Little Waihi/Maketu - American Golden Plover

[Tim Barnard]

But it has been very very quiet out there Phil and most of the hits are mine ... (and my mums)

[philbattley]

And this conversation has already brought the target closer by 3...

[Tim Barnard]

Tun Pin Ong who found an AGP in Australia very kindly sent me a link to some photos of the bird in Sydney in 2009 ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/tunpin/tags/boatharbour/

I'm sure the Little Waihi bird has a few surprises left yet - I've learned so much from it (every time I go I expect it to have turned yellow) - these are difficult birds to sort out ... even in breeding plumage let alone basic, or pre or post-alternate...

but that's why it's fun ... back to you Phil ...

[philbattley]

Stop abusing the system, Tim. People will start to notice... If you disagree, please reply.

[Brent Stephenson]

Thanks for all the posts Tim and glad to see the bird is still around. Hoping to call in Sunday afternoon for a look if the tides work. It is now looking pretty much a certainty.

I'm sure the progression of photos etc. Has been very useful for the Aussies as well. Nice to have regular updates so thanks for the effort. Is there any chance this bird is the same as that from the Manawatu earlier in the season?

Cheers,

[Brent Stephenson]

Ian Smith and I spent a few hours with Tim looking for the bird today. I should have known that any 'twitch' involving myself and Tim was not going to end well! It's just lucky we didn't find the bird on its back with legs in the air

We spent time looking at all three sites (Little Waihi, Maketu, and Kaituna), but with the big high tide and recent rains the bird could easily have skulked off into the surrounding paddocks with at least 2/3's of the rest of the golden plover flock. Never mind we did see the sanderling at Maketu well. Always a nice bird to see.

Thanks for again showing us around your patch Tim, always good to hang out!
Cheers,

[Tim Barnard]

Hey Sav
Good work, in case you were wondering it's not this one, still present last night.
Tim

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Hey, have the plover and sanderling been seen in last few days?