Whilst in Mersing today I decided to check out the Tern roost. Numbers have certainly increased with a marked rise in great crested terns to just over 600 birds present at the moment on the northern side of the river mouth. Black naped terns were also present in higher numbers today than during previous visits with an increase of up to 30 individuals present. There has not been any black naped terns around the island for some time now and so I suspect they have left the surrounding waters of the islands to come in shore to the mainland before presumabley moving on. Image above and 2 below show a couple of the great crested terns present today.
After going through the tern flock I decided to walk along the shoreline of the beach/ sand-flats in order to see if any waders were present feeding with the falling tide.
The usual selection of waders were present with a new single Bar tailed godwit present today (image above). Greater Sandplover (image below) numbers were down but I suspect more birds were out feeding on the open areas of sand-flats out of of view.
Terek Sandpipers (image above) were ever present as they always are but I just can't seem to find one wearing a colour or flag ring nor any other waders to mention it. A nice treat was this Grey Tailed Tattler (image below) which is only the second observation I have had of this species in Mersing. The only other sighting I had was during my first visit to the area here during the last week of September. I was just thinking that maybe the first record I had was just of a migrant bird but maybe that bird is this individual.((wouldn't like to say)) and will winter in the area.
Shockingly poor shots of the grey tailed tattler above & below but the heat was really affecting me today as I haven't been well for a few days (fever) maybe "island fever" lol, I keep getting asked by other over-seas workers from Europe who are working on the other islands if "Island fever" has kicked in yet. Other wader sightings today included 3 sanderling (all 1st winters), 8 common sandpipers, 2 whimbrel, 1 greenshank & 40+ pacific golden plovers.
