*MEGA* Wilson's Phalarope Ahuriri Napier

[adamclarke]

For those interested, a couple more images from early this morning. One shows the phalarope standing among other birdlife at the lagoon, the other having a swim/forage at the adjacent scrape pond.
Wouldn't it be just awesome if this bird stays put long enough to go into breeding plumage!

[Will Parsons]

PHALAROPE IN BREEDING PLUMAGE.jpg (301.19 KiB) Viewed 2220 times

Just found this post as have been distracted by other events in Marlborough! Under heading of previous records I noticed one omission and that was the siting of the pair in breeding plumage at Lake Grassmere in 2006-2007. See photo.

[RussCannings]

Hi Will,

I believe those birds were both Red-necked Phalaropes (The bird in the photo certainly is). Still great for NZ though!

Cheers,

Russ

[andrewcrossland]

Yeah, wrong species. Were these the red necked phalaropes that were seen on the dune lake between lake grassmere and the sea about 15 years ago?

[Will Parsons]

Thanks guys- mistaken identity.

[Richard Fenner]

I'm heading down to Napier on Sunday to have a look so if anyone sees it today (Saturday) I'd be most grateful for the information on when and where. Has the state of the tide been making any difference to where it's hanging out?
Thanks, Richard

[adamclarke]

Hi Richard

I haven't been myself today, but the local OSNZ group are doing a census at Ahuriri and Westshore so someone will probably reply with a sighting later. The state of the tides has been making no difference as to there the phalarope has been situated, for it simply seems to enjoy staying at the reserve. I don't have the knowledge on why, but both the lagoon and scrapes are not affected by the tidal flows that show so dramatically at Ahuriri River.

[sav]

Hi all,

I picked Steve Wood up from the airport at 9.25 this morning and the phalarope was on it's favourite scrape, the one with floating algae, when we got there 10 mins later. It slept, swam, fed and slept again during the hour or so that we were there.

cheers

[erikforsyth]

Hi all

Left Whakatane at 0430am and arrived at the "The Scrapes" at 0800am today. Found John Jackson from Christchurch watching the phalarope already and after setting up scope, had great scope looks, while the bird fed and preened. John headed off at 0900am and and I left around 1000am. Also met Jim and Angie doing a wetland bird survey and we scoped the phalarope from the main road.

Many thanks to Ian again for finding this mega.

Cheers
Erik Forsyth
Rockjumper Birding Tours
www.rockjumperbirding.com

[ledzep]

Duncan and Dianne can confirm that the bird is still there in The Scrapes lagoon Sat late afternoon. Preening and feeding in the late afternoon sun.