Recent Sightings

Up to four dabchick on the swallow ponds, and as many as 6 black-tailed godwits were the highlight for April. Migrants and Vagrants 193 Bar-tailed Godwit 5 Red Knot 6 Black-tailed Godwit 1 Red-necked Stint 15 Turnstone 24 Golden Plover

Migrants and Vagrants 5200 Bar-tailed Godwit 1000 Red Knot 1 Whimbrel 1 Far-eastern Curlew 2 Marsh Sandpiper 1 Black-tailed Godwit 4 Red-necked Stint 13 Turnstone 1 Curlew Sandpiper 31 Golden Plover 1 LargeSand-plover 7 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers 3 Pectoral Sandpiper NZ

Best birdwatching is two hours either side of high tide. Migrants and Vagrants 5200 Bar-tailed Godwit 1000 Red Knot 2 Marsh Sandpiper Black-tailed Godwit 4 Red-necked Stint 20 Turnstone 1 Curlew Sandpiper 20 Golden Plover 1 Lesser Sand-plover 8 Sharp-tailed

Best birdwatching is two hours either side of high tide. Migrants and Vagrants 3200 Bar-tailed Godwit 1000 Red Knot 2 Marsh Sandpiper 1 Great Knot 2 Black-tailed Godwit 1 Hudsonian Godwit 3 Red-necked Stint 7 Turnstone – north of Kaiaua

The Marsh Sandpiper appears to have settled in for the winter.  The ponds are very full so, on the bigger tides,  look for the birds at the north end. Artic Migrants 100 Bar-tailed Godwit 800 Red Knot 1 Marsh Sandpiper

Best birdwatching is two hours either side of high tide. Numbers of Artic migrants are now dropping daily the numbers below are from the  start of the month, there was however a surprise influx of Red Knot in the last week

Somewhat unusually many of the birds spent January roosting at the north end of the stilt ponds. Sightings of the Little Curlew continued sporadically through January. Wrybills and Oystercatchers returned in force. A banded rail family was seen regularly at

Grey Teal are breeding on Widgery Lake this year, oddly enough a first record.  Banded Rail are also seen around the edges of the lake.  Down at the ponds and at the shellbanks… Migrants and Vagrants 1 Little Whimbrel seen

The end of October and early November saw a sighting of Banded Rail back on Widgery Lake.  A grey teal family on the lake is actually the first record of teal breeding on the lake. Migrants and Vagrants 3900 Bar-tailed