The big flocks of Arctic migrants have departed on their way north. By now the godwits should be heading to Alaska. The wrybill flock is now the highlight of the stilt ponds, with their flights looking stunning in the lower winter light. We do have an unexpectedly high number of red knot present at the moment, whether they stay for the whole winter or move to another harbour remains to be seen. The Greater Sandplover was seen going into breeding plumage about a week ago so worth keeping an eye out for. A single adult Black-fronted tern was seen in early May, this is the time of year when they are moving about so worth keeping an eye out for on any harbour or river. The flock of spoonbills is the largest recorded at Miranda.
Migrants and Vagrants
575 Bar-tailed Godwit
750 Red Knot
1 Sanderling
1 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
6 Turnstone
1 Pacific Golden Plover
1 Greater Sandplover (Large Sand Dotterel)
1 Black-tailed godwit
1 Marsh Sandpiper
NZ Species
2200 Wrybill
2000+South Island Pied Oystercatchers
Pied Stilt
3 New Zealand Dotterel
100+ Banded Dotterel
Variable Oystercatcher
Banded Rail
Black-billed Gull
White-fronted Tern
Caspian Tern
1 White Heron
41 Royal Spoonbill