BirdingNZ.net

Some excellent birds found between Embankment Road and Clarke's this evening. Habitat looks perfect for waders at the moment. I suspect some recent arrivals; I noted a handful of juvenile godwits, and many birds were so busy feeding they barely noticed me.

1 TEREK SANDPIPER (first at Te Waihora since 1988?)
1 gull-billed tern (ssp. macrotarsa)
1 curlew sandpiper
2 sharp-tailed sandpiper
22 red-necked stint
11 ruddy turnstone
253 bar-tailed godwit
8 red knot
47 wrybill
16 banded dotterel
Usual suspects

Epic find Warwick!!

Bird still present this morning at 8.30am. Kieran Rowe was onto it pretty quick! Nice to cacth up mate! What a stunning bird for Ellesmere! Must admit it was a bit of a hit and run visit so didn't look too hard for other birds but over 200 Bar-Tailed Godwit present with 3-4 Sharpies, 20+ Red-necked Stint and at least 7 Red Knot. Gloomy old morning threatening to rain but what a bird to have on our local patch! Dipped on Tereks twice in Australia and have never managed to get down for the Southland bird so a lifer for this old guy. 50 this weekend so what a birthday present! Thanks (again) Warwick. Legendary find!

Seen today with Ben Ackerley and Peter Langlands at large pond in-between Jarvis and Embankment with wrybills, turnstone, stilts and knot. Quite flighty. Awesome find Warwick!
Cheers,
Sam

Just an update from the other side of the lake:

18 Oct Kaitorete Spit tip

2 White-winged Black tern
5 Red Knot
27 Caspian terns

Crescent island - no waders, no mudflats

CCC Kaitorete Reserve

29 Bar-tailed godwits

Great find Warwick! Seen in the same place yesterday evening - such a neat little bird.
The Gull-billed Tern was still around too (hawking over pools away from the main lake - closer to Clarks Rd).
And also a couple of Pacific Golden Plovers present amongst the other waders.

Terek Sandpiper still present at 15:15 this afternoon off Clarks Road actively feeding. Also nice to see the Australian Tern and a couple of PGPs, plenty of Wrybills and Banded Dotts. 42 Bar-tailed Godwits feeding at Embankment Road a bit earlier (12:40).

Sadly I couldn’t find him this morning in the areas it had been seen yesterday. No sign of the Curlew sands or Aussie tern either. Likely just feeding elsewhere this morning.

Couldn't find it today either but found 1 Curlew sandpiper, 1 Sharpie, 9 red knot, 10 ruddy turnstone, and the usuals.

3 sharp-tails and a scattering of Red-necked Stints among 50 plus wrybill at Jarvis yesterday but Terek not seen