Great Knot, 5/15/2012

This time my target was Black-faced Spoonbills in Watzuwei Nature Reserve area at Bali District of New Taipei City, since one of my birdwatching buddies had taken pictures of over 20 Black-faced Spoonbills one day earlier. After one day of waiting and searching, no Black-faced Spoonbills appeared at all. Instead, lots of waterfowls in the Scolopacidae and Charadriidae families were spotted. Many of them, including the Great Knots, had never been photographed by me. The Great Knots are so big that they stood out in the flocks.

Great Knots are common passage migrants or uncommon winter migratory birds in Taiwan. It's very close to the end of Spring. All the Great Knots were busy eating and drinking, in building their strength before migrating long distance back to the freezing north Asia.


Great Knots, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot video recorded on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City

Chinese name:	大濱鷸
English name:	Great Knot
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Calidris tenuirostris
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Scolopacidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern.
Migration status:	Common passage migrant or uncommon winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common or uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	Insects, mollusks
Habitat:	Wetlands, outlets of rivers, mudflats of sea shores
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in mudflats of sea shores, wetlands, swamps and outlets of rivers, and mixed with other Scolopacidae and Charadriidae birds.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 29 cm long. Plumage is mainly gray. Under part is white. Breast is covered with many blackish brown spots. Back, wing and tail are mainly gray, with some maroon and black spots during breeding seasons. Bill is black. Feet are grayish green.
Breeding places:	Russia, northern China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Middle East, etc.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in south Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Australia, etc.
Time photographed:	5/15/2012
Location found:	Bali District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes: