Lake Wairarapa - latest shorebird survey results

On the 25^th of November a mixed team of staff from the Department of Conservation and Greater Wellington Regional Council carried out a survey of shorebirds and waterfowl along the eastern shoreline of Lake Wairarapa.  Conditions were fairly favourable for the survey, with a lake level of 10.15 metres above datum.

A total of 24 species of shorebirds and waterfowl and a total of 4492 birds were counted.  Highlights of the day included two pectoral sandpipers (a scarce Arctic-breeding migrant), one white-winged black tern (a rare migrant from SE Asia) and one cattle egret (a first record for this set of surveys).

 A complete list of species encountered is provided below:  

Click on any of the English bird names in the table above and this will take you to the relevant species page on the NZ birds onlineopen_in_new website providing information and photographs for each species.  

If you'd like further information about these results contact Nikki McArthur Nikki.Mcarthur@gw.govt.nz