Summaries of shorebird and seabird news

The following two summaries present a selection of shorebird and seabird highlights for the first eleven months of the current year, and a brief outline of unusual sightings for the years 2000 - 2008. 

This information reflects my personal observations only, and is therefore not intended to be a complete record of species that have occurred in the area. Refer to the notes following the Checklist of birds in the Pumicestone Region for details of any submissions to rarities committees.

Summary for January - July  2010:

Tahiti Petrel: One flew south past Bribie Island on January 16th.

Fluttering Shearwater: 52 off Woorim on July 25th. 

Australasian Gannet: An immature bird, first seen at Red Beach on May 15th, was on the sea off Woorim on May 18th. Two immature birds there on May 22nd and May 30th. An adult off Red Beach on June 9th; nine (six adults) off Woorim on June 12th, with two there on 20th; three (two adults) from Buckley's Hole on June 13th, with one there on 23rd. One flew over the Bribie Island bridge on June 26th. 25+ off Woorim on July 6th, 6 on July 9th, 5 on July 25th and 40+ on July 30th. Three off Buckley's Hole on July 12th.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater: One flew south past Woorim on February 24th.

Comb-crested Jacana: Four at Buckley's Hole on April 12th-13th, with five there on April 16th. Two remained there until July 31st at least.

Sooty Oystercatcher: Two at Dux Creek on January 2nd and 6th, and on February 2nd, and one there on March 3rd, April 14th, June 21st and July 4th.

Beach Stone-curlew: One on the beach at Buckley's Hole on July 24th.

Double-banded Plover: Three at Kakadu Beach on April 8th, with seven there on April 22nd. Nine at Dux Creek on April 14th. Twelve at Kakadu Beach on May 19th and June 1st, with 11 there on June 21st.

Latham's Snipe: Up to seven at Buckley's Hole in January.

Black-tailed Godwit: 10 at Kakadu Beach on January 2nd.

Marsh Sandpiper: One at Buckley's Hole on January 1st-2nd, and seen in Pumicestone Passage on February 15th.

Terek Sandpiper: At least 200 in Pumicestone Passage on February 15th.

Wandering Tattler: A single bird remained at Caloundra until May 14th.

Pomarine Jaeger: One flew south past Woorim on January 30th.

White-fronted Tern: One or two at Woorim on July 5th, 9th, 25th and 30th.

Summary for January - December  2009:

Southern Giant Petrel: One flew past Buckley's Hole, then Woorim, heading towards Cape Moreton (Moreton Island) on June 2nd.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater: One close to shore off Caloundra on March 28th with three there on August 25th.

Short-tailed Shearwater: 50+ in distance off Caloundra on March 28th. Six off Woorim on August 17th. One past Buckley's Hole on October 16th.

Hutton's Shearwater: Two amongst the Fluttering Shearwaters off Woorim on August 4th. Almost certainly more present.

Fluttering Shearwater: One off Woorim on May 23rd with 16 there on June 13th. Seen throughout July and August with a maximum of 7000+ on August 4th. Last seen off Woorim on September 2nd.

Little Shearwater: One amongst the Fluttering Shearwaters off Woorim on August 4th. 

Australasian Gannet: An immature seen off Buckley's Hole between May 8th and June 12th (also an adult there on May 14th). Up to ten off Caloundra and Woorim between May 17th and September 2nd.

Brown Booby: One off Woorim on May 17th and July 29th.

Great Frigatebird: Two over the northern tip of Bribie Island, August 25th. Seen from Caloundra.

Sooty Oystercatcher: Seen at Caloundra, Dux Creek, Kakadu Beach and Buckley's Hole, with the highest count being three at Dux Creek on January 26th and at Caloundra on June 10th.

Beach Stone-curlew: One returned to the Kakadu Beach roost on June 20th and was joined by a second bird on August 3rd. After showing signs of nesting they were disturbed from the area on August 9th. One was recorded on several occasions at Buckley's Hole between August 24th and October 9th, with two present there between September 6th and September 9th, and on various dates in December.

Grey Plover: A single bird frequenting Kakadu Beach and Toorbul was last seen at Kakadu Beach on April 12th. One roosted at Buckley's Hole from November 5th to 20th.

Double-banded Plover: Six were at Kakadu Beach on March 29th, rising to 16 there on June 16th. Four were at Caloundra on June 10th, and two were seen at Toorbul on May 11th, and at Buckley's Hole on May 3rd and 20th. The Kakadu Beach birds were down to eleven on August 3rd, seven on the 11th and five on 17th.

Latham's Snipe: Two remained at Buckley's Hole until February 7th at least. Present again from October 1st, with a maximum of nine on November 15th and on December 14th.

Asian Dowitcher: One was reported from Buckley's Hole on October 5th.

Black-tailed Godwit: 38 at Toorbul on March 1st. 54 at Toorbul on December 22nd.

Marsh Sandpiper: One at Buckley's Hole from November 14th to 17th, on December 1st and from December 24th to 31st, with up to three at Toorbul during December.

Wandering Tattler: Two remained at Caloundra until June 8th at least.Then three at Caloundra on December 7th, with two there on December 18th.

Red Knot: Sixteen at Kakadu Beach on September 21st and at Toorbul on September 25th. Up to five seen at Kakadu Beach and Buckley's Hole throughout October and November, with 62 at Buckley's Hole on November 9th. Two at Kakadu Beach on December 16th and December 30th.

Sanderling: Two at Buckley's Hole on Jan 17th, with an immature there on October 18th and 19th.

Broad-billed Sandpiper: One at Kakadu Beach roost from December 10th to December 30th.

Pomarine Jaeger (Skua): Singles past Buckley's Hole on January 31st and February 12th, with three off Caloundra on March 28th. One off Woorim on November 7th.

Lesser Crested Tern: One off Woorim on August 4th and one at Buckley's Hole on September 8th.

White-fronted Tern: An immature at Buckley's Hole on May 3rd, 10+ on 7th, at least two on 12th, and one on 18th and 20th. An immature past Woorim on May 23rd and on June 7th.

White-winged Black Tern: Two at Buckley's Hole on December 26th.

Summary for the years 2000 - 2008:

Wandering Albatross. One off Caloundra on August 23rd, 2004. There had been a report of another just offshore from Bribie Island a year or two earlier.

Black-browed Albatross. One off Woorim on September 27th, 2002.

Tahiti Petrel. One off Woorim on May 20th, 2002.

Antarctic Prion. One off Woorim on July 4th and July 5th, 2002, being very close to shore on the 4th.

Flesh-footed Shearwater. Less common than either Wedge-tailed or Short-tailed Shearwaters. One off Woorim on October 23rd, 2000, four off Woorim on February 3rd, 2001, one off Caloundra on February 4th, 2001, and one off Caloundra on April 24th, 2002 (taken by a White-bellied Sea Eagle).

Hutton's Shearwater. Occurs within the wintering flocks of over 2000 Fluttering Shearwaters but is difficult to identify if the flock is distant. At least three off Woorim on July 4th, 2002, one off Red Beach on June 20th, 2003, and at least two off Woorim on August 23rd, 2003.

Little Shearwater. One off Woorim on July 5th, 2002, and one off Woorim on July 20th, 2006.

Wilson's Storm Petrel. Between four and six off Woorim on November 11th, 2001.

Masked Booby. Rare offshore, and often confused with Australasian Gannet, which is common during winter. One off Woorim on August 20th and September 27th, 2002, two off Woorim on September 28th and 29th, 2002, and one near the Bribie Island bridge on October 17th, 2002.

Brown Booby. Regular offshore from Caloundra and Bribie Island, but not common in the region.

Lesser Frigatebird. One immature bird off Woorim on September 27th, 2002. 

Sooty Oystercatcher. Uncommon resident, most often encountered on the rocky headlands at Caloundra. Seen less often in southern parts of the Pumicestone Passage.

Red-necked Avocet. Nomadic visitor that is rare in the Pumicestone Passage but can sometimes be found in reasonable numbers in Deception Bay.

Beach Stone-curlew. Rare resident, seen occasionally at Buckley's Hole, Kakadu Beach and elsewhere in the Pumicestone Passage. Attempted breeding at Kakadu Beach.

Grey Plover. Uncommon summer visitor, with a single bird commuting between Toorbul and Kakadu Beach in recent years, occasionally appearing elsewhere.

Double-banded Plover. Uncommon winter visitor in small numbers to the sandy islands in the Pumicestone Passage at Caloundra and also at Kakadu Beach. Occasionally seen at Buckley's Hole.

Australian Painted Snipe. Very rare visitor. Five were present at a wetland along Cove Road, Woodford, from October 22nd until November 5th, 2007.

Black-tailed Godwit. Uncommon summer visitor to the central parts of the Pumicestone Passage. More common in Deception Bay.

Wandering Tattler. Uncommon summer visitor, regularly found in small numbers on the rocky headlands of Caloundra. Rarely encountered elsewhere in the region.

Sanderling. Uncommon summer visitor. One at Caloundra on March 26th, 2000, one at Buckley's Hole on October 11th, 2002, four at Buckley's Hole on October 17th, 2002, one at Buckley's Hole between March 18th and April 18th, and between September 30th and October 18th, 2007.

Pectoral Sandpiper. Very rare summer visitor. One in the lagoon at Buckley's Hole on October 2nd, 2004, and another there between November 21st and 29th, 2006.

Broad-billed Sandpiper. Rare summer visitor in small numbers to Toorbul, Dux Creek and Kakadu Beach. Five birds were recorded on several occasions prior to 2005 but it has become much scarcer in recent years.

Long-tailed Jaeger (Skua). Rare offshore, requiring care to distinguish from Pomarine and Arctic Jaegers, which are regular in summer. One off Woorim on November 11th, 2007.

Laughing Gull. One in non-breeding plumage at Buckley's Hole, and nearby coastal areas of Bribie Island, from April 1st to April 13th, 2002. It returned in breeding plumage on January 1st, 2003, remaining until April 3rd, 2003.

Lesser Crested Tern. Uncommon winter visitor to Caloundra and Buckley's Hole. Also seen at Kakadu Beach and offshore from Woorim.

Roseate Tern. Rare visitor, with two at Caloundra on March 26th, 2000, four at Buckley's Hole on October 17th, 2002, and one at Buckley's Hole on November 12th, 2006.

Black-naped Tern. Two offshore from Woorim on February 3rd, 2001.

White-fronted Tern. Uncommon winter visitor to Caloundra and Buckley's Hole. Also seen offshore from Woorim.

Arctic Tern. One at Buckley's Hole on October 17th, 2007.

Antarctic Tern. One adult in breeding plumage at Buckley's Hole on October 17th, 2002.

Fairy Tern. Two adults in breeding plumage, with possibly an immature bird, at Buckley's Hole on November 12th, 2001.

Bridled Tern. One at Buckley's Hole on January 31st, 2001, and four off Woorim on February 3rd, 2001.

Sooty Tern. One off Caloundra on January 13th, sixty plus off Woorim on February 3rd (including at least a dozen over the car park), two off Woorim and one at Buckley's Hole on October 17th, 2002, and two off Woorim on March 27th, 2006.

Common Noddy. Four off Woorim on February 3rd, 2001, three off Caloundra on February 24th, 2002.

White Tern. One offshore from Woorim on August 12th, 2003.

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