Wader Quest the Newsletter CONSERVATION

Wader Conservation World SUPPORTING Watch Special SHOREBIRD Wader Quest the newsletter CONSERVATION

Forthcoming talks: Wader Conservation World Watch Special 07/12/2015 Hemel Hempstead RSPB local group. 20.00 In 2013 Elis and I started plan- vation World Watch. This we felt The Cavendish School, Warners ning an event that we hoped fitted the bill much better. End Road, Hemel Hempstead. would bring the plight of waders What is it then are we trying HP1 3DW. to a worldwide audience, we to achieve? Rainforest destruc-

were aware that although the tion is a widely known and 07/01/2016 Woodbridge RSPB threats to waders had never chronic problem for environ- local Group. 19.30 Woodbridge been greater, awareness of mentalists and there can hardly Community Hall, Station Road, those threats, even among bird- be a person alive who is not Woodbridge, Suffolk. IP12 4AU. ers, was not growing in propor- aware, to some extent, of the

tion, in short, the crisis was un- wholesale destruction of these 16/02/2016 Milton Keynes folding almost unnoticed. magnificent tracts of natural Natural History Society. We decided that it would be heritage. But, what of the rela- (Waders of Milton Keynes) appropriate to have the event tively new and under recognised 20.00 Cruck Barn Alston Dr, coincide with the anniversary of tragedy that is befalling our wet- Milton Keynes MK13 9AP the first day of the travelling we lands, especially the intertidal

undertook in search of the zone which appears to be in the 19/03/2016 Walsall RSPB local world’s waders, when we set out sights of every developer on group. 19.30 St. Mary’s Primary to raise money for the Spoon- earth? So that was the theme we School, Jessica Road, Walsall, billed Sandpiper at the beginning This acute problem it seemed followed this year and with a WS1 3AY of November 2012. We were a to us was not sufficiently well strict refusal to chase birds and

bit late to get organised for appreciated. The plight of the lists after the fact simply to add 14/04/2016 Gravesend RSPB 2013, after all we were still trav- Spoon-billed Sandpiper has gone them to the list. That said we did local group. 19.30 North Fleet elling at that time and so it was a long way to highlighting the accept lists from people who School for Girls, Hall Road, decided our big world event problems waders in general are had not heard about the event Gravesend, DA11 8AQ. would happen in November facing, but we found that still but had seen waders that week-

2014. too many people were not cog- end and then contacted us sub- 17/05/2016 York RSPB local The event, considering the nisant of the fact that millions of sequently saying they would group. 19.30 Temple Hall, limited reach and marketing and waders were facing unprece- have joined had they known. We York St John University, publicity experience we had, was dented threats, all of which are also followed up on people who Lord Mayors Walk, pretty successful although I con- caused by human activity of one had expressed an interest to join York. YO31 7EL fess there was a certain amount sort or another. us before the event but had not of after the event list chasing. sent in their results; we did not The result was that we had seen, however go looking for anyone, Inside this Wader Conservation between us, half of the world’s they all came to us. World Watch special issue: waders, a reasonable result for a Although we had said from Table of countries and species seen first attempt. the outset that it was not neces- 2-6 However, we did not think sary to count the waders seen to that we had quite achieved what take part in Wader Conservation Roll of Honour of participants by we had set out to do, the event World Watch many people do so country and region 7-8 had been rather more list orien- Wader Conservation World as part of their normal birding

Statistics and maps for 2014 & 2015 tated than it should have been. Watch then was to become that routine and those we encour- 9 We really wanted the event to beacon of hope for anyone con- aged to send their lists to a citi- be much more about conserva- nected with wader conservation, zen science project like eBird or Summary 10-11 tion than listing, so we changed as a professional or volunteer, to BirdTrack as all observations are the title from Wader Quest draw more attention to the work of value. Species list with details of country World Watch to Wader Conser- that is going on and that still So what you see in the results and state with numbers where needs to be done. Raising this year is not a demonstration counted. 12-16 awareness about these prob- of how many people we can tap lems is crucial to the success up for their list, but a demon- Our WCWW weekend 17 that we may achieve in dealing stration of the number of people with them. Change happens we have reached around the when enough people care suffi- world with our message and ciently for it to happen. who felt strongly enough to Wader Conservation The idea then was that peo- stand up with us and be counted World Watch 3 ple would go out to see waders and to say that they too care because they still can. In this about what is happening. 5th & 6th Nov. 2016 way they are signing what amounts to an informal petition Make a note in your diary now. to say “I Care!”

Country

Northern IrelandNorthern

NewZealand

Netherlands SouthAfrica SouthKorea

The GambiaThe

Philippines

Argentina

Paraguay

Denmark

Australia Malaysia

Anguilla Belgium Bulgaria Ecuador Panama

Sweden

Canada

Mexico

Taiwan

Cyprus

France

Japan

Brazil Spain

2015

Chile India

Peru

USA Species in blue indicate they UK

were seen in 2014 and/or 2015

Species Lesser Jacana

African Jacana  

Madagascar Jacana

Comb-crested Jacana  

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Bronze-winged Jacana

Northern Jacana

Wattled Jacana  

Greater Painted-Snipe

Australian Painted-Snipe

South American Painted-Snipe

Crab-Plover

Magellanic Oystercatcher  

Blackish Oystercatcher   

American Black Oystercatcher

American Oystercatcher       

African Black Oystercatcher  

Eurasian Oystercatcher      

South Island Oystercatcher  

Pied Oystercatcher  

Variable Oystercatcher  

Chatham Oystercatcher

Sooty Oystercatcher  

Ibisbill

Black-winged Stilt       

White-headed Stilt   

Black-necked Stilt     

White-backed Stilt

Black Stilt  

Banded Stilt  

Pied Avocet    

American Avocet  

Red-necked Avocet  

Andean Avocet

Eurasian Stone-Curlew

Indian Stone-Curlew

Senegal Thick-knee

Water Thick-knee  

Spotted Thick-knee  

Double-striped Thick-knee

Peruvian Thick-knee  

Bush Stone-Curlew  

Great Stone-Curlew

Beach Stone-Curlew  

Egyptian Plover

Double-banded Courser  

Heuglin's Courser

Bronze-winged Courser

Cream-coloured Courser

Country

Northern IrelandNorthern

NewZealand

Netherlands SouthAfrica SouthKorea

The GambiaThe

Philippines

Argentina

Paraguay

Denmark

Australia Malaysia

Anguilla Belgium Bulgaria Ecuador Panama

Sweden

Canada

Mexico

Taiwan

Cyprus

France

Japan

Brazil Spain

2015

Chile India

Peru

USA Species in blue indicate they UK

were seen in 2014 and/or 2015

Species

Burchell's Courser

Indian Courser

Temminck's Courser  

Australian Pratincole  

Collared Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole  

Black-winged Pratincole  

Madagascar Pratincole

Rock Pratincole

Grey Pratincole

Small Pratincole

Northern Lapwing        

Long-toed Lapwing

Blacksmith Lapwing  

Spur-winged Lapwing   

River Lapwing

Black-headed Lapwing

Yellow-wattled Lapwing

White-crowned Lapwing

Senegal Lapwing

Black-winged Lapwing

Crowned Lapwing  

African Wattled Lapwing   

Spot-breasted Lapwing

Brown-chested Lapwing

Grey-headed Lapwing

Red-wattled Lapwing  

Javan Lapwing

Banded Lapwing  

Masked Lapwing   

Sociable Lapwing

White-tailed Lapwing

Pied Lapwing

Southern Lapwing      

Andean Lapwing

Red-kneed Dotterel

European Golden Plover    

Pacific Golden Plover    

American Golden Plover  

Grey Plover              

Northern Red-breasted Plover  

Southern Red-breasted Plover

Common Ringed Plover    

Semipalmated Plover      

Long-billed Plover

Little Ringed Plover   

Wilson's Plover

Killdeer   

Country

Northern IrelandNorthern

NewZealand

Netherlands SouthAfrica SouthKorea

The GambiaThe

Philippines

Argentina

Paraguay

Denmark

Australia Malaysia

Anguilla

Belgium Bulgaria Ecuador Panama

Sweden

Canada

Mexico

Taiwan

Cyprus

France

Japan

Brazil Spain

2015

Chile India

Peru

USA Species in blue indicate they UK

were seen in 2014 and/or 2015

Species Piping Plover  

Madagascar Plover

Kittlitz's Plover  

St. Helena Plover

Three-banded Plover  

Forbes's Plover

White-fronted Plover  

Kentish Plover    

Snowy Plover   

White-faced Plover

Javan Plover

Red-capped Plover  

Malaysian Plover

Chestnut-banded Plover

Collared Plover   

Puna Plover

Two-banded Plover  

Double-banded Plover  

Mongolian Sandplover    

Lesser Sandplover

Greater Sand Plover   

Caspian Plover  

Oriental Plover  

Eurasian Dotterel

Rufous-chested Plover

Mountain Plover

Hooded Dotterel  

Shore Dotterel

Black-fronted Dotterel  

Inland Dotterel

Wrybill  

Diademed Plover

Tawny-throated Dotterel  

Magellanic Plover

Eurasian Woodcock  

Amami Woodcock

New Guinea Woodcock

Bukidnon Woodcock

Sulawesi Woodcock

Moluccan Woodcock

American Woodcock

Chatham Snipe

South Island Snipe

Snares Snipe

Subantarctic Snipe

Jack Snipe  

Solitary Snipe

Latham's Snipe

Wood Snipe

Northern IrelandNorthern

NewZealand

Netherlands SouthAfrica SouthKorea GambiaThe

Philippines

Argentina

Paraguay

Denmark

Australia Malaysia

Anguilla Belgium Bulgaria Ecuador Panama

Sweden

Canada

Mexico

Taiwan

Cyprus

France

Japan

Country Brazil Spain

2015 Chile India

Peru

USA

Species in blue indicate they

were seen in 2014 and/or 2015

Pin-tailed Snipe ? Swinhoe's Snipe ?

African Snipe  

Madagascar Snipe

Great Snipe

Common Snipe        

Wilson's Snipe   

South American Snipe  

Puna Snipe

Noble Snipe

Giant Snipe  

Fuegian Snipe

Andean Snipe

Imperial Snipe

Short-billed Dowitcher   

Long-billed Dowitcher   

Asian Dowitcher  

Black-tailed Godwit       

Hudsonian Godwit   

Bar-tailed Godwit      

Marbled Godwit   

Little Curlew  

Eurasian Whimbrel      

Hudsonian Whimbrel      

Bristle-thighed Curlew

Eurasian Curlew       

Eastern Curlew   

Long-billed Curlew  

Upland Sandpiper  

Spotted Redshank   

Common Redshank        

Marsh Sandpiper     

Common Greenshank        

Nordmann's Greenshank

Greater Yellowlegs       

Lesser Yellowlegs       

Green Sandpiper      

Solitary Sandpiper  

Wood Sandpiper       

Terek Sandpiper    

Common Sandpiper       

Spotted Sandpiper       

Grey-tailed Tattler   

Wandering Tattler

Eastern Willet

Western Willet      

Tuamotu Sandpiper

Country IrelandNorthern

NewZealand

Netherlands SouthAfrica SouthKorea

The GambiaThe

Philippines

Argentina

Paraguay

Denmark

Australia Malaysia

Anguilla Bulgaria

Belgium Ecuador Panama

Sweden

Canada

Mexico Taiwan

Cyprus

France

Japan

Brazil Spain

Chile India

2015

Peru

USA

Species in blue indicate they

were seen in 2014 and/or 2015

Species Surfbird

Great Knot   

Red Knot      

Sanderling           

Semipalmated Sandpiper     

Western Sandpiper    

Red-necked Stint   

Little Stint   

Temminck's Stint

Long-toed Stint

Least Sandpiper      

White-rumped Sandpiper    

Baird's Sandpiper   

Pectoral Sandpiper    

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper   

Curlew Sandpiper     

Purple Sandpiper  

Rock Sandpiper

Dunlin          

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

Broad-billed Sandpiper  

Stilt Sandpiper   

Buff-breasted Sandpiper   

Ruff    

Wilson's Phalarope  

Red-necked Phalarope

Red Phalarope

Plains Wanderer

Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe

White-bellied Seedsnipe

Grey-breasted seedsnipe

Least Seedsnipe  

Snowy Sheathbill  

Black-faced Sheathbill

Total 124 8 40 10 7 12 3 4 13 8 1 17 1 10 5 7 15 10 9 16 3 11 8 8 4 29 13 1 7 9 24 21

For the purposes of the table above the countries of England, Wales and Scotland have been amalgamated into the UK for space saving reasons. A late entry from the Falkland Islands has not been included as it added no new species or countries but the observer was added to the Roll of Honour. All the species written in blue have been seen in either 2014 or 2015 or both. If a species is written in blue but no tick appears in the 2015 column it is a species that was seen last year but not this year.

Stickybeak

Roll of Honour — Those that stood up to be counted and said “We care!”

AFRICA Panama  Niel Gabriel Saplagio South Africa  Michele Caballero  Erica Yu Eastern Cape  Rosabel Miró  Mariel Guevara  Michael Booth  Stephany Carty  Gabriel Piñon Gauteng  Ingrid Saplagio  Jenny Sharland (11) AMERICA SOUTH Argentina  April Enriquez  Michal Groenewald Santa Cruz  Heavenly Joy Garcia  Owen Oertli (11)  Emanuel Tiberi  Zoy Pagalilauan  Peter Sharland (11) Brazil  Clarissa Que Rio de Janeiro  Robert Geddes  Patricia Que  Allan Martin (16)  Sue Oertli (11)  Rodrigo Sale II  Amanda Martin (16)  Toni Geddes  Mikaela Sarol  Beatriz Blauth Kwa-Zulu Natal  Bryan Ocampo  Nicholas Locke (16)  Richard Johnstone  Gaby Garcia  Raquel Locke (16) Limpopo  Laarni C. Jocson São Paulo  Lance Robinson  Erina Pauline V. Molina  Bruno Neri Western Cape Chile  Maria Belinda E. de la Paz  Bruce Ward-Smith (1) Los Lagos  Gary de la Paz  Dr. Mark Brown (2)  Raffaele Di Biase  Josiah David G. Quimpo Valparaíso  Selena Flores (3)  Ana Dominique A. Almazar The Gambia  Ricardo Matus  Western Division Ecuador South Korea Santa Elena Seocheon  Modou Saidy  Ana Agreda de la Paz  Yung-Ki Ju  Ruth A. Borbor Suaárez Taiwan AMERICA NORTH Falkland Islands Llan Canada  Janet Avery Prince Edward Island  Lisa Chou Paraguay  Anne Arvidson Asunción AUSTRALASIA  Ron Arvidson  Rob Clay Australia Ontario Peru New South Wales  Charmaine Anderson Lima  Mike Clear  Renzo Zeppilli  Dave Rooke  Rose Clear ASIA USA  Sue Tolley India  Wendy Clear California Maharashtra Northern Territory  Darlene Luckins  Abhay Patne  Gavin O'Brian  Michael Prather Queensland Connecticut Japan Chiba  Erik Sandvig  Annette Cunniffe  Tomomi Kawasumi  Greg Nye  Meredith Sampson Malaysia  Marie Tarrant Florida Johor  Renate Hofmann-Schaefer (18)  Caity Reiland-Smith  Lim Seik Ni  Zorica Komac  Meg Rousher Sabah Victoria Massachusetts  Zaim Hazim Onn  Jenny Stephens Selangor  Aidan Griffiths  John Newman  Choong Liung, Chin  Devin Griffiths Western Australia New Jersey  Hwee Mien, Tan  Arthur Keates Philippines  Chris Hassell  Dominic Garcia-Hall Manila  Connie Grohmann New York  Laarni C. Jocson (4)  Craig Williams  Mike Bergin  Princess del Castillo AMERICA CENTRAL  Danny Rogers  Juan Anselmo Enriquez Mexico  Diane Bennett Chihuahua  Angela Del Rosario  Franky O'Connor  Bruno Lima  Harlan Red Arias  Grace Maglio  Fernando Mondaca  Sheanne Eric Cabantac  Greg Kerr  Jaime Robles Morales  Guia Ysobel D. Casanova  Jaime Jackett  Karina Avila  Daryll Panes  Kerry Hadley Panama  Victor Nepomuceno

AUSTRALASIA  Chris Lamsdell (12)  Ian Dearing Australia  Denise Lamsdell  Jenny Mason Western Australia cont’d England  Ross Mason  Liz Rozenberg Buckinghamshire  Sue Healey (9, 12)  Margot Oorebeek  Rob Norris North Yorkshire  Maurice O'Connor Cambridgeshire  Andy Hood  Nigel Jackett  Doug Radford (8) Somerset Cheshire  Ray Turnbull  Chris Craig  Dan Trotman (6)  Rob Bush  Mya-Rose Craig Derbyshire  Stuart Ford Suffolk  Oliver Simms (12) New Zealand  Joe Meyers Devon Canterbury Warwickshire  Dave Easter (7)  Ailsa Howard  Matt Merritt (13)  Berndt  Doug Herdson (7) France  Casandra  John Lloyd (7) Languedoc  Colin Gould  Liz Harris (7)  Alan McBride East Sussex The Netherlands  Hazel Watson (17)  Jill Black Zeeland  Jo Gould  Barry Yates (5)  Astrid Kant  Larry Essex  Ronald Messemaker  Ric Else (17)  Julia Lashly Northern Ireland  Ted Howard Gloucestershire County Antrim Northland  Jon Mercer  Neal Warnock  Ria Migaloo Scotland  Roberta Goodall Waikato Islay Hampshire  Brent Stephenson (10)  Gary Turnbull  Carey Lodge Shetland  Ernst Albegger Isles of Scilly  Hugh Harrop (15)  Sav Saville (10)  Martin Goodey Spain CARIBBEAN Kent Angüilla Navarra  Jack Delabye  Haritz Sarasa Zabala  Jackie Cestero Lancashire EUROPE Sweden  Howard Stockdale Belgium Skåne Lincolnshire West Vlaanderen  Anna Carter  Elis Simpson (12)  Alicia Mottur  Eva Hjärne  Rick Simpson (12)  Esfandiar Vahida  P. G. Bentz

Wales  Shahrzade Vahida London Bulgaria Bridgend  Joe Beale Sofiya  Graham Powell Merseyside  Rosen Kostadinov Carmarthenshire  Gail Pickett Cyprus  Dan Rouse Larnaca  Matt Thomas (14) Flintshire  June Neal  Phil Pickett  Glenn Morris Denmark Norfolk StorstrØm  Allan Archer (12) Participating organisations

A number of organisations got involved in the (11) Wader Quest South Africa reflected in the number of contributions from event, some where members took part in the (12) Wader Quest that area. We suggested to WHSRN that they name of the organisation and others where they (13) Birdwatching Magazine might like to do the same, however it turns out organised special events: (14) Wirral Rangers they didn’t have a calendar of events so they (1) BirdLife Plettenberg Bay (15) Shetland Wildlife decided perhaps they should have, created one (2) Nature's Valley Trust (16) Reserva Ecológica Guapiaçu (REGUA) and promptly added this event to it! (3) Percy FitzPatrick Institute (17) Stickybeak (4) Haribon Foundation - Philippines (18) Protect the Sandgate Waders (5) Sussex Wildlife Trust (Rye Harbour) (6) RSPB Burton Mere wetlands We were also pleased to have support from (7) Devon Birds organisations that didn’t actually participate as (8) RSPB Fowlmere such, but that helped us to spread the news to a (9) Gravesend RSPB local group greater number of people. The EAAFP put the (10) Wrybill Birding Tours event on their calendar some time ago, which is

Wader Conservation World Watch results — Rick Simpson Statistics for Wader Conservation World Watch 2014 & 2015

2014 2015 Astrid Kant counting waders in the Participants: 70 182 Netherlands for Species: 117 124 Wader Conservation Countries: 19 33 World Watch 2015 Continents: 6 6 —Ronald Messemaker. Flyways: 9 9

Map showing where the contributions were sent from for 2015

Map showing where the contributions were sent from for 2014

This year we had a number of organisations beak, the logo of which is an oystercatcher disappointing in terms of Thailand as it meant get involved and a couple of them set up with a muddy bill with a worm trailing from it. not just a lack of Spoon-billed Sandpiper, but specific events for that weekend. One of also a slew of other great birds that can be them was the Haribon Foundation in the found there such as; Grey-headed Lapwing, Philippines which attracted 29 people to look Nordmann’s Greenshank, Long-toed and for waders all of whom were presented with Temminck’s Stint, Malaysian and White-faced a certificate to say they had taken part. Plover for example. But these glaring misses only go to highlight the potential for our list to reach even greater heights having seen 124 species, some 55% of the world’s extant and ‘gettable’ waders, by mostly casual observers. Last year’s Magellanic Plovers were seen by Ricardo Matus who is carrying out the ringing and flagging of this species in Chile for the Wader Quest project. This year though he was leading a tour elsewhere but his sighting of South American Snipe on that tour brought us our only record of that species this year. Oystercatchers were well represented in this year’s list, we added four species that we didn’t get last year; Magellanic was courtesy of our first Argentinian contribution from Emanuel Tiberi along with Blackish and Amer- ican Oystercatchers also from him and also Ricardo Matus; the American Oystercatcher being a surprise miss last year. We continue to be thwarted by American Black Oyster- catcher which we are surprised has not cropped up yet, still, there’s always next Haribon Foundtaion group. 07/11/2015 year! (Anyone fancy taking this as their personal challenge for 2016?) The Stickybeak crew at Kaikora — Ric Else

So what about the resulting list then? With the total of species seen this year being higher you’d have thought that almost all of last year’s species would have been seen again, but 17 were not repeated this time around. This means we got 25 new species this time which shows the potential to see over 140 species with some ease and, if we had people making special expeditions to When Elis and I were in Australia, looking seek out some of the more difficult to find for waders in Broome, Western Australia we species, we could easily reach 150; indeed it met Hazel Watson and Ric Else who wer act- is entirely possible we could beat our own Magellanic Oystercatcher — Elis Simpson ing as guides there at the time. Indeed they score of 175 from our travels. were instrumental in helping us find some of There were a couple of major disappoint- This year too we had the support of a great the birds we were after particularly oriental ments in that we didn’t get Spoon-billed number of people in South Africa in the West- Plover. The pair have since moved to New Sandpiper nor Magellanic Plover (although ern Cape as well as our usual strong support Zealand and are in Kaikora on the South Is- getting Black Stilt went a long way to assuag- from Gauteng. The individuals from the West- land, a place that is famous for its pelagic ing that disappointment) both of which are ern Cape have not been included in the num- trips that Elis and I also took advantage of close to our hearts of course. Last year we ber of observers as there were so many, from during our trip to that part of the world. In received two reports of the Spoonies, one three organisations, that it was impossible to order to take part in Wader Conservation from Vietnam and the other from Thailand know exactly how many were involved November Hazel and Ric set up a walk along but this year we didn’t get anything from (estimate around 50 individuals), so we only the beach at Kaikora under the name Sticky- either of these places which was particularly included one from each organisation. One of

Summary — cont’d

those was Selena Flores who collated the dou had a bout of Malaria from which he down, so their paucity on the list is not sur- contributions, and through this effort added was not completely recovered when Wader prising. In 2014 we were lucky that friends in another new oystercatcher, African Black Conservation World Watch took place. Mo- Louisiana had an American Woodcock in Oystercatcher. Selena is also participating in dou was kind enough to volunteer his ser- their garden and this year that was swapped a project for which Wader Quest has sup- vices to Wader Quest when we visited during for a Eurasian Woodcock photographed in plied some optics with the help of Opticron. our travels, so, if you are going to The Gam- plain view by Hugh Harrop of Shetland Wild- The number of stilts was maintained in bia, we can recommend him to you as a life. It seems unlikely that we will ever get a terms of species numbers but we lost White- guide and I’m sure he would appreciate the good collection of these birds in this particu- backed form South America gaining instead work. lar event. Banded Stilt in Australia which was seen at We got our first coursers this year. One, The closely related snipes have also been the Sewage Treatment Plant in Victoria by the Double-banded Courser, from another hit and miss. An unidentified Swinhoe’s/Pin- Jenny Stevens and Steve Merrett. organization that is very dear to us, Wader tailed Snipe from Malaysia we could do noth- One piece of immense good fortune for us Quest South Africa, the group of four people ing about although we did consider counting was having Colin and Jo Gould, both Friends who really helped us to get the most out of it as an ‘either/or’ so increasing the list by of Wader Quest, on a trip with a tour compa- our stay in the country; Peter and Jenny one. In the end though we felt this was not ny in New Zealand and the trip itinerary just Sharland and Sue and Owen Oertli. They what we wanted to do, especially as the list happened to be going to look for Black Stilts came across this courser when they ventured was not the focus of our endeavours. We did that weekend! We can’t count on this sort of into Orange Free State and it was also they get Pin-tailed last year from Thailand, good fortune every year, but it was great to that added the Spotted Thick-knee earlier demonstrating still further what a blow to get the world’s rarest wader (that you can mentioned, in Gauteng. the list it was not having anyone in that make a planned trip to see) on the list. country looking on our behalf; surely next Another bird that we got this year, but year we will have better luck? One small, missed twelve months ago, was Peruvian literally, compensation was the addition of Thick-knee. Our friend Renzo Zeppilli sup- Jack Snipe found at Rye Harbour on the ported us last year and did so again this year. south coast of England. He went and looked for waders in the Lima Of the Scolopacidae or sandpipers, along area and was determined not to miss the with Nordmann’s Greenshank, Spoon-billed thick-knees, this time searching until he was Sandpiper, Long-toed and Temminck’s Stint eventually successful; and that was after we also missed Wandering Tattler which was arriving late the previous night exhausted seen on the west coast of the USA last year, from a prolonged Amazonian adventure! maybe if we can get someone out for Ameri- Wader Quest South Africa team; Jenny and Peter can Black Oystercatcher next year they might Sharland and Sue oertli. (Owen Oertli not come across the tattler too, after all it was a present). — Elis Simpson. flying tattler that led us to our first American Black Oystercather during Wader Quest’s In addition to the Grey-headed Lapwing visit. On the other hand some rather good that we missed this time in Thailand we also plusses came in the shape of Hudsonian God- didn’t get Black-headed Lapwing, White- wit and Upland and Buff-breasted Sandpi- crowned and Senegal Lapwing, but we did pers, all of which are good birds to have on Renzo Zeppilli on the beach in Lima get Crowned Lapwing, which was a real sur- any list. — Renzo Zeppilli. prise miss last year given that it is so com- Finally we come to the odd-ball waders, mon in South Africa, and Banded Lapwing in Least Seedsnipe and Snowy Sheathbill, both Whilst on the subject of Thick-knees, we Australia. added thanks again to Emanuel Tiberi in missed out this year on Senegal Thick-knee When it comes to the Charadrius plovers Argentina. which was a shame considering we added and their close allies, last year gave us Red- Spotted for the first time. This was reported kneed Dotterel in Australia and Wilson’s to us last year by Modou Saidy who, alt- Plover in North America, perhaps surprisingly hough going out again this year, was unsuc- both, especially the latter were not seen in cessful in finding them. The mere fact that 2015. In contrast new plovers included Kit- Modou was out at all was a testament to his tlitz’s, White-fronted and Caspian in South willingness to help and be involved. Things Africa and Collared in South America, which have not been good for him as a bird guide again was a bit of a surprise miss last year. In recently, the Ebola crisis hit The Gambia hard addition to this we received our first report with people not travelling to Africa despite of Tawny-throated Dotterel another South the country not seeing one case of the dis- American plover. Least Seedsnipe Thinocorus rumicivorus ease, and then to compound matters, Mo- Woodcocks are notoriously difficult to pin — Elis Simpson

JACANIDAE Zealand. 21. Water Thick-knee Burhinus 1. African Jacana Actophilornis africana: 12. Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus vermiculatus: Eastern Cape & Western Cape, Gauteng, South Africa fuliginosus: Western Australia, Australia. South Africa. 2. Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea: Queensland (2 + 2 eggs) Australia. RECURVIROSTRIDAE 3. Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana: Asunción, 13. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus Paraguay. himantopus: Western Division, The Gambia (21); Maharashtra, India; Sabah, Malaysia; PLUVIANELLIDAE Manila, Philippines; Gauteng & Western

HAEMATOPODIDAE 4. Magellanic Oystercathcher Haematopus leucopodus: Santa Cruz, Argentina. 5. Blackish Oystercatcher Haematopus ater: Santa Cruz, Argentina; Los Lagos, Chile. (2) Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis; 6. American Oystercatcher Haematopus — Sue Oertli; South Africa. palliatus: Anguilla; Santa Cruz, Argentina; Los Lagos (30 - 12 juvs.) & Valparaíso, Chile; 22. Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis: Santa Elena, Ecuador; Lima, Peru (2); Gauteng, South Africa. Florida(2) & Connecticut (3), USA. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus - 23. Peruvian Thick-knee Burhinus 7. African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus Peter Sharland; South Africa. superciliaris: Lima, Peru. moquini: Eastern & Western Cape, South Africa. 8. Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus Cape South Africa; Taipei, Taiwan. ostralegus: West Vlaanderen, Belgium (12); 14. White-headed Stilt Himantopus Chiba (100) Japan; Seocheon, South Korea; leucocephalus: Queensland (33) & Victoria, Skåne Sweden; Bridgend, Devon, East Australia; Canterbury, Northland & Waikato, Sussex, Flintshire (500), Hampshire (28), New Zealand. Islay, Isles of Scilly (18), Lincolnshire, 15. Black-necked Stilt Himantopus Merseyside & Norfolk, UK. mexicanus: Santa Elena, Ecuador; Chihuahua, 9. South Island Pied Oystercatcher Mexico (8); Panama, Panama (14); California, Peruvian Thick-knee Burhinus superciliaris; there Haematopus finschi: Canterbury, Waikato, USA. are two in there if you can find them! New Zealand. 16. Black StiltHimantopus novaezelandiae: — Renzo Zeppilli; Peru. 10. Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus Canterbury, New Zealand. longirostris: New South Wales (2 + 2 chicks), 17. Banded StiltCladorhychus leucocephalus: 24. Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius: Northern Territory, Queensland (4), Victoria, Victoria, Australia. Western Australia, Australia. 25. Beach Stone-Curlew Esacus giganteus: Western Australia, Australia.

GLAREOLIDAE 26. Double-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus: Orange Free State, South Africa. 27. Temminck’s Courser Cursorius temminckii: Gauteng, South Africa. 28. Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella: Western Australia, Australia. Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris - 29. Oriental Pratincole Glareola Sue Tolley; Australia. maldivarum: Western Australia, Australia. Western Australia, Australia. Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus - 30. Black-winged PratincoleGlareola 11. Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus Jackie Cestero; Anguilla. nordmanni: Gauteng, South Africa. unicolor: Canterbury & Northland, New 18. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta: CHARADRIIDAE Zeeland, Netherlands (48); Gauteng, South 31. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus: Africa; Essex, Kent, Lincolnshire & Norfolk, West Vlaanderen, Belgium (300); UK; Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria; Larnaca, Cyprus (15); 19. American Avocet Recurvirostra Zeeland, Netherlands (1,250); County americana: California (236), Massachusetts & Antrim, Northern Ireland (49); Navarra, Spain Montana, USA. (2); Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Devon, East 20. Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra Sussex, Essex, Flintshire (2,000), novaehollandiae: Victoria, Australia. Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Islay, Kent Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus unicolor — 1,000), Lincolnshire (90), Merseyside, Ric Else; New Zealand. BURHINIDAE Norfolk, Suffolk & Warwickshire, UK.

Species seen with state and country locations plus numbers where counted cont’d.

CHARADRIIDAE cont’d Canada; Santa Elena, Ecuador; Western Chiba, Japan (20). 32. Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus: Division, The Gambia; Chiba, Japan; Panama, Gauteng, Kwa Zulu—Natal, Limpopo, Orange Panama (106); Kwa Zulu-Natal, Eastern & Free State, Eastern & Western Cape, South Western Cape, South Africa; Seocheon, South Africa. Korea; Skåne, Sweden; Connecticut (47), Florida (6) & New Jersey (9), USA; East Sussex, Essex, Islay & Norfolk, UK.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus - Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea.

53. White-fronted Plover Charadrius Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola marginatus: Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea. — Sue Oertli; South Africa. Eastern & Western Cape, South Africa. 44. Northern Red-breasted Plover 54. Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus: Santa 33. Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus: Charadrius aquilonius: Northland (7) & Elena, Ecuador; Florida, USA (7). Larnaca, Cyprus (47), Western Division, The Waikato, New Zealand. 55. Red-capped Plover Charadrius Gambia (110). 34. Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus: 45. Common Ringed Plover Charadrius ruficapillus: Queensland (1) Victoria & Gauteng, Limpopo, Orange Free State & hiaticula: Larnaca, Cyprus (5); Gauteng, Kwa Western Australia, Australia. Western Cape, South Africa. Zulu–Natal, Eastern & Western Cape, South 56. Collared Plover Charadrius collaris: São 35. African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus Africa; Taipei, Taiwan; East Sussex, Isles of Paulo, Brazil. senegallus: Western Division, The Gambia Scilly (11) & Norfolk, UK. 57. Two-banded Plover Charadrius (11): Gauteng, Limpopo, Orange Free State & 46. Semipalmated Plover Charadrius falklandicus: Santa Cruz, Argentina. Western Cape, South Africa. semipalmatus: Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo, 58. Double-banded Plover Charadrius 36. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus: Brazil; Santa Elena, Ecuador; Panama, bicinctus: Canterbury & Waikato, New Maharashtra, India. Panama (330); Lima, Peru (18); Florida (3) & Zealand. 37. Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor: Massachusetts, USA. Victoria, Australia. 47. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius 38. Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles: dubius: Sabah, Malaysia; Taipet, Taiwan. Queensland (7), Victoria & Western Australia, 48. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus: Chihuahua, Australia; Canterbury & Northland, New Mexico (6); California (13), Connecticut (1), Zealand. New Jersey (1), USA. 39. Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis: 49. Piping Plover Charadrius melodus: Santa Cruz, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro & São Florida, USA (5). Paulo, Brazil; Valparaíso, Chile; Panama, 50. Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius: Panama (12); Asunción, Paraguay. Gauteng & Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa. 40. European Golden Plover Pluvialis 51. Three-banded Plover Charadrius apricaria: Zeeland, Netherlands (3,500); tricollaris: Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Eastern Two-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus — Ailsa Howard; New Zealand. Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Denmark, East & Western Cape, South Africa. Sussex, Gloucestershire, Islay, Kent (10), 59. Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus: Lincolnshire (60), Norfolk & Warwickshire, Western Australia, Australia; Selangor, UK. Malaysia; Seocheon, South Korea. 41. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva: Queensland (2), Victoria & Western Australia, Australia; Chiba, Japan; Waikato, New Zealand. 42. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica: São Paulo, Brazil. 43. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola: Juvenile Three-banded Plover Charadrius Northern Territory & Western Australia, tricollaris — Sue Oertli; South Africa. Australia; West Vlaanderen, Belgium (1); Rio 52. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus: Mongolian Plover Charadrius mongolus Yung-Ki de Janeiro, Brazil; Prince Edward Island, Seocheon, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; Ju; South Korea.

Species seen with state and country locations plus numbers where counted cont’d.

CHARADRIIDAE cont’d Bulgaria (3); Zeeland, Netherlands (1); County Australia, Australia. 60. Greater Sandplover Charadrius Antrim, Northern Ireland (21); Skåne 82. Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus: leschenaultii: Northern Territory, Sweden; Taipei, Taiwan; Cambridgeshire, Eastern Cape, South Africa; Northern Queensland, & Western Australia, Australia; Cheshire, Devon, East Sussex, Territory, Queensland (255), Western Selangor, Malaysia. Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Isles of scilly (6), Australia, Australia; Santa Elena, Ecuador; 61. Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus: Kent (20), Lincolnshire (2), Merseyside, Western Division, The Gambia (3), Pontian, Gauteng, South Africa. Norfolk, North Yorkshire & Warwickshire, UK. Selangor, Malaysia. 62. Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus: 71. Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata: 83. Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius Western Australia, Australia. Florida, USA. hudsonicus: Los Lagos, Chile; Chihuahua, 63. Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis: 72. South American Snipe Gallinago Mexico; Panama, Panama (16); Lima, Peru New South Wales, Australia (2 + chicks). paraguaiae: Valparaíso, Chile. (31). 73. Giant Snipe Gallinago undulata: Rio de 84. Eurasian Curlew Numenus arquata: Janeiro, Brazil. West Vlaanderen, Belgium (12); Zeelend, 74. Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus Netherlands (60); Manila, Philippines; griseus: Panama, Panama (415); California, Seocheon, South Korea; Skåne, Sweden; Usa (2)., USA. Cambridgeshire, East Sussex, Essex, 75. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus Flintshire, (50), Gloucestershire, Hampshire scolopaceus: Chihuahua, Mexico; California (3), Islay, Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire, (50), (7), New York, USA. Merseyside, Norfolk, Somerset, UK. 76 Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus: Western Australia, Australia. 77. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa: Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis (front facing Queensland (2), Western Australia, Australia; away) with Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus Maharashtra, India; Zeeland, Netherlands longirostris - Sue Tolley; Australia. (160); Gauteng, South Africa; Seocheon, 64. Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis South Korea; Cambridgeshire, melanops: Queensland (2) & Western Carmarthenshire (249), Cheshire, Devon, Australia, Australia. Essex, Flintshire (1,600), Gloucestershire, 65. Wrybill Anarhynchus frontalis: Hampshire(30), Kent (120), Lincolnshire Canterbury & Waikato, New Zealand. (120), Merseyside & Norfolk, UK. 66. Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus 78. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica: Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata ruficolis: Santa Cruz, Argentina. Northern Territory, Queensland (1,478), — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea. Western Australia, Australia; Zeelend, 85. Eastern Curlew Numenius SCOLPACIDAE Netherlands; Waikato, New Zealand; madagascarensis: Northern Territory, 67. Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola: Seocheon, South Korea; East Sussex, Queensland, Western Australia; Australia, Shetland, UK. Gloucestershire, Islay, Isles of Scilly, Norfolk, Seocheon, South Korea. 68. Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus: Merseyside, UK. East Sussex, UK. 69. African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis: Gauteng & Limpopo, South Africa.

Black-tailed Godwit Limos limosa (right) & Bar- tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea. Eastern Curlew Numenius arquata 79. Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica: — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea. African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis São Paulo, Brazil; Valparaíso, Chile. 86. Long-billed Curlew Numenius — Sue Oertli; South Africa. 80. Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa: Panama, americanus: California, USA (2). 70. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago: Panama (2); California, USA (23). 87. Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda: West Vlaanderen, Belgium (1); Blagoevgrad, 81. Little Curlew Numenius minutus: Western Asunción, Paraguay (2).

Species seen with state and country locations plus numbers where counted cont’d.

SCOLPACIDAE cont’d 97. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus: Eastern 88. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus: Cape, South Africa; Northern Territory (3) & Skåne, Sweden; Norfolk, UK. Western Australia, Australia; Selangor, 89. Common Redshank Tringa totanus: West Malaysia. Vlaanderen, Belgium (40); Larnaca, Cyprus; 98. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos: Western Division, The Gambia (3); Pontian, Northern Territory (1) & Western Australia, Selangor, Malaysia; Zeeland, Netherland (20); Australia; Languedoc, France; Western Skåne, Sweden; Cheshire, Devon, East Division, The Gambia (6); Sabah, Malaysia; Sussex, Gloucestershire, Flintshire (1,500), Manila, Philippines; Gauteng, Eastern & Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Hampshire, Islay, Kent (10), Lincolnshire, — David Rooke; Canada. Western Cape, South Africa; Taipei, Taiwan. Merseyside & Norfolk, UK. 99. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia: 90. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis: 93. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes: Anguilla; Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo, Brazil; Western Australia, Australia; Sabah, Anguilla; São Paulo, Brazil; Valparaíso, Chile; Santa Elena, Ecuador; Chihuahua, Mexico; Malaysia; Waikato, New Zealand; Gauteng, Santa Elena, Ecuador; Chihuahua, Mexico; Panama, Panama (10); California, USA (1). South Africa. Massachusetts, USA. 100. Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes: Northern Territory (3), Queensland & Western Australia, Australia; Manila, Philippines. 101. Western Willet Tringa inornata: Valparaíso, Chile; Santa Elena, Ecuador; Chihuahua, Mexico; Panama, Panama (52); California (18) & Florida (16), USA. 102. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres: Anguilla; Northern Territory, Queensland & Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa falvipes (left) with Stilt Western Australia, Australia; West Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Vlaanderen, Belgium (25); Rio de Janeiro & Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis —Jackie Cestero; Anguilla. — Peter Sharland; South Africa. São Paulo, Brazil; Valparaíso, Chile; Larnaca, 94. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus: Cyprus (1); Santa Elena, Ecuador; Canterbury, 91. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia: Bladoevgrad (14), Bulgaria; Western Division, New Zealand; Lima, Peru (4); Western Cape, Northern Territory (1) & Western Australia, The Gambia (4); Maharashtra, India; Taipei, South Africa; Bridgend, East Sussex, Australia; Western Division, The Gambia (8); Taiwan; Cheshire & East Sussex, UK. Hampshire (55), Islay, Isles of Scilly (56), Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Eastern & Western 95. Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria: Lincolnshire, Merseyside & Norfolk, UK; Cape, South Africa; Flintshire, Islay, Isles of Asunción, Paraguay (1). Connecticut (3) & Florida (5), USA. Scilly, Norfolk & Gloucestershire, UK 96. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola: Western Australia, Australia; Western Division, The Gambia (2); Maharashtra India; Sabah, Malaysia; Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal & Orange Free State, South Africa, Taipei, Taiwan. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres — Tomomi Kawasumi; Japan.

103. Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris: Northern Territory (1,760), Queensland (276) & Western Australia, Australia; Seocheon, South Korea. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea.

92. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca: Anguilla; Los Lagos (21) & Valparaíso, Chile; Santa Elena, Ecuador; Chihuahua, Mexico; Californis (10), Connecticut (147), Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris Massachusetts & New Jersey, USA. — Peter Sharland; South Africa. — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea.

© Wader Quest 2015. All rights reserved. Page 16 Wader Quest the newsletter WASHSpecies WADER seen with RINGING state andGROUP country CONTROLS locations & RECOVERIES plus numbers — cont’dwhere counted cont’d.

SCOLPACIDAE cont’d Janeiro, Brazil; Asunción, Paraguay (4). 120. Buff-breasted Sandpiper Calidris 104. Red Knot Calidris canutus: Northern 112. Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii: Santa subruficollis: Asunción, Paraguay (1). Territory (279), Queensland (1) & Western Cruz, Argentina; Valparaíso, Chile. 121. RuffCalidris pugnax: Larnaca, Cyprus Australia, Australia; São Paulo, Brazil; 113. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos: (2), Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal & Western Waikato, New Zealand; Seocheon, South Anguilla; Waikato, New Zealand; Asunción, Cape, South Africa; Cambridgeshire, Korea; Cheshire, East Sussex, Essex, Flintshire Paraguay (10). Cheshire, East Sussex, Gloucestershire & Kent (20), Kent (100), Lincolnshire (1), Merseyside 114. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris (5), UK. & Norfolk, UK; Florida (22), USA. acuminata: Northern territory (2), 105. Sanderling Calidris alba: Western Queensland (32), Victoria & Western Australia, Australia; Prince Edward island, Australia, Australia; Waikato, New Zealand. Canada; Valparaíso, Chile;Santa Elena, 115. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea: Ecuador; Chiba, Japan (60); Selangor, Northern Territory & Queensland (29), Malaysia; Lima, Peru (4); Gauteng, South Australia; Waikato, New Zealand; Gauteng, Africa; East Sussex. Merseyside & Norfolk, South Africa; Cheshire, UK. UK; Connecticut (295), Florida (40) & 116. Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima: Massachusets, USA. Somerset, & Merseyside, UK.

Ruff Calidris pugnax Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima — Peter Sharland; South Africa. — Mya-Rose Craig; England. 122. Wilson's Phalarope: Phalaropus tricolor: 117. Dunlin Calidris alpina: Prince Edward Santa Elena, Ecuador.. Island, Canada; Larnaca, Cyprus (15); Chiba, 123. Least Seedsnipe Thinocorus rumicivorus: Japan (700); Zeeland, Netherlands (80); Santa Cruz, Argentina. Sanderling Calidris alba — Ross Mason; England. County Antrim, Northern Ireland (50); 124. Snowy Sheathbill Chionus alba: Santa Seocheon, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; Cruz, Argentina. 106. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris Devon, East Sussex, Flintshire (30), pusilla: Valparaíso, Chile; Santa Elena, Gloucestershire, Kent (400), Lincolnshire (10), Ecuador; Panama, Panama. & Norfolk ,UK; California (2), Connecticut 107. Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri: (200), Florida (10), Massachusetts, New Santa, Elena, Ecuador; Panama, Panama (10); Jersey & New York, USA. Lima, Peru (5); California (130) & Florida (2), 118. Broad-billed Sandpiper, Calidris USA. falcinellus: Western Australia, Australia, 108. Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis: Seocheon, South Korea. Northern Territory (7), Queensland (122), Victoria & Western Australia, Australia; Chiba, Japan (2). 109. Little StintCalidris minuta: Larnaca, Cyprus (76); Gauteng & Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa; Gloucestershire, UK. 110. Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla: Anguilla; Santa Elena, Ecuador; Chihuahua, Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus Mexico; Lima, Peru (2); California (1,222) & — Yung-Ki Ju; South Korea. Florida (1), USA. 111. White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris 119. Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus: Mixed flock Limosa, Calidris, Vanellus & fuscicollis: Santa Cruz, Argentina; Rio de Anguilla; Santa Elena, Ecuador. Pluvialis — Elis Simpson; England.

Our Wader Conservation World Watch Weekend — Rick and Elis Simpson.

number of Northern Lapwings Vanellus On the pool we encountered a single vanellus, a few Common Redshanks Tringa Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres and on totanus, a small group of Eurasian Curlews the saltmarsh we clocked up our first Numenius arquata and the odd Black-tailed Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus Godwit Limosa limosa all of which were fairly ostralegus the only other addition to the day distant. A few Dunlin Calidris alpina came into being a Common Ringed Plover Charadrius view and a couple of Commion Snipe hiaticulaa grand total for the day of 13. Gallinago gallinago flew, or rather were The next day we met up with personal blown across the marsh; but there was no friend and Friend of Wader Quest Jack sign of our anticipated goodies. Delabye and headed together with him down The Wader Quest team checking out the waders — Jack Delabye After a while the rain eased and we dared to Oare Marshes in Kent which is run by the to venture to the hide on the opposite side of Kent Wildlife Trust. It is a great spot for Just about typically we pick a month for a the marsh. As we approached we could see waders especially at high tide when many celebration of waders and the forces of an enormous flock of Northern Lapwings, birds come to roost on the fresh water pools. nature turn against us producing, for us in the some 1,000 in number, every now and then We were soon working our way trough 400 UK, just about the worst month on record they would all get up and struggle to maintain Dunlins, dozens of Common Redshanks and weather wise! It started wet and windy and their dignity in the air before becoming 120 Black-tailed Godwits. In among the melee continued thus for pretty much the whole resigned to the idea that, on this day at least, were 10 Eurasian Golden Plovers and the month. flying was for the birds! edges of the pool were lined with around 90 That first morning on the 7th of November In among these lapwings was a smattering Northern Lapwings. Here Common Snipe we rolled up at RSPB Frampton Marsh in of Eurasian Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria, were much in evidence and we estimated Lincolnshire, turned into the car park, their number just struggling into double that we had seen in excess of 20 individuals. switched off the lights and engine and almost figures. Out on the mud we spied a single As we scanned we saw a single Pied Avocet simultaneously someone, somewhere Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola and a lone and found 4 Common Ringed Plovers, a switched on the rain which lashed against the Red Knot Calidris canutus. circumnavigation of the pool only resulted in windscreen driven by the wind. We got Try as we might and we tried, believe me, us seeing some Red Knots flying over and a soaked getting from the car park to the except for a single Pied Avocet Recurvirostra single Ruff Calidris pugnax on one of the small reserve centre. There we learned that there avosetta in the middle hide on the way back islands. had been a Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus we didn’t add any new waders to the day list Having exhausted our options for the and Spotted Redshank Tringa eryhtropus seen and definitely did not see any Jack Snipe or weekend we retired with a Wader on the previous day so we thought these Spotted Redshank although we understand Conservation World Watch list of just 14 would be good targets for us to aim for the latter was reported by a group that we species. Having only added Ruff on the expecting other species to fall into place as passed going to the hide as we left! second day. Eagerly we returned home to we searched for them. We thought we’d try our luck at RSPB start checking the lists that were already We left the relative comfort of the visitor Freiston Shore. Once there we encountered coming in. Getting reports from far flung centre and got another drenching walking to more Northen Lapwings, 500 Black-tailed corners of the world especially those that the first hide. As we approached bent against Godwits, Eurasian Curlews and about 50 were sunny and warm, was very exciting and the maelstrom we thought we had a Eurasian Golden Plovers they flew high above the photos that we were sent added to the Common Grenshank Tringa nebularia whizz us calling, possibly in fear of their lives due to event, actually seeing the individual birds that past, its flight speed boosted by the wind, but the tempest that was ensuing. had been seen during the weekend. as we weren’t sure we decided to check it out from the hide in front of which it appeared to have landed or at least crash landed. We never did see that bird again, I suspect it got blown to the Netherlands! This hide gives you a panoramic view on all sides of the surrounding marsh. Going straight to the side of the hide where the Jack Snipe and Spotted Redshank had been seen the previous day we opened the window and soon shut it again as the gale force wind squeezing through the aperture fairly ripped the skin from our faces. We contented ourselves with viewing through the rain speckled glass. This allowed us a blurry view of what lay beyond and in terms of waders that was a A mixed flock of waders at Oare Marshes — Elis Simpson

© Wader Quest 2015. All rights reserved. Thank you to everyone who participated in this event making it such a success We hope you’ll be able to join us again next year for Wader Conservation World Watch 3 November 5th & 6th 2016

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 Chair: Rick Simpson  Secretary: Rachel Walls  Treasurer: Elis Simpson  Board members: Allan Archer, Lee Dingain, Sue Healey (Events), Chris Lamsdell (Ringing), Oliver Simms Next Trustees meeting 10:30 10th January 2016 — Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust London Wetlands Centre, London. Become a Friend of Wader Quest

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