Hi all. New member here.
While I am definitely a bird nerd, I am also a nerd for the big metal variety and that was what I was focusing on (literally and figuratively) so I had no idea I had captured this flock of birds until I was looking at my photos at home.
The location is Wellington Airport, only a very short distance from Lyall Bay Beach. The birds appeared in two frames, with an intervening frame in between. They look to have been scared by the approaching aircraft and then wheeled back the other way (a smart choice).
I know there are Banded Dotterels in the area, as I have photographed them less than a kilometre from this spot. These look, to me, like they may be some kind of Dotterel, but I'm not sure what they'd be doing low level inside the airport boundary, as the usual place I spot the Banded Dotterels is on the rocky embankment outside.
Bird ID please
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- benackerley
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- Location: Otautahi (Christchurch)
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Re: Bird ID please
Thanks. I've only ever seen them in the area singly before, so had no idea they flocked like this. I will keep more of an eye out now!
- Peter Frost
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Re: Bird ID please
Good observation. They certainly look like banded dotterel. At least at Whanganui airport, where there is an extensive grass apron and close to the Whanganui estuary, a large number of banded dotterel use the airport during winter months. This can be seen in the following data, kindly collected by Bevin Shaw, who was helping out as a baggage handler there at the time. Between April 2011 and April 2014, he counted the birds that he could see on the grass and runway up to 4 times a day, 4-5 days a week, for 28 months in this period. There were gaps in counting during the spring-early summer months in years 2 and 3, but this coincided with the birds' breeding season, when they were elsewhere, so the number of birds, if present, was quite likely low; see the data for 2011-12, which was presented a complet annual cyclee. Obviously, the counts were quite variable because they were made from a single stationary position and so depended on variables such as grass height, weather conditions (wind, rain or not, light levels, etc.), as well as on time of day and the tidal conditions on the adjacent estuary, to which the birds would move to feed. But, if one takes the maximum count each month, a clear pattern emerges.
Banded dotterel have also nested on the airport apron (see https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/publications/nest-relocation-by-banded-dotterel-charadrius-bicinctus/), including one pair that nested right on the edge of the taxiway in front of the airport buildings. The following photo shows an Air New Zealand plane heading for take-off, with the wing tip passing near the nest (marked "N"). The nesting bird (marked "B") moved off briefly (but didn't fly), before returning to sit on its three eggs.
It might be worth looking at the outer fringes of Wellington and other airports, perhaps the smaller ones, where banded dotterel are seen and where one or more pairs may nest.
Peter
Banded dotterel have also nested on the airport apron (see https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/publications/nest-relocation-by-banded-dotterel-charadrius-bicinctus/), including one pair that nested right on the edge of the taxiway in front of the airport buildings. The following photo shows an Air New Zealand plane heading for take-off, with the wing tip passing near the nest (marked "N"). The nesting bird (marked "B") moved off briefly (but didn't fly), before returning to sit on its three eggs.
It might be worth looking at the outer fringes of Wellington and other airports, perhaps the smaller ones, where banded dotterel are seen and where one or more pairs may nest.
Peter
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Re: Bird ID please
Thanks for the report zkarj of the dotterels at Wellington Airport. I am involved in the MIRO project, monitoring and banding banded dotterels living and nesting at Eastbourne, the Pencarrow lakes and at Baring Head. Several of our flagged dotterels have been seen at Wellington airport with one recovered dead there. After your report, we have made contact with Wellington Airport and visited them today. They confirm there are about 15-25 banded dotterels hanging around the airport with what appears to be a permanent population as well and showed us where they regularly hang out. We saw one on our short introductory visit today. They have noted nests and chicks previously and are keen for us to be involved with dotterel monitoring (including banding) at the airport. This is something we would consider but it is a little distance from Eastbourne where most of the team lives. We would be happy for people living closer to the airport to be involved. We have explained what leg flags are and asked them to keep an eye out for any on their patrols and report them to the Banding Office at DOC and us. If you see any dotterels with leg flags, please report them too. Thanks again.
- Michael Szabo
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Re: Bird ID please
I posted your comments to the 'New Zealand Birders' Facebook group yesterday and someone has replied with this comment:
"Just anecdotally, I've seen a pair regularly flying in at dusk to Lyall Bay, landing amongst people and dogs, and scurrying into the dune plantings. Very smart!"
"Just anecdotally, I've seen a pair regularly flying in at dusk to Lyall Bay, landing amongst people and dogs, and scurrying into the dune plantings. Very smart!"
'New Zealand Birders' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/857726274293085