Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Bar-tailed Godwits

I went out to Inskip Point the other afternoon at low tide to see what birds were feeding out on the sand flats. I saw Eastern Curlews, Whimbrels, Bar-tailed Godwits, Lesser Sand-Plovers, Red-necked Stints, and Red-capped Plovers. There were not great numbers of any shorebirds but this might have been because it was not a really low tide and I could not get out around the sand island.
I saw this male Bar-tailed Godwit (Linosa lapponica baueri) showing new plumage all over and splotches of red down its front. Before it migrates this red color will completely cover the front.
I also got a number of photos of other Godwits probing for small sea creatures deep in the sand with their long beaks. Wherever there is water the sand is very soft and the birds can get their beaks down a long way.
This post is for World Bird Wednesday.
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28 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 1, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    jee - cool shots!!
    I didn't know they can stick their beaks THAT deep into the ground.
    But I should have figured, no? :)

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  2. mickFebruary 1, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    Hi Nicole, it is rather amazing to see that length of beak buried in the sand. It would be even more interesting if I could actually see what they are digging up - but no luck so far!

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  3. Hilke BrederFebruary 1, 2011 at 11:29 PM

    Nice shots, Mick, I guess this species travels far. I saw one in June on Plum Island in MA, USA

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  4. mickFebruary 2, 2011 at 4:43 AM

    HI Hilke, Godwits are all around the world but there are a number of different kinds.

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:20 AM

    Curlews always confuse me: I used to think of them as purely waders. But we live inland (UK) with no water around at all, and they are there regularly. Does that make sense?

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  6. mickFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    The shorebirds around here just stay on the shore!

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  7. theconstantwalkerFebruary 2, 2011 at 6:09 AM

    I see Black-tailed Godwits quite often on my patch and Bar-tailed have been seen...just not by me.
    Great images Mick of a beautiful bird.

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  8. FABFebruary 2, 2011 at 6:31 AM

    Lovely shots of the wader feeding Mick. I'm looking forward to catching up with these Bar-tails this year.

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  9. SondraFebruary 2, 2011 at 8:57 AM

    What a great look at the Godwit, He is quite the "miner" with that long beak-I have only seen the Marbled Godwit. Awesome photos!

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  10. DaveFebruary 2, 2011 at 9:53 AM

    super images.... We get to see the blackwits and barwits on the Wirral coast in NW England I just dont get close enough for shots like this.... I must try out harder.

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  11. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2011 at 10:11 AM

    Fantastic photos Mick - wonderful sequence! Its made me think about all the shorebirds in the Yasi zone - what do they do?

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  12. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    Great shots!

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  13. UnknownFebruary 2, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    Great photos!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  14. Martha ZFebruary 2, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    You sure do get a lot of great bird photos, many of birds I don't get to see.

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  15. Sally in WAFebruary 2, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    Amazing shots! That is one long beak!

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  16. holdingmomentsFebruary 2, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    Great set Mick, but I love that second one.

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  17. Small City ScenesFebruary 2, 2011 at 4:28 PM

    Excellent shots. What a neat looking bird. It is amazing how far their beaks will go. Good pics. MB

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  18. ArijaFebruary 2, 2011 at 4:46 PM

    Very nice captures Mick. Do they dig for those little green bivalves? They do have inordinately long and useful beaks.

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  19. LarryFebruary 2, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    These are great shots of the Bar-tailed Godwits Mick! I really like that second, head on shot. Very cool!

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  20. Empty NesterFebruary 3, 2011 at 12:41 AM

    Wow, you really got some amazing shots! Makes me want to head over to the beach and try harder!

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  21. SpringmanFebruary 3, 2011 at 4:17 AM

    What an amazing series of Godwits! It is a pleasure to see your masterful photography illustrate this curious behavour. Excellent captures!

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  22. TonyCFebruary 3, 2011 at 7:23 AM

    Great shots of the barwits Mick. Hope you are not impacted by Yasi

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  23. mickFebruary 3, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    Thanks to all who have commented. It's so interesting to hear how many readers in places all around the world see Godwits of different kinds.

    Like many in the rest of the country I have been following the media reports of the cyclone which hit north Queensland last night. We are too far south to have felt any effects - fortunately. Hope all our friends up that way are OK.

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  24. Sallie (FullTime-Life)February 3, 2011 at 11:42 PM

    I love to watch shorebirds. You got some great pictures showing their behavior/ I was telling someone today that some of the bird bloggers I visit have pictures that are better than those you find in "official" bird books -- yours here are a great example. They show the novice (like me..I'm a long-term novice) exactly what to look for in identifying the birds.

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  25. UnknownFebruary 4, 2011 at 4:45 AM

    Look at that beak! He surely knows how to use it. :-) Great captures.

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  26. mickFebruary 4, 2011 at 4:58 AM

    Thanks for commenting Sallie and JM.

    Sallie, I too found the bird books very hard to follow when I was first starting. I was lucky enough to have a friend with lots of knowledge and lots of patience and I still send her photos that puzzle me. This way I have built up my own library of pics for all the shorebirds. Plus - I am STILL learning!

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  27. Johnny NutcaseFebruary 4, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    those are great, Mick! I really like the second photo best. Cool head on shot, they're cute!

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  28. mickFebruary 4, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    Thanks JN

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