Bar-tailed Godwit

All posts tagged Bar-tailed Godwit

Like Grandfather, Like Grandson – Leaving a Birding Legacy

Posted by aussiebirder on October 16, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Sydney, Uncategorized, waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Australian Black-backed Magpie with several Caterpillar in beak

Last weekend we had the privilege of having my grandson Joel stay with us. One of the enjoyable experiences with him was taking out to explore our beautiful local birds. An even greater plus was that he said he actually enjoyed the outdoor experience or adventure as he called it, and was soon standing alongside my wife and myself with a pair of binoculars aimed at our friends the waders, down on the Georges River mudflats. A Budding Birder: Like Grandfather, Like Grandson, you might say!

Thankfully on the day most birds were on cue and appeared in their usual areas. Of course my little friends the Bar-tailed Godwit were patrolling the waters edge and made a great start for the session. Especially watching how when they find/extract  a tiny mudcrab from the sand they run off with it, as they are aware the others around them are watching.

Bar-tailed Godwit with a crab
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit with crabs

Their fast and sometimes humorous movement is highlighted in this short clip using Henri Mancini’s “Baby Elephant Walk” music from the 1962 movie Hatari which in Swahili means ‘Danger’.

As we approach slowly closer there is this sudden move to the water, as we begin to enter their safe buffer zone.

In some of the males a tiny remnant of their orange breeding colour could be seen on their under body.

Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit

The occasional submerged head technique is quite interesting, that’s a long way down into the sand, it must be a sure thing…

Also sharing the beach was this small flock of Australian White Ibis, actually feeding in their natural habitat. I say this because in recent years this bird has become a pest in Sydney, where it has become known as the ‘Bin Chicken’ because it has learnt to find food in garbage bins, making a mess everywhere.

Australian White Ibis
Australian White Ibis

My grandson was also intrigued by the many Light-blue Soldier Crabs marching on the mudflats, and scuttling away from our approach.

Also on the beach the Pied Oystercatcher was also checking out the crabs.

We drove to our next viewing spot on the other side of the river, hoping to find the Eastern Curlew, and yes it was exactly where we expected to find it. My grandson was able to see out largest and most shy wader.

A recently improved walk along the river included these art form images of birds seen here…

Pied Oystercatcher

This Australian Black-backed Magpie was collecting several Caterpillar in its beak, possibly to take to its nest to feed its wife and/or young ones. Thankfully it saw me as a friend, as I frequently walk quite close to him, like 1 foot away.

Lastly, my wife thought there might be just the off chance that the tiny Red-capped Plover previously seen at Bonna Point Reserve, way over on the other side of Botany Bay at Kurnell, near where Cook first landed, might be walking the shoreline, and to our delight he and two others were doing just that. Of course we sat and had our ice-cream first, watching the jets coming and going from the airport, as they passed overhead. The Red-capped Plover is one of our smallest waders, and is found all over Australia and Tasmania, even in the hot inland, but usually near water.  So Joel saw both the biggest and smallest waders all in one afternoon. The amazing thing about this little bird is that if you are not looking for it, you will probably not notice it, as like other plovers, it moves quickly and stops, moves quickly and stops, blending in with the weed and dross on the shoreline. Its like blink and you might miss it.

This the major problem we are experiencing with our wildlife in our state as the Government allows the big companies to come in and totally destroy our old forests, calling it selective clearing. As they are not interested in, or even looking for the wildlife, it does not exist to them. Koala habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate and there is a call to upgrade them to endangered or by 2050 they may be extinct. Read about it here.

Koala confused after clearing

Picture from ABC article link above

One of the responsibilities God handed man when he entrusted him with the privilege of having dominance over his other creatures was to care for his planet and its creatures. Greed and selfish ambition have become more the case as we see mankind move away from a recognition of God and his loving and caring agenda. We were intended to be his representatives on the earth, being made like him  i.e. in his likeness

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

After the world flood which destroyed most of the earth as it was known in pre-history, and from which our fossils and many rock formations were formed, God reasserted Noah’s authority over the creation, handing him as mankind’s representative to be a responsible carer for his creation, however now there would be fear in the hearts of the creatures, as they may now become food for mankind. This is what we birders experience, as do many of us when approaching our wildlife creatures.

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

It is great when we can re establish a peaceful trust relationship with our birds and animals. Some of us have bird feeders to assist them through cold winters, and some like myself have bird baths to assist washing and watering the birds. The even greater experience comes now that the birds have come to know we care for them and mean them no harm, is that they will provide entertainment for my wife and I as we sit only a couple of feet away eating lunch as they dive, wash and shake. We have a smaller bath for small birds such as Noisy Miner and Grey Butcherbird and a large one next to it for larger birds such as Magpie and Currawong.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the change of seasons. We remain in drought, and pray for rain, as many farm communities run out of water, and we head into possibly the worse bushfire season on record. This has a huge impact on our trees and wildlife, where for the first time in Australia our rainforests are actually burning.

If this is your first visit to my blog and your interested in birding as a recreational pursuit, why not check out the rest of my birding website, starting with my Homepage. You may be looking for the perfect Christmas gift for your grandchild or child or nephew or nice. Why not check out my book What Birds Teach Us and purchase it securely here online. Ideal for children 7 to 12 years of age, and it will continue to encourage them to make good life choices throughout their lives.

NOTE: All photos, videos and music used on this website are photographed, composed, performed  by the site owner and remains his copyrighted property, unless otherwise stated. The use of any material that is not original material of the site owner is duly acknowledged as such. © W. A. Hewson 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Waders Welcome Return – The Bar-tailed Godwit

Posted by aussiebirder on October 2, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Botany Bay, Fauna, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Sydney, Uncategorized, waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , .

This week to my great delight and relief, my wader friends, the amazing Bar-tailed Godwit, have returned from Alaska again, and this time with a few more in the family making 13 in all. I found them on the Georges River mudflats on a beach where they usually are not found.

They flew off and I followed them to their usual beach, as the tide was quite low and there was plenty of area for them to forage on. It was late afternoon so there was significant yellowing due to pre-sunset light. They all looked healthy and good for their 16,000 km direct flight across the Pacific Ocean over their 8 day non stop flight. This Silver Gull liked getting in the photo also.

The mudflats are great for tiny mud crabs, and as the sand is wet and soft they can press their designer built beak well down to pull them out, sometimes with their entire head underwater.

The Bar-tails have a slightly upturned beak compared with the very straight beak of the Black-tailed Godwit, which we seldom see in these parts. The female is larger than the male, and they have all lost their breeding plumage, and ready for Summer in Australia. I could not detect any juveniles from their recent clutches, so they may stay till next season and make their first journey next year. Some appear to be 2nd year that may have made their first or second. 

I am looking forward to getting better pics when the tide and sun are coordinated better. The above pic is probably the better of the bunch. Something spooked the flock and they took off quickly to another beach across the bay. They will be back. I was starting to get very concerned when it reached the 1st of October, as these little guys are usually here by then. I am so happy to see them back again on their same beach.

 

Often people swim and fish and look for bait on the mudflats while this little tight knitted flock wonder about not far from the them. Interesting that most people using this beach no nothing about these birds or their amazing endurance journey they make twice a year some 32,000km. They just look like sea birds among the sea gulls and offer no great interest, as from a distance they are small and the beauty of their wing patterns are hidden beneath their wings, only revealed in flight. My friends and family notice my excitement every time I see them, and become suddenly amazed when they are told about my little wader friends. They attract little notice, and yet are one of the world’s most remarkable birds. There is a life lesson in this for me that it is not the loud, noisy and showy people that necessarily that have much to contribute, but often the quiet, humble and unassuming.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” – Matthew 5:5

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” – James 4:10

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” – James 4:6

Have a wonderful week!

If this is your first visit to my blog please explore my Website Homepage menu for more birding tips and info. Check out my book “What Birds Teach Us”, a great easy to read gift idea, which continues to get good reviews where people share how it has helped them and how it is a unique book. If you are concerned, it has been carefully  written for all cultures and beliefs and does not preach or recommend any particular belief system, but is a counselling tool that encourages good life skills by using the birds and beautiful photos of them to relate to us. People from other cultures and beliefs different to my own, have shared how they love the book. You can purchase your copy here

NOTE: All photos, videos and music used on this website are photographed, composed, performed  by the site owner and remains his copyrighted property, unless otherwise stated. The use of any material that is not original material of the site owner is duly acknowledged as such. © W. A. Hewson 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

 

The Great Godwit Gorge before the Godwits Get Going.

Posted by aussiebirder on March 14, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian Pelican, Australian Shelduck, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Sydney, Uncategorized, waders, water birds, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , .

As Autumn begins, my favorite migratory wader, the Bar-tailed Godwit begins to show signs of breeding plumage as males begin to orange up and the females start to show dark chevron markings on their underside. They have begun a daily gorging frenzy at low tide to fatten themselves up in preparation for the long 16,000 km journey back to Alaska where they will have their next clutch.

Young Godwits during our  2017 Winter chose to miss a year or two of migration to mature.

Many of the young ones that returned last year will stay a year or two through our Winter months to mature, before taking the journey to Alaska. Above is a male in breeding plumage carrying a crab, escaping from a Silver Gull in pursuit. He eventually eludes his pursuer, allowing him to enjoy his find. The female is larger than the male and has a slightly longer beak. The photo below was taken in Spring shortly after their migration to Australia.

To understand why this bird has my heartfelt appreciation you need to understand the nature of its yearly journey back and forth from top to bottom of our planet. In a Godwit’s lifetime it will have traveled the distance from the earth to the moon two and a half times.

This remarkable bird is featured in my book “What Birds Teach Us” for its endurant character, which is an encouragement to us humans, who are often tempted to give up too soon, before completing what can be sometimes a very difficult time in our lives. We need to press on till we achieve our goal and enjoy the delight and satisfaction that achievement brings, even if it is not all we thought it would be, savor sweet success.

As they fly they form their single file flying order

It is interesting that unlike geese, ibis and ducks, Godwits fly single file and not in formation, which makes the journey even more difficult. However, they are the 9th highest flying bird in the world flying above in the thermals of  about 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) which assists their flight considerably.

Established flight is single file led by the alpha male.

So a visit to my usual wader viewing beach at low tide, the mud flats of the Georges River in southern Sydney, where the same waders return every year to forage, shows the males are already well into breeding plumage. Note the last photo in the series below showing the chevrons on the body of a female depicting the early stages of breeding plumage. Click on photos to enlarge them. This is what I saw…

This little guy seemed smaller than the others as you can see when compared with this Silver Gull.

A few days later I was able to catch these shots on a sunny day before sunset, catching the westerly perspective of light, highlighting the plumage colour change so much better. It is sad in a way as I know in a few weeks they will be gone from the beach and only a small flock of youngsters will remain. At least they will see me through the Winter till the rest return. 

Male
Female
Female

It was also interesting to find a lone Eastern Curlew starting to show similar signs of breeding plumage. This is the largest of our migratory waders and sports a breeding plumage of a mild rufous coloring which is noticeable on this bird. These birds will also do their migratory flight soon to Russia and northern China. Sadly Curlews have a great dread of humans and will not allow you to get anywhere near them. So many have been killed for food in Asian countries on their migration journeys is it any wonder.

Then their is our non migratory wader the White-faced Heron who will be daily found on the same mud flats all year round except while breeding, where it will fly inland to nest high in a tree. This bird is non breeding.

During late August onward it will begin displaying breeding plumage similar to examples below.

White-faced Heron with breeding plumage

Of course there are many other migratory and non migratory waders we see, but these are the only ones I found on this visit which have the most stunning transformations.

It is interesting how this Silver Gull was trying to fit in with the Godwits, but realised he lacked the equipment to penetrate the wet sand to achieve what they were achieving so easily. Notice the middle Godwit looking with interest out of the corner of his right eye, while the gull stands alongside the female Godwit which is in the process of extracting a crustacean from beneath.

Each of us need to feel accepted and loved as a member of a family, community or social gathering, and we succeed in being an authentic member if we can contribute in a meaningful and productive way. With birds the design and shape of the beak or bill is essential for the foraging of their specific food types. The Silver Gull can eat the same food as the Godwit, but must use a different method to do it, such as chasing the crabs on the wet sand, as seen in the following clip..

We are each gifted with different abilities, being equipped with skill sets from different backgrounds. It is not in the copying or imitating of another that  makes one an authentic contributor, but the sharing of one’s personal attributes and skills to complement and strengthen the community or family. In this way we should never consider ourselves inferior or lesser than others because we can not do what they do, the way they do it. Examining ourselves to determine where our strengths and weaknesses lie can help us work at doing better the things we do best, and also to be humble and wise enough to know our limitations, thus feeling free to ask for help and assistance when the need arises. That is the underlying strength of good family and community. It is based on love: I give my best of what I can contribute, trusting that you will do your best to return the same commitment  in your different but needed contribution to me.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10 (NIV)

 “Keep out of debt altogether, except the perpetual debt of love which we owe to one another. The man who loves his neighbour has obeyed the whole Law in regard to his neighbour. ” – Romans 13:10

In the Christian Bible in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the human body as an example of how a loving caring sharing community works as God intended.

Have a very enjoyable week as you watch several bird species and bird numbers change for the approaching season. If this is your first visit to my blog please check out my website Home-Page for more birding tips and healthy life skills.

NOTE: All photos, videos and music used on this website are photographed, composed, performed  by the site owner and remains his copyrighted property, unless otherwise stated. The use of any material that is not original material of the site owner is duly acknowledged as such. © W. A. Hewson 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

 

Catching the Tide – Searching for Shorebirds

Posted by aussiebirder on February 16, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, shorebirds, Sydney, Uncategorized, waders, water birds, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

The last few weeks I have been recovering from an illness which has limited my birding exploits. One area I have been discouraged this season is the shorebirds and waders, as numbers are reducing each year. We know that hundreds are perishing each year during their migratory journeys as humans interfere with their feeding grounds (filling in and developing wetlands for industry and housing), as well as snaring and killing them for food. This is occurring mainly in the Asian countries where these birds stop off for refueling to complete their amazing  12 – 16,000 km flight.

 

One Critically Endangered species, we are seeing less of each year is the Eastern Curlew (see above). Our largest migratory wader. Is it any wonder it is the shyest of waders, and will take flight when it sees a human moving towards it even at a great distance, sounding its classic alrm call as it goes. This beautifully patterned bird is a delight to capture with camera. The camera is the modern rifle for notching up captures or kills, and our photos are now our trophies, and ‘no animals were harmed in the making of this film.’

How beautiful are these birds. I make my usual viewing visits at low tide to nearby Taren Point Shorebird Reserve on the banks of the huge Georges River which flows into Botany Bay. These mud flats are a rich source of crustacean food for these birds using their long probe-like beaks to penetrate into the wet sand below. Click on photos to enlarge them.

The other reason I have been slack with posting waders this season is the tides, and my ability to catch the low tide when I am not working, they do not often align, so I have to make the most of my days off. The other commonly seen migratory wader in reduced numbers on our river banks this year is the Bar-tailed Godwit. The small flocks are reduced to several pairs.

Bar-tailed Godwit curious
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Youngster
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit in flight
Bar-tailed Godwits in flight
Bar-tailed Godwits in flight
Bar-tailed Godwits in flight

I also use to see occasional Grey-tailed Tattler, but saw none, but did see this uncommonly  seen Whimbrel smaller than the Curlew in size and beak.

One common shorebird is always the Grey-faced Heron…

Grey-faced Heron

Both the Sooty and the Australian Pied Oystercatcher are seen from time to time, either resting on the beach or prying rock oysters in the river banks.

It was interesting watching this scene play out between a flock of Silver Gull (Seagull) and a flock of Pied Oystercatcher (rarely seen in this number). At first the Silver Gull were resting on the shore and then small numbers of Pied Oystercatcher began gathering nearby. Initially one lone Pied Oystercatcher was sent packing back to his flock…

Gathering the troops the flock of more dominant Pied Oystercatcher marched on the gulls and placed themselves right next to them. No scuffles broke out.

Marching on the gulls
Marching on the gulls
More troops arrive
taking control

Some of the Pied scouts discovered fresh water flowing from a storm water drain onto the beach, which attracted the attention of many other birds on the beach, including an immature Silver Gull which felt somewhat outnumbered and alone.

scouting team discover fresh water
fresh water and an immature gull
Pied Oystercatcher drinking fresh water from storm water outflow

Of course we can’t leave out the Australian Pelican, an often seen inhabitant on the river. It is a delight to see them gliding so gracefully, sometimes circling to very great heights, One strange position is seen in a photo below with bill pointed upward, not quite sure what that was about, maybe something was caught in its throat…

Speaking of gliding, on the North Easter which blows cool air off the ocean each Summer afternoon (thank God!) I saw this flock of Silver Gull just hanging in formation for long periods in the strong breeze without moving, it was almost a spiritual experience…

Gulls gliding on NEaster
Gulls gliding on NEaster

The expression on this gull caught my attention and became a favorite of mine…

I moved to another position behind the mangroves and heard noisy cries of what I knew to be Little Terns. They were a fair way out with the tide so I had to wait till I got home to interpret what was happening. It appears a Little tern was being harassed by an immature  Crested Tern, trying to steal its freshly caught fish, which it wanted to feed its babies waiting on the beach.

The Australian White Ibis, Royal Spoonbill and Masked Lapwing, are also birds seen here on the river banks from time to time.

Masked Lapwing

I am thankful that I managed to see all of the above during the last couple of months of severe weather, unsuitable tides and persisting illness. Wader numbers appear on the decrease, as fewer return from migration to  forage the same beach areas each summer. Nothing stays the same. 

Each of the above birds have been equipped with beaks and bodies that allow them to extract a particular kind of food from the river and shoreline. Each bird obediently observes and follows the parent as it learns how to forage for itself, and master to tools God has equipped it with. Each different kind of bird is in a parallel and not an evolutionary series of progression. This is obvious to anyone who studies biological science, and follows the latest in neurological studies in birds and their behaviour. As the Bible says God created each after its own kind and just as we see here on the riverbank they share the same area and forage together according to their kind. The facts are right before our eyes. Modernists and charlatans try their hardest to convince the world of a no God world view but it does not answer the questions of life or the purpose thereof nor give a viable or believable substitute.

“So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” – Genesis 1:21

“He created them male and female and blessed them.” – Genesis 5:2

“For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,                       I know that full well. ” – Psalm 139: 13-14  I suggest reading the whole of Psalm 139.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” – Psalm 118:1 (NIV)

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the birds!

Check out the rest of my website from my HomePage

NOTE: All photos, videos and music used on this website are photographed, composed, performed  by the site owner and remains his copyrighted property, unless otherwise stated. The use of any material that is not original material of the site owner is duly acknowledged as such. © W. A. Hewson 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.