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

[andrewcrossland]

Record numbers of wrybill at lake Ellesmere at the moment. I’m standing amongst a completely unprecedented 1271 at kaitorete spit tip and I’m sure there’ll be hundreds on the other side of the lake. Every year between about 25 aug and 5 sept there a strong migration passage but this is incredible.
Not much time to look for bands unfortunately but we’ll worth folks having a look in the next few days before they’re gone.

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This is the main flock. (The big group in a line behind the ones in the foreground)

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This is the 2nd flock

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[andrewcrossland]

This is the smaller 3rd flock on the waters edge within the little bay near the gull/tern colony site (no colony as yet thouggh)

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Also. 2 turnstone in breeding plumage, 2 winter red necked stint and, 1 in residual breeding plumage - so as usual the first smller migrats have arrived well ahead of the godwits, they usually showing up at Lake Ellesmere in mid August.

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RN Stint.jpg (94.9 KiB) Viewed 1737 times

[andrewcrossland]

some more pics of today's impressive wrybill flocks:

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[Wrybill]

Thats great wish i was down there

[David Melville]

Julia and I were at Plimmerton this afternoon and 7 Wrybills flushed off the beach - migrants needing a break from the strong wind offshore?

[Wrybill]

probably we have 3 wrybill presumably juvinile or non breeders that stay here each year however in the non breeding season we dont get any more than 9 or 10 at waitohu stream estuary otaki beach kapiti

[andrewcrossland]

Just an update,

I counted 181 Wrybill at several locations on the northern side of Lake Ellesmere the next morning - there had been no wind or rain overnight so a fair bet that birds had stayed put between sunset and sunrise. A grand total of 1452. Distributions shown below.

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Wrybill 7.jpg (146.01 KiB) Viewed 1364 times

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[andrewcrossland]

Just a thought, - given that Banded Dotterels can fly 2000+ km across the Tasman on migration, it seems odd that a sizeable chunk of the Wrybill population stage in more-or-less the same week/fortnight every year at Lake Ellesmere. They fly 780 km from the Firth of Thames and Manukau Harbour, then pause at the lake before flying on another 180 km to the MacKenzie Basin, and a bit closer to the upper Rakaia, Rangitata etc.

Wha'ts interesting to me is that this migration passage coincides with the period when midges seem to be at full abundance. And if you know Lake Ellesmere you'll know what I'm talking about! Q- are the Wrybills stopping at Ellesmere to feast on midges and having a crash weight gain in preparation for breeding??

Heres' some pics to give a sense of how many midges there are - in these pics on saltmarsh shrubland, but they're also abundant out on the salt meadows at ground level.

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If you have to push through the saltmarsh to get out to the saltmeadows and mudflats at the lake shore, this is what you face!! Wrybill tucker?!!

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[Adam C]

Finally, got out there this afternoon after a few failed attempts (one involving a flat tyre)

Birds of note were 13 Ruddy Turnstones and 9 Red-Necked Stint.

Approx 700 Wrybill still present so I sifted through them and found the attached leg bands. The bird with the double orange leg bands I'm 90% sure only had 1 leg. Followed it for some time and none of the others were single-leg hopping as they sometimes do.
I hope of help to somebody!

No Curlew Sandpiper unfortunately, which was my (ever hopeful) target. Bit early for Sharpies and Peccs but nice to get out there!

[FraserGurney]

Adam Colley, Paul Francis and myself were at the spit tip today where there were 148 wrybill, 13 ruddy turnstone, 11 red-necked stint, 8 banded dotterel, 5 red knot and 4 bar-tailed godwit. The knots and godwits headed off south down the coast so presumably continuing migration.

We also had 4 bittern in flight at the Halswell River mouth earlier in the day.