Little Waihi/Maketu - American Golden Plover

[Tim Barnard]

Hi
Also checked Little Waihi last night and found a single grey golden plover amongst a flock of 39 PGPs. I know we've been here before but this is a very very grey bird and stands out clearly in the flock. I'm away from home so don't have my laptop or books but if you're heading over to look for the sanderling it would be worth a look. Thought it best to get it out asap... rather than ponder it too long. Best be proved wrong later ...

The bird was on the island straight out from the little jetty in the Bledisloe Camp site. From experience the flock is highly mobile and splits between Maketu and Little Waihi. Must admit first impressions were of AGP ... may mean nothing but the bird was often chased by the others so usually found itself around the edges of the flock...

Just off to look again, high tide at 9am... I have some photos which I'll try and post later ...
Cheers
Tim

[Tim Barnard]

Comparative photo below with regulation PGP...

[Tim Barnard]

No sign of the bird this morning. Met Tony Crocker and we checked the island roost - down to 22 Pacific golden plover today, one wrybill and a turnstone with the godwits ...

Cheers

Tim

[Tim Barnard]

Another photo ...

[mark ayre]

Where is little Waihi.
Google link would be great
thanks

mark

[Tim Barnard]

Hey Mark,
Little Waihi is next door to Maketu - two estuaries sit side by side, that's in the Bay of Plenty, east of Tauranga.
Cheers
Tim

[mark ayre]

Oh thanks Tim i did not think it was the one at the bottom of lake taupo !

[Tim Barnard]

Hi
Having grabbed my books, files and notes I'm pretty sure this is a grey PGP - albeit unusually washed out ... whilst it does have primary projection and no warmer tones at all except for some yellowing on the mantle and head, structurally everything is consistent with a PGP and not outside the range of variation for the species.

I did find it again yesterday in better light and got some flight views which did show some toe projection. That said, it's an interesting bird and probably the most grey individual I've seen so far.

Happy to be persuaded otherwise ...

Four red-necked stint were also present ...

Cheers

Tim

[Tim Barnard]

Hi
Got some better photos today at Little Waihi ... interesting bird ...

Also present:
Bar-tailed godwit 567
Knot 13
PGP 32
Banded dotterel 15
Wrybill 1
Red-necked stint 4

Cheers
Tim

[Tim Barnard]

I'm not sure I've entirely given up on this bird based on yesterdays views and photos - keeping an open mind on the AGP thing though growing increasingly optimistic ... still not sure about the primaries but it is in moult - it is basically a longish winged grey bird with a nice white supercilium... have plenty of notes now.

By the way, its still being harassed by the other plovers ...

Cheers
Tim