Long-billed Plovers at Hanoi : Season 02

Hi all,

Incredible, they came back ! A new chance for those who have missed the first season of the series : “Long-billed Plovers wintering at Hanoi” .

Today (03-11-2011), during a noon stroll along the channel of the Red River Island, I bumped into 2 individuals enjoying the bright sun of a lovely autumn day.

The weather was perfect, the birds very - too much I should say - confiding and - miracle ! - no rubbish around, so I managed to get some pretty good shots.
I hope they will stay there all the winter like their predecessors. But actually the level of the water is high, there are few large open mud banks available.

However, last year, I remember, at the extremity south of this channel, on the other side of the river, I saw them many times along very narrow mud banks with trees and bushes very near, the kind of place where you can only expect to see Common or Green Sandpipers.

Why are they staying here, in this narrow channel, and not around Vinh Tuy Bridge, 3 km downstream, where they could enjoy hectares of quiet sandbars ? Mystery… But tomorrow morning I will check this other place more carefully.

As I was approaching, the 2 birds turned their back on me and showed their brown upperside, much more “camouflage” than their bright white breast. Nice try guys ! But next time, try to use more your wings, there are some bad bipeds in the area.

Cheers,

Sébastien Delonglée