Its Monday! And we are back on track for another Bird of the Week Challenge.
This week I thought we could share photos of migratory birds - those that move large distances in a set pattern, usually to breed. You might have photos of a migratory shorebird that travels from Australia to Siberia, a Silvereye that can migrate from Tasmania along the east coast of Australia, or a Robin that migrates altitudinally each winter... Lots of options out there!
A very common summer visitor in SE Qld, an Eastern Curlew.
Samford Valley Qld.
Pacific Golden Plover in various stages of colour. Love that Eastern Curlew picture from Reflex.
Sue
Freckled Duck are certainly nomadic, so maybe fit the bill. :-)
It never ceases to amaze me as to which challenge takes off and those that don't.
Buller's Albatross breeds on NZ islands and Solander and Snares Islands off Peru.
Samford Valley Qld.
Another traveller... Little Curlew.
Beautiful shot of the Freckled Duck but that Albatross is stunning.
Sue
Cape Petrel (one of my favourite birds) breeds on Antartica and sub-Antarctic islands but fairly common to offshre Australian waters in winter and spring.
Samford Valley Qld.
Double-banded Plovers migrate to Australia from New Zealand during winter.
Silvereye.
Samford Valley Qld.
A common migrant... Metallic Starling
Sue
Would love to see one of those Metallic Starlings and didn't know they were a migrant.
A Ruddy Turnstone from Flatrock at Ballina in breeding plumage and looking well fed ready for its long trip back to the Northern hemisphere.
Samford Valley Qld.
Another well known traveller... Grey Plover.
Looks like magic light for that Ruddy Turnstone and DBP. Well done
Sue
Another common summer visitor to South east Queensland, Whimbrel.
Samford Valley Qld.
Red-necked Stints are little migratory marvels.
Reflex, your bird in post #13 looks like another Eastern Curlew.
Here's a migratory challenge from Broome. At least: 2 Asian Dowitchers, 1 Black-tailed and numerous Bar-tailed Godwits, numerous Great Knots, numerous Whimbrels and 1 complete Eastern Curlew and 1 beheaded Eastern Curlew.... could even be something else in the mix. It does show comparitive sizes quite nicely but you may have to check the Flickr link for clarity.
Sue
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140685610@N05/26716747004/in/dateposted-ff/
You might be right Steve. The bill doesn't look long enough though. One rule I use to distinguish the two birds is if their bills were turned around, the bill of an Eastern Curlew would reach down to its rump whereas the bill of a Whimbrel would only reach the middle of its back.
Samford Valley Qld.
Tahiti Petrel. Very common bird in summer on our Southport pelagic trips.
Samford Valley Qld.
One of my favourite birds, a Rainbow Bee-eater. Always good to see them arrive down south for the summer
Sue
Stormbird (named because the arrival coincides with the wet season in North Queensland) or Channel-billed Cuckoo.
Samford Valley Qld.
Whiskered Tern