Tuesday, August 30, 2016

COMMON REDSHANK

Photographed at Broome Bird Observatory, August 2016
804              COMMON REDSHANK            Tringa totanus

Australia         (648)

Found on tidal sandbars and mudflats; mangroves; freshwater swamps and lagoons; salt fields. Breeds from British Isles to e. Asia: migrates to Africa, s. and se. Asia, Indonesia region. Uncommon but perhaps regular, mostly summer migrant to coastal n. Aust; Some overwinter.



Tuesday, August 16, 2016

LAUGHING GULL

In non-breeding plumage, photographed at Venus Bay, South Australia, August 2016
803      LAUGHING GULL         Lares atricilla

Australia         (647)

Found on coasts, tidal flats. 36-40 cm.; span 1.05 cm. Breeds coastal e. N. America, and California: migrates to ne. Brazil and down Pacific coast to n. Chile. Vagrant to Hawaii, Samoa, elsewhere in Oceania. Sighted in Cairns, and in 2016 Venus Bay (SA). Vagrant.






Monday, August 8, 2016

ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS

Photographed on Kiama pelagic, July 2016
802                    ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS        Diomedea antipodensis

Australia         (646)

Also known as Antipodes Albatross, New Zealand Albatross, and Gibson's Wandering Albatross. 1.1 m; span 2-3 m. Nominate race breeds Antipodes and Campbell Is. Outside breeding season ranges over s. Pacific, including s. Aust waters. Race gibsoni breeds on Auckland Is., forages in Tasman Sea and sw Pacific; common off s NSW. Endangered.






Sunday, August 7, 2016

SLENDER-BILLED PRION

Photographed on Port Fairy pelagic, August 2016
801         SLENDER-BILLED PRION         Pachyptila belcheri

Australia         (645)

25-26 cm, span 56 cm. Breeds Crozets and Kerguelen Is (s Indian Ocean); Falkland Is (S. Atlantic) and islands off S. America. Ranges n. in winter to c. 30 degrees S. Uncommon winter/spring visitor from s. WA to Tas., NSW to se Q. Common on sw and s coasts.






















Port MacDonnell pelagic, South Australia, 26 August, 2019

GREAT-WINGED PETREL

Photographed on Port Fairy pelagic, August 2016
800            GREAT-WINGED PETREL           Pterodroma macroptera

Australia             (644)

With other birds it is also referred to as Muttonbird, also by NZ name oi. Recently split from Grey-faced Petrel. 42-45 cm. Breeds in southern hemisphere between 30 and 50 degrees south, including coast of southern Aust.






Friday, August 5, 2016

PAINTED BUTTON-QUAIL

Photographed at Chiltern State Forrest, August 2016
799            PAINTED BUTTON-QUAIL             Turnix varia

Australia            643

Found in scrublands, open woodlands with branch, leaf debris; tussocks, stones; heathlands, farm regrowth, mallee. 17-19 cm, female larger. Range e. and se. Aust., Tas. and s WA: from Atherton Tablelands (ne Q) to Tas., w to Eyre Pen. and Kangaroo Is., n to s Flinders Ras. (SA) In sw WA n to Shark Bay, including coastal islands. Sedentary, nomadic.

Note:  Not a very good photograph but the only ones I have been able to manage of this elusive bird so far.