hundred metres or so] we had to swat away the droves of White-breasted Whistlers and Broad-billed Flycatchers. Well, one of each.

White-breasted Whistler Pachycephala lanioides  Male

Broad-billed Flycatcher Myiagra ruficollis 

This bird was so close for a good length of time. Lots of pictures taken.

A distinguishing mark that differentiates this species from the almost identical Leaden Flycatcher is that the retrices (tail feathers) of the BB are graduated in length and have white edges. A deal of time was spent photographing the underside of the tail!!

Common Redshank Tringa totanus

These shots are as good as it got. We saw 4 individuals from a couple of hundred metres. Long lenses are a boon.

About 9 we set off for Barred Creek to the north of Broome. Highlights here were a single Beach Stone-curlew and a Grey Plover among a group of Grey-tailed Tattlers.

BEach Stone-curlew Esacus magnirostris

Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa breviceps
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola The bigger background bird

Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel Male

Broome 2017 _ Wave The Waders Goodbye _ Day 04

Day 04

Birding at dawn anywhere is usually pretty good, especially on a calm morning. The BBO has a couple of paths through the bush to take. This morning I came across a small flock of Red-winged Parrots.

Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus
Male first image, female in other two.

The trip for today was out onto the flooded Roebuck Plains. Flooded enough that we didn't leave the safety of the tarmac of the Northern Highway.

Black-winged Stilt (White-headed Stilt) Himanoptus leucocephalus

Plumed Whistling-duck Dendrocygna eytoni
And one lone Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata on the left.

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Coming into breeding plumage

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
Secondaries not bulging beyond trailing edge of wing. Plenty of tail behind feet. Tail rounded as the outer retrices on BG are shorter as they go out from the midline. Juvenile bird.

Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis

This, and the following two birds, were seen at the Roebuck Bay Roadhouse.

Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis

Australian Magpie (Black-backed) Cracticus tibicen eylandtensis
This subspecies of magpie has white trousers and is found on Groote Eylandt in the NT and the Kimberley area.

Roebuck Bay
The view from the observation station [chairs on the cliff top!] towards dusk. The colours are just stunning. There is no way that any of my images do it any sort of justice. The first image is off to the left of our position looking directly down the light whereas the second is looking across the light to the southern end of the bay.

The reason that so many waders are here is the amount of food it produces aided by a variance of up to 10 metres between high and low tide. It is shellfish heaven -- both for birds and humans. These lads were crabbing. 

Here are some images of the main reason we were there. Watching and recording the species and numbers of birds heading off northward on their migration.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola

Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica

Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis