Northern Shoveler at Miranda

[Nigel Milius]

Went to Miranda to look for this bird this morning (10th Aug), but no sign. Spent a couple of hours there. Around 11.40am a flock of Shoveler (Australasian!) and Grey Teal took of from the Stilt Ponds heading north. I had been studying this flock carefully for some time to no avail, but when they flew, my impression was of several more birds than I'd been watching, so presumably some were tucked in along the near bank and obscured from my view. There was nothing immediately stood out amongst the birds in flight,but they vanished pretty quick. Headed up as far as the ponds north of Kaiaua but failed to relocate them.
Good luck to anyone else who goes for this bird, keep us posted. Nigel Milius

[Tim Barnard]

I dropped by on my way home from the airport yesterday for a couple of hours (2-4pm) but no luck either. Hopefully it will pop up again soon.
Cheers
Tim

[Ian Southey]

I spent a couple of hours this morning without success on the Stilt Ponds, beyond the hide and ponds up to Whakatiwai. The only shovelers were 20 at sea well past the shell bank, 10 on the spit and 22 on the ponds. I think there were 60-ish on Monday so clearly did not see them all. Can't say if this bird has moved on or was just tucked up in the mangroves around the corner. Time will tell.

Ian

[David Lawrie]

Ian there were 75 shoveler with the northern on Monday evening, so some might have drifted away.
i thought that Gwenda Pulham saw it on Thursday but I will check.
While talking about Gwenda she saw a pair of NZ Dotterel making a scrape on the bare earth patch of the lawn farm on the corner of Lyons Road and Paparimu Road on her way home. This would be as far from the shoreline as you can get in the wider Auckland region.

[Alan Tennyson]

The bird from Norfolk Island has apparently not been seen for a while but the chances of them being the same individual can't be high. It only had mallards to hang out with there.
Alan

[RussCannings]

This morning I picked up Joe Dillon and Michael Burton-Smith and headed to Miranda for first light (7 kaka near Tahuna made for a nice start). Steve Wood was also at the stilt pools when we arrived and while there were around 90 shovelers on the ponds (plus a couple near the shellbank), the boreal spoony was nowhere in sight.

We left Steve at Miranda and headed up to Kaiaua to inspect flooded fields, dams, and lakes in the general area with no luck. 2 turnstones in a paddock north of Kaiaua were notable as they are almost always on the rocky shoreline by the boatlaunch. Very few WF terns around (out fishing it seemed).

After hearing from Steve (who was now joined by Tim B) that there was still no green-topped shovelbeak at Miranda, we headed over to Mangatawhiri to scan for galahs (dip), then patrolled the flooded fields in the Whangamarino region. Managed to scrounge up around 12 shovelers but all were the local variety.

Finally we checked out the lakes around Huntly as well as the WTP (which had shoveler on it but again--no emerald-capped shnozzie).

My understanding (as of 4pm) is that the shoveler did not put in an appearance at all today at Miranda. If this bird is indeed a reverse migrant (and given the strong northerlies), it must be in NZ somewhere, so particularly points south should keep a careful eye out at their local shoveling point!

Russ C
Cambridge, NZ

[Tim Barnard]

Yep Steve and I kept a long vigil today at the Stilt Ponds all to no avail. Plenty of Shoveler and lots of comings and goings to keep us interested.

Most Shoveler simply loafed around all day till about 4pm when they decided to spread out and feed. An hour later 70% of them left.

Fair to say both Steve and I are now fully versed in the full range of plumage variation in the species (which is quite significant)... in fact after eight hours of constant scanning I feel I have come to know some of them intimately as personal friends...

Brown Teal and a hybrid Black Stilt were the only highlights ...


Cheers

Tim

[David Lawrie]

Tim,
a pity that you did not catch up with Gwenda on Thursday as she had the bird in view but had to rush off for a loo break!!!
The bird was sitting behind a number of others on the bank that runs into the pond about half way along. only its head was visible at that stage.
However that it is what makes bird watching so enjoyable and frustrating!!

[Tim Barnard]

Noooo ... I just missed Gwenda - she drove away as I walked toward her car, I was about 5m from her. I only had my bins. I'd been at a hui on the Chathams all week and just got back ... that's birding ... ah well ... win some lose some.

But there's a chance its still out there and will pop up again ... or its on the way to the BOP ... who knows ...

Thanks David ...

Cheers

Tim

[Steve Wood]

I stayed around till 10:am today but no sign of the N. Shoveler.
Marsh sandpiper was present this morning on the stilt ponds and the Brown Teal had gone from being present all day yesterday .

Lets hope it pops up again somewhere soon.

Cheers
Steve