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rare sightings
#1
Stockyard Point has been put on the map over the past week thanks to an initial sighting of a vagrant South Island Pied Oystercatcher, followed by an even rarer sighting of a Little stint.


It's been going off with people coming from all over the country to get a tick. I met a man yesterday who had just driven from Sydney.


The SIPO is endemic to New Zealand, but sometimes makes it across the ditch to eastern Australia. It can be hard to spot because they look very similar to our pied oystercatchers, but this particular bird is banded and was seen in Ballina, NSW, earlier this year. So the birds done a fair bit of traveling. I didn't see it yesterday so I plan to go back and have another go.

The little stint is even cooler, it's not supposed to be here at all. It currently should be breeding in the arctic. It has its lovely red breeding plumage, which is extra special because we rarely see waders with breeding plumage here because they don't breed here! Pretty pleased I got to see it yesterday. It is a tiny, tiny bird. Think roughly the size of your hand. Incredible to think it's traveled so far.

A few other notable sightings for the spot this week include terek sandpipers, asian gull-billed tern, double banded plovers, eastern curlews.

It's the place to be at the moment!
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#2
It is really lucky you can be there when all these special birds are there. Some of them are once in a life time sightings. How often do birds end up far from home. I hope you see the SIPO on your next visit.

I wonder why the Stint didn't migrate. Do they really breed in the Arctic. That is an incredible journey. What continents/oceans do they fly over to get there. I think I am too far inland to see anything like that.

Good luck with your bird watching.
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Catherine

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#3
It's amazing that such a tiny bird like the Stint, makes a journey from Australia to the Arctic to breed!
I wonder what has delayed their usual breeding/migrating habits? But it must have been such a treat to see them.
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#4
It is incredible that there are birds that travel from pole to pole. I hope the little stint is alright. It is odd that he didn't travel.
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Catherine

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#5
Little stints are a vagrant species to Australia. They winter in Africa and Asia and breed in arctic Europe. So this is one lost little bird!
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#6
Poor little Stint. There is no way to get him back on track. The triggers that would tell him to migrate may not be present where he is now.

I suppose he will live out his life in Australia unless something sets him in the right direction.
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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