ajohn

The Sanderling is from South Australia (combination orange over yellow).
I have made some enquiries about the unusual attachments (cable ties?) on the Curlew Sand, to see if anyone knows where this birds might have been marked.

ajohn

It seems that the Curlew Sandpiper with cable ties on the legs (rather than flags) is one of 18 birds trapped on 19 and 20 September 2007 at Wonorejo, Surabaya, Indonesia.
We have previously had Curlew Sandpipers flagged in Hong Kong reported at Wonorejo.

ajohn

Hi Kinni. I have received details for Great Knot RDZ.
This bird was flagged at Roebuck Bay, Broome, north-west Australia on 1st August 2010. It has been resighted nine times around Broome, but this is the first sighting outside Broome. Thank you for posting the sighting.

ajohn

Hi Thomas. Unfortunately not all of the stint flag is visible, and I don't think it will be enough to recognise the individual. I will send it to the relevant contacts in Victoria, Australia to see if there is anything they can do, but if you have any other photos of the bird's leg at different angles it may be very useful.

ajohn

Quote:

Original posted by lrichard at 12/04/2013 16:18
Bar-tailed Godwit, yellow flag, DXE
Bar-tailed Godwit, yellow flag, JJV
Great Knot, yellow flag, VYR

Some information on these birds:
Bar-tailed Godwit, yellow flag, DXE: Was flagged as a first summer on 3rd July 2010 at Broome, Western Australia. Was seen in Broome in July and August 2010, and in December 2011.

Bar-tailed Godwit, yellow flag, JJV. Was flagged as a second winter on 6th March 2012 at Broome, Western Australia. Was seen in Broome in March, April and November 2012.

Great Knot, yellow flag, VYR. Was flagged as a first winter also on 6th March 2012 at Broome, Western Australia. Was seen in Broome in April, May and July 2012

I also had a colour-ringed Bar-tailed Godwit on Friday, but haven't received details back about that bird yet. It would have been ringed either at Broome or at 80 Mile Beach, also in WA.

Based on these sightings, it seems highly likely that the influx of Bar-tailed Godwit (and smaller numbers of Great Knot) that arrived last week had come from Broome, where large numbers of these species spend the (northern) winter.

ajohn

It seems that the orange flag is engraved. Do you have any more photos which may show the engraving clearly?

ajohn

An unusual record. The blue over yellow combination indicates Bohai Bay. The ring on the left leg is probably a normal metal ring that has discoloured/corroded (this happens sometimes, especially I think with the rings used in mainland China)

ajohn

I think this is actually a Hong Kong-flagged bird that has lost the lower flag. We have had this problem on a couple of Terek Sandpipers because we initially flagged them above and below the 'knee', and the lower flag has been lost (probably broken on rocks or eroded by sand). We have now started using narrower flags, both above the 'knee' to solve the problem.
Thank you for the report.