Stockton Bird Photography 22nd September 2009.
It was a struggle to get out of bed this morning. But I knuckled down and bit the bullet and all those other cliches. I went down to the local park because I heard there had been some Koels and Channel-billed Cuckoos there. I did a walk around the fig trees, but saw not a one. Great start to the day, I said to myself. So off i toddled to the Stockton Sandspit and a massive traffic jam trying to get over the Hunter River. Strike 2.
The tide was coming in at the Stockton Sandspit. There were a few young Pied Oytercatchers in the inner lagoon as well as some Australian White Ibis, Black-winged Stilt and Eastern Curlew.
On the mud flats was a single lone Bar-tailed Godwit having a good peck. All the rest of them were over at the Kooragang Dykes. Poor little fella. Some Red-capped Plovers were also on the mud flats and there were some up on the grassy-shelly land.
Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus)
A couple of large flocks of Red-necked Avocets came towards the mud flats and most of them flew away again. Some of them alighted and had a bit of a slosh, but took off again soon after. There was also a few Curlew Sandpiper and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. (Thanks to David and Grant for the ID).
Grey-tailed Tattler (Heteroscelus brevipes)
After that I went along the river front at Stockton and saw a pair of Grey-tailed Tattler.
Grey-tailed Tattler
Stockton Bird List 22/9.09
Pied Oystercatcher
Australian White Ibis
Black-winged Stilt
Eastern Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
White-faced Heron
Red-necked Avocet
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant
Crested Tern
Grey-tailed Tattler
Grey Fantail
Australian Pelican
Superb Fairy-wren
Rock Dove
Yellow Thornbill
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Magpie-lark
Common Mynah
Welcome Swallow
Curlew Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper