Record numbers of wrybill (and new Arctics) at lake Ellesmere

[andrewcrossland]

Niall Mugan and I had a look over Jarvis, Clark’s and Embankment roads today and were later joined by a Kieren Rowe. At least 400 wrybill, hundreds of stilts, 30+ godwits and 2 red-necked stints present.

We found 6 colour-banded Wrybill without any serious searching so there's likely many more.

some pics:

Wrybill 2.jpg (165.56 KiB) Viewed 724 times

Wrybill 3.jpg (208.99 KiB) Viewed 724 times

Wrybill 1.jpg (75.85 KiB) Viewed 724 times

[andrewcrossland]

Just 46 Wrybill at Kaitorete Spit tip today plus 5 Turnstones and 1 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

[Oscar Thomas]

Two Wrybill at Aramoana (Dunedin) on Monday were a pleasant surprise, the first record from the site in 6 years and one of only a handful of Wrybill sightings in coastal Otago. They are remarkably thin on the ground down here!

[Richard Schofield]

A single Wrybill was at Cabbage Point (Catlins River Estuary) this morning

[FraserGurney]

Reporting on behalf of Steve Attwood, who had a curlew sandpiper today at Kaitorete Spit tip.

I'd imagine this bird is on passage and will probably move on from Ellesmere in a few days, but I'd love to be wrong.

EDIT: The bird Steve spotted was a sharp-tailed sandpiper

[Michael Szabo]

As Oscar Thomas comments, the photo posted to Facebook looks like a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper:

https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=6346DF4E

[sjacques]

In further coastal Otago wrybill news: 6 at Cabbage point in the Catlins this evening.

Cheers,
Sean

[Oscar Thomas]

Excellent Sean, we had one there along with a Red knot (both rarities for the region) on Saturday. Nick Beckwith reports 11 wrybill at Warrington Beach yesterday too!