Broome 2007 part 1

Typical view on Roebuck Bay - rocks near Richard's Point

North West Australia Wader and Tern Expedition 2007 Broome and Anna Plains

9th November to 1st December

Broome Bird Observatory (BBO)

9th - Arrive late in the afternoon from Perth. I flew into Perth last night and stayed with the Rowleys before heading to Broome this afternoon. I settle into the Woodside block in room 3 with Nick Ward from Devon, UK. Half of the party are here by today but most of the rest are expected tomorrow.

Views near Richard's Point

10th - I sort out and settle in. Birds regularly seen about the BBO include two constantly calling Paperbark Flycatcher, lots of Double-barred Finch (black-rumped), numerous Rufous-throated Honeyeater and a few Brown Honeyeater and also few Singing Honeyeater. Occasional groups of Little Friarbirds drops in to the bird bath and 5-10 Greater Bowerbird often at the water. A splendid large Brown Goshawk is often seen at the water causing consternation and at least one immature Brown Goshawk has been dropping in occasionally. I believe the nest site is not far away. Rufous Whistler noted and some Yellow White-eye. Magpie-Lark and Pied Butcherbird are calling often. A party of Variegated Fairy-wren is seen occasionally with at least two full coloured males. Bar-shouldered Dove are slightly more numerous than Peaceful Dove but neither is in serious song although calling occasionally. In fact nothing much is in song at this time in the extreme heat! Long-tailed Finch have been seen but not, so far, by me.

Nick Ward and Dick Holmes having a look at the area near Richard's Point

11th - Meal Team today. First catch at Richard’s Point using a small mesh 3 cannon net. A good one of 296 birds, mostly Great Knot (215 with 44 retraps); Curlew Sandpiper (20/2); 5 Red Knot; 3 Greater Sandplover a couple each of Bar-tailed Godwit (1 retrap) and Terek Sandpiper, along with a Black-tailed Godwit and a Red-necked Stint. No less than four of the Great Knot had been flagged recently in China! I go to Broome very briefly with Julia and David Melville and Peter Jenkins for some last minute shopping and the day’s laundry run. A slide show was given in the evening by Adrian Boyle providing an introduction to the Australian NW. Brilliant pictures as one would expect from Adrian.

Shorebird processing teams at work

12th - Second catch at Tattler Rocks was also a good one of 378. Same routine using a small mesh net but this time the bulk of the catch was spread over five species. We caught a decent sample of Red-necked Stint (84/27), Great Knot (75/10), Greater Sandplover (52/5), Curlew Sandpiper (44/11) and Terek Sandpiper (44/10). We also caught a few Broad-billed Sandpiper (8/1)and Lesser Sandplover (3) together with Red Knot (2), an Oriental Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit. The talk in the evening was given by Clive Minton on the subject of band returns and flag sightings and what they have revealed about shorebird movements throughout the West Pacific Flyway. He described the patterns of movement for each species as they undertake their annual migration to and from their northern breeding grounds which are mainly in the Russian and Alaskan arctic. He emphasised the important stop-over areas used by one or other species during their annual passage migrations through China and south-east Asia and he also indicated where each species spends the non-breeding seasons. For most migrant shorebirds this period is spent in Australia and New Zealand.

Some of the team waiting for the catch


Processing today

13th - Third catch at Two-dog Hermit was another good one with a total of 346. Again a small mesh 3-cannon net. This time the Great Knot were again dominant (145/38) but we also caught a decent sample of Red-necked Stint (80/12) along with Bar-tailed Godwit (25/5), Greater Sandplover (13/4),Red Knot (9/3), Red-capped Plover (6/1), Lesser Sandplover (2) and a Curlew Sandpiper.

Yellow Chat

Two vehicle loads of us went out onto the Roebuck plains with Pete Collins earlier this morning to track down some Yellow Chat. We found them and also numerous Golden-headed Cisticola, Australian Pipit, Singing Bushlark and a few Red-backed Fairy-wren but none of the latter in full male plumage. The talk this evening was given by Dick Holmes on Calidrine wader breeding systems. Another masterful summary on work that Dick had done more than 30 years ago but to which, surprisingly, little had been added by other workers since that time.