Hard to think of a bigger birding summer?

[philbattley]

And for a fun followup question, if you could see one of those birds (and maybe you did), which one would it be and why? For me I'd take the Western Sandpiper. Not a lifer, but I'm a shorebird biologist and my wader list is more important to me than other birds...

[Jan]

Same for me, Phil. That was a stunning little bird.

[Michael Szabo]

I heard about the LSP report via Russell Cannings who said it was submitted to eBird by Heather Rogers:
https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S100321048

[FraserGurney]

Good question Phil, I'd probable go for the yellow-nosed albatross, beautiful bird and a lifer to boot.

Thanks Michael.

[Michael Szabo]

It's also worth noting that there are probably more people watching, photographing, and reporting unusual birds now than ever before via this forum, various Birds New Zealand reporting schemes (NZ Bird Atlas, Wader Surveys, Beach Patrols), eBird NZ, various Facebook groups (New Zealand Birders, NZ Bird Identification, Birds New Zealand, NZ Bird Photography etc), iNaturalist NZ, What'sApp, pelagic trips etc, plus there is greater cross-posting between these networks/platforms, and systematic reporting via this forum's alerts and eBird NZ alerts.

Here's to more interesting finds over the weeks ahead.

[Jan]

Indeed, Michael Szabo, that may well be true, but you can't refute the fact that weather conditions have combined to cause more 'climate change' this season than ever before. Warm water and weather systems from the tropics have been more prevalent than before and caused more tropical species to occur. You uesd to post items about climate change and birds and all the time; has something changed/

[Michael Szabo]

I have made no comment here on the cause/s of these birds being present, I've simply noted the fact that more people are observing and reporting unusual birds than ever before.

My posts elsewhere in this forum are of links to new studies that relate to climate change and birds.

Your claim that "Warm water and weather systems from the tropics have been more prevalent than before and caused more tropical species to occur." is anecdotal.

If someone publishes a new study that analyses data and illuminates this subject in relation to birds in Aotearoa I'd be happy to post a link to this forum.

[sav]

And for a fun followup question, if you could see one of those birds (and maybe you did), which one would it be and why? For me I'd take the Western Sandpiper. Not a lifer, but I'm a shorebird biologist and my wader list is more important to me than other birds...

Oriental Cuckoo for me. Its the only one that I twitched and missed (and that was only because DH made it fly into a window the previous evening!?), but it is also the only one that would be a life bird.

It is a fantastic list, but isn't it a little simplistic to suggest that anyone knows the reason? There are actually only a few species there that "tropical" and one big storm accounted for a load of them.

cheers

[Jan]

I don't think it's simplistic at all to suggest that the occurance of these sorts of birds is due to climate change. If you listen to Chris Brandolino from MetService on RNZ he is always talking about the warm water conditions in the pacific and the way they are being pulled down to NZ by the fronts meeting them from Antarctica. I don't claim to understand meteorology that well, but I did study it as part of my degree at Uni. and there have been a number of climate related studies published that show the effect of climate change on bird populations. If you want to say that these sightings are down to better bird watching and reporting via the many channels that someone runs, that's fine, but it isn't just that, evidently. Loads of birders have looked out for rarities near Wellington for ages and also at Auckland sites. It hasn't suddenly become the pastime du jour.

[Michael Szabo]

It is important not to conflate observer coverage, weather conditions, and climate change/s - especially if based on one or two storm events.
For example, a number of rarities were seen last winter during a single storm event on the Canterbury coast in late May - but was that down to climate change, or a single severe weather event, or the fact that there was a large contingent of birders watching at the site?
Peer reviewed data analysis over a longer period of time is required before jumping to a conclusion about one or two storm events that brought a fairly small number of individual tropical seabirds to the North Island.

An article about this posted online yesterday by the ABC points out that, "She said climate scientists were now able to determine whether climate change had increased an event’s likelihood and, in some cases, they could even put a number on how much. But she said providing that answer required a study of the event."

Link to article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-11/ ... /100876646