Gulf St Vincent Grey Plover tracking has started again!

In December 2016, 4 Grey Plovers were flagged (with engraved flags CAU, CAS, CAR, CAT) and fitted with satellite transmitters at Bald Hill, about a hundred kilometres north of Adelaide. In March 2017, an additional Grey Plover CMN was caught at Thompson Beach and also fitted with a transmitter. Two birds CAR and CMN have started their long haul migration from Gulf St Vincent and the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary on their way to Arctic breeding grounds. At their last tracked positions, there were flying over the western Timor Sea, over the Australian territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands.

A male Grey Plover CAU started heading north over Gulf St Vincent around the same time, but has since turned back to Bald Hill. Grey Plover CAS is still in Gulf St Vincent. We lost transmission from Grey Plover CAT, but the bird has been resighted, minus harness and tracker, and is feeding with other plovers in the area.