Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

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wazzagonewild
Posts: 139
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:33 pm

Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby wazzagonewild » Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:23 pm

There was a bumper crop of birds this afternoon in a couple of hours spent at Lake Ellesmere.

Yarr's in particular had a lot of action and huge numbers of birds. Highlights were:
2 black-tailed godwits (first located one associating with stilts and then saw two flying together)
1/2 hudsonian godwits (associating with bar-tailed godwits, then the black-tailed godwits. There may have been a second one and the photo and additional sighting below suggest this may be the case)
42 bar-tailed godwits
1 whimbrel (associating with bar-tailed godwits)
1 marsh sandpiper
1 little tern
3 mute swans
6 banded dotterels
3 wrybill

I then thought Embankment Rd was worth checking out too and it also delivered:
1 hudsonian godwit (not sure if this was the same individual or not, seen ~45 minutes after last seen at Yarr's)
82 bar-tailed godwits
2 curlew sandpipers
5 small unidentified sandpipers (possibly all sharpies, maybe the curlew sandpipers mixed in too, but they were too distant and skittish for firm ID)
1 marsh sandpiper (likely the same one as seen at Yarr's)
31+ red-necked stints
1 little stint
1 pacific golden plover
12 banded dotterel
~40 wrybill
P1110894.JPG
One or two hudsonian godwits?
P1110894.JPG (303.08 KiB) Viewed 2865 times
P1110919.JPG
Whimbrel
P1110919.JPG (398.08 KiB) Viewed 2865 times
P1110926.JPG
One of the black-tailed godwits
P1110926.JPG (366.62 KiB) Viewed 2865 times
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Adam C
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Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 8:58 am

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby Adam C » Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:14 pm

Man what a massive week for Canterbury Birders to get fizzed up about! Keep them coming!
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
andrewcrossland
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Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Christchurch

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby andrewcrossland » Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:29 pm

I checked out Kaitorete Spit tip yesterday FYI -
38 Turnstone
1 Bar-tailed Godwit
10 Red Knot
6 RN Stint
62 Wrybill
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philbattley
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Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 2:21 pm

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby philbattley » Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:44 am

Don't forget that we're after counts of juveniles bar-tails too!
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Adam C
Posts: 647
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 8:58 am

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby Adam C » Fri Nov 22, 2019 5:08 pm

3 Black Tailed and at least 1 Hudsonian Godwit present this afternoon at Wolfes road. There is a 5th bird which is either a Black tailed or a Hudwit but couldn't get concrete underwing evidence! Birds seen wing lifting on the ground and then in flight clearly showing their diagnostic features. Black underwings on the hudwit and white, black framed wings on the BTs. Badger tails stand out a mile. The Black tails lifted their wings perfectly while I was videoing but the Hudwit would wait till I was between shots! Great to see them! Both lifers for me.

No sign of the Whimbrel at Wolfes or Golden Plover at Embankment however 2x Marsh Sandpipers and a large flock of Bar Tailed Godwits 45+ there. Little Stint showing well there too.
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
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Adam C
Posts: 647
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 8:58 am

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby Adam C » Sat Nov 23, 2019 9:07 pm

Ok just to bore you all further heres a still off the video of the Black Tails showing the underwing and a shot of all 3 on the ground + a shot of the Hudsonian defying all my attempts to get a shot of some diagnostic features before he lifted off. Although Ive just been told the short white Supercilium is diagnostic so....Mr Hudwit...I got ya!
Hudwitf.jpg
Hudwitf.jpg (422.52 KiB) Viewed 2571 times
BTs.jpg
BTs.jpg (338.72 KiB) Viewed 2571 times
BT GWIT.jpg
BT GWIT.jpg (633.14 KiB) Viewed 2571 times
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
Ian Williams
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Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 5:33 pm

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby Ian Williams » Sat Nov 23, 2019 11:50 pm

Embankment Rd this morning.
Little Stint 1
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Curlew Sand 2
Red knot 10
Godwit flock roosting on second large pool
Hudsonian 1
Many wrybill, rn stints

Wolfes road.
Little tern 1
Marsh sand 1
No other migrant waders at all.

A great day with perfect conditions. Observers Ian Williams and Brian Darlow
andrewcrossland
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Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Christchurch

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby andrewcrossland » Wed Nov 27, 2019 10:23 pm

2 Black-tailed Godwits, the Little Tern and 60+ Bar-tailed Godwits at Yarrs Lagoon last night.

Also, a sighting of the the legendary Canterbury Black Panther!!

panther.JPG
panther.JPG (31.54 KiB) Viewed 2426 times
wazzagonewild
Posts: 139
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:33 pm

Re: Black-tailed and Hudsonian godwits, Lake Ellesmere

Postby wazzagonewild » Wed Nov 27, 2019 10:48 pm

All 3 black-tailed godwits, 1 hudsonian godwit, and the little tern were all present this afternoon.

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