The Waders Tour

Australia has an amazing number and diversity of waders with over 70 species recorded. The Newcastle area & the Hunter Valley has some of, if not THE, best wader watching in New South Wales and over 40 species have been recorded in the valley. These waders include both migratory and resident species such as the local Latham’s Snipe, Eastern Curlew, Marsh, Common, Curlew & Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Newcastle is the best place in the state to see Broad-billed Sandpipers.

Red-Necked Avocets

Other common waders include Grey-tailed Tattler, Great & Red Knot, Red-necked Stint, the magnificent Comb-crested Jacana, Pied & Sooty Oystercatchers, Red-necked Avocet, Red-capped, Double-banded & Lesser Sand Plover, Masked Lapwing and the stunning Black-fronted & Red-kneed Dotterel. Recent rarities have been Painted Snipe, Hudsonian Godwit, Pectoral Sandpiper & Banded Stilt. Others in the past have been Ruff, Asian Dowitcher, Sanderling, Beach Thick-Knee, and Long-toed Stint could be possibly seen on our tour.

Many of these waders are seasonal although some stay around all year long. In late Spring and early Autumn, although many will have left, those that remain are in spectacular Summer plumage.

Waders are notoriously difficult to identify and several of the places to watch waders are tidal and difficult to access. However, your guides are familiar with every species of wader that have occurred in Australia. Therefore, with our identification expertise and local knowledge we can sort them out, maximise our time in the best places and have the closest views of some of these waders (down to 50m).

Double Banded Plover

Also in the area will be Australasian Pelican, several species of cormorant & heron, Gull-billed and Caspian Terns and the magnificent White-bellied Sea-Eagle. This is also the most Southerly location for Mangrove Gerygone. When the tide is high we will stop off along the coast to look for White-winged Black and Eastern Common Terns among the Crested Terns. Seabirds such as Artic Skua and Wedge-tailed & Short-tailed Shearwaters are all frequent visitors to Australia during summer. Many of them can be seen from the Hunter coastline throughout this season. This area is also good for a number of waterbirds and land birds including Black-necked Stork, raptors, swallows, chats and Yellow Wagtail.