Birds of the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Adjacent Highlands, (part 10 Sanderling to Stone-curlew)
               based on: Chafer, C.J., Brandis, C.C.P. & Wright, D. 1999. Handbook of Birds found in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Adjacent Tablelands.
                                                                                                                                     Illawarra Bird Observers Club, Wollongong

contents   references     map   introduction

Sanderling Calidris alba
Rare, summer migrant: Mainly ocean beaches, occasionally estuaries. Singly to small flocks with up to 38 recorded from Windang. Only other locations known are Bellambi Point (1-4), Port Kembla Beach (1-4), South Shellharbour beach (2) and Comerong Island (1-17). Most frequently observed during migration in September and February-March. Breeds in far north- eastern Russia.


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Little Stint Calidris minuta
Accidental. One record from Comerong Island, April 1984. Breeds from northern Scandinavia to north- western Siberia.


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Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Locally common, summer migrant: Estuaries, tidal flats, swamps, occasionally beaches and coastal rock shelves. Small to large flocks; up to 1,500 recorded from Comerong Island, 200 from Lake Wollumboola and 150 at Windang. Scarce elsewhere. Some first year birds overwinter. Numbers recorded and sightings becoming less frequent. Formerly flocks up to 100 on Tom Thumb Lagoon prior to construction of Port Kembla Harbour. Breeds north eastern Siberia.


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Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta
Accidental: One record from Comerong Island, January 1988. Breeds in forests of south-western and eastern Siberia.


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White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
Accidental: A bird recorded from Windang, October and November 1984. Breeds in north-eastern Alaska and Canada.


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Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Rare, summer migrant: Single birds recorded from Nowra STW, January 1981; in a farm dam west of Bundanoon, January 1983; Windang, February 1984 and November 1986; Comerong Island; Lake Wollumboola, December 1994 and December 1998. Breeds in north-eastern Siberia and American arctic.


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Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata
Uncommon, summer migrant: Singly to medium flocks on estuaries, tidal flats, swamps, flooded fields and grasslands, with up to 782 recorded from Lake Illawarra and 750 on Lake Wollumboola. More frequent during dry periods when lacustral water levels are low and extensive mud flats are exposed. Numbers on Lake Illawarra appear to be declining due to habitat reduction. Formerly flocks of several hundred on Tom Thumb Lagoon prior to the construction of Port Kembla Harbour. Breeds in northern Siberia.


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Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Uncommon, summer migrant: Estuaries, tidal flats, swamps.Singly to medium flocks, with up to 170 recorded from Lake Illawarra and 100 from Lake Wollumboola. More frequent during periods when lacustral water levels are low and extensive mud flats are exposed. Numbers on Lake Illawarra appear to be declining due to habitat reduction. Formerly flocks of several hundred on Tom Thumb Lagoon prior to the construction of Port Kembla Harbour. Breeds in northern Siberia.


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Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
[Schedule 2, vulnerable fauna]
Rare, summer migrant: Lone birds recorded from south Wollongong beach, October 1955; Windang and Griffins Bay, Lake Illawarra, February 1963; Shoalhaven Heads, December 1976 and December 1984; eastern Lake Wollumboola, December 1991. Breeds in northern Russia.


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Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Vagrant: A lone bird was observed by numberous people at the entrance to Lake Wollumboola in March 1999.
 
 
 
Ruff  Philomachus pugnax
Vagrant: A lone mixed with large numbers of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers in Cudgerree Bay, Lake Illawarra in February and March 2003.
 
 
 

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Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis
[Schedule 2, vulnerable fauna]
Rare, nomadic: Wetlands with dense vegetative cover and muddy flats. Recorded from adjacent to Macquarie Rivulet mouth, March 1970; a male from near Wollongong, February 1971; one bird observed at Shellharbour Swamp, November 1986.


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Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea
Accidental: One immature bird recorded from Killalea Lagoon and Dunmore Swamp in July and August 1984.


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Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius
[Schedule 1, endangered fauna]
Extirpated, formerly resident: Lightly timbered open country. Formerly plentiful with numbers decreasing with the spread of settlement through the early 1900s. Last recorded from the Nowra/Bomaderry area in November 1937 and from Appin in April 1981. A lone bird was recovered from Shoalhaven Heads in 1998 and later released on Comerong Island.


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Beach Stone-curlew Esacus neglectus
[Schedule 1, endangered fauna]
Rare, nomadic: Lone bird observed on the sand flats between Shoalhaven Heads and Comerong Island, February 1978. Another bird recorded from this location in November 1997 and again on several occasions in early 1998. A lone bird observed at Thirroul beach in February 1998.


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go to Part 11, Oystercatchers to Lapwings