MEGA - Asiatic Dowitcher Motueka Spit. Ho.. Ho.. Ho!

[Colin Miskelly]

Hi all

The dowitcher is still there, but playing hard-to-get. It took 4 hours of godwit-searching to find it today, despite arriving 3.5 hours before high tide. Kate had wandered back to the car by then, but did see the whimbrel and a superb show by a breeding plumage gull-billed tern.

Cheers
Colin

[igor]

I visited the spit today over high tide. The dowitcher was present in the normal spot (as was the whimbrel), but no sign of the gull-billed tern.

[phil hammond]

has anyone seen the dowitcher or know of any sightings since feb 4th

[TomNelson]

Hey Phil,
I was out there this morning but I didn't spot it. I was under a bit of a time constraint so I didn't get much time to search unfortunately. Thinking I might head back tomorrow and have another look.

[Grahame]

Its still there. Below is part of a message from Paul G who has been there for three days.

By the time it started getting too hot at 0930, I set off back and remembered
the MP3 player in the bottom of my backpack.
See (or hear!) the attached file that I played. Never heard of a shore bird responding
to playback....

The bird immediately popped-up from amongst the dry logs and shell right next
to me up on the centre of the spit, well away from the Godwit flock I was scoping.
It gave half a choked 'Yeoww!' call an flew down to the inner shore, off the end of
the Godwit flock

[RussCannings]

A very cool anecdote Paul G (and thanks Grahame for passing it on). While it may be lost, it's good to see it still remembers what it is! Having said that, probably best if we don't make a habit of this moving forward. It seems comfortable there, so minimising disturbance is probably best (both for it and selfish birders like myself who haven't had a look yet!).

All the best,

Russ C

[phil hammond]

Dowitcher, gull billed tern, and whimbrel all still there today. The dowitcher was feeding on the mud between old wharf road and the spit 4 hours after high tide

[Tim Barnard]

Well done Phil!
Was it showing any colour?
Cheers
Tim

[phil hammond]

Hi Tim

No still in basic

I need to make a correction. I did not realise that the name of the road changes when it runs along the waterside so I should have said the bird was on the mud between Motueka Quay and the spit. I was there for 4 days but only saw it there on Tuesday

[Tim Barnard]

Wonder if it might overwinter. You could have a pet Dowitcher for a bit Steve.
Fingers crossed.