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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Curlew sandpiper - Phillip Island to Siberia

I'm still thinking about migratory birds this week.  Seeing these Curlew Sandpiper at Phillip Island's Observation Point late last month prompted to compare how they looked earlier in the southern hemisphere summer.

Curlew sandpiper among Red-necked stint, Observation Point, Phillip Island (November 2013)
Look at me now! All fat and coloured ready for the trip North! Curlew sandpiper, Observation Point, Phillip Island (March 2014)
Although we southerners are sending them off, any Northern hemisphere readers of this blog may feel that they are awaiting the return of birds home! ('Not that likely I guess considering readership numbers & the fact that I gather that these birds end up in the Siberian tundra!)

Another early summer view of  Curlew sandpiper (at right) in December (2012 actually), Western Treatment Plant, Werribee
Birdlife Australia are promoting awareness of the movements of migratory shorebirds currently:



Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!


8 comments:

  1. Great non-breeding and breeding plumage photos. Really terrific to see these photos together. We see the birds in breeding plumage for such a short time and sometimes its hard to be in the right place at the right time! Thanks for the Birdlife video as well - and the link.

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  2. enjoyed your post Pete - I hope to link into the webinar Birdlife Australia farewelling the shore birds too. I was down the coast yesterday afternoon to see what might be left also

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  3. Beautiful shots of these guys, Pete!

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  4. Beautiful shots! It's amazing that such small birds make such a long journey.

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  5. HI Pete Great to see all these wading birds and I loved the little video. Safe journey for the birds til they return.

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  6. Lovely species, and one that I ONLY ever get to see in non breeding plumage.

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  7. Great shots! That's a lot of birds, I hope they have a good journey north!

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  8. Great shots we had a lot of Red-necked Stint the other day showing lots of colour.

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