Anarhynchus ruficapillus

7 Red-capped Plover at Yarralumla, ACT

Anarhynchus ruficapillus at Yarralumla, ACT - 31 Oct 2020
Anarhynchus ruficapillus at Yarralumla, ACT - 31 Oct 2020
Anarhynchus ruficapillus at Yarralumla, ACT - 31 Oct 2020
Anarhynchus ruficapillus at Yarralumla, ACT - 31 Oct 2020
Anarhynchus ruficapillus at Yarralumla, ACT - 31 Oct 2020
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Identification history

Anarhynchus ruficapillus 4 Nov 2020 natureguy
Anarhynchus ruficapillus 3 Nov 2020 BIrdsinCanberra

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Significant sighting

natureguy noted:
4 Nov 2020

Very rare vagrant to the ACT.

User's notes

The plover was keeping close to the waterline but even the small wavelets were sending it scurrying back up the small beach. It would occasionally peck at something on the sand. The bird was not bothered by the silver gulls, which did not give it a second glance, although the plover did stay at the northern end of the beach away from a large gathering of gulls and not far from some clumps of vegetation. I only saw the one bird.

6 comments

rawshorty wrote:
   3 Nov 2020
What beach?
   4 Nov 2020
Hi Rawshorty. The Yarralumla Beach near the Sri Chinmoy Statue. I have never seen one there before.
Christine wrote:
   4 Nov 2020
I am not surprised, yours is the first record on CNM for this species, and there are no eBird records for it in the ACT. Closest record this year is Lake Bathurst. So a very good find indeed!
natureguy wrote:
   4 Nov 2020
There are a handful of records on COG from the ACT and Lake George/Bathurst, but it seems to be a pretty irregular vagrant to the region. Interestingly though this species is widely found coastally and inland in most other areas of Australia.
ConBoekel wrote:
   5 Nov 2020
A wonderful record, IMO.
   6 Nov 2020
Many thanks Christine, Natureguy and ConBoekel, for the comments. I had no idea what the bird was when I photographed it. I had just finished going for a kayak on the lake and only the last couple of times that I have been out have I taken a camera with me to shoot photos of the birds and other things I see while I am paddling. I am very glad I had the camera with me that morning. Many thanks again for the comments that have provided more context to my sighting. All the best

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