Long-billed Dowitcher (11/11)

CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae

Limnodromus scolopaceus  

How could I resist the mad rush to see this mega vagrant? I drove all day only to discover it had flown away 30 minutes before I arrived!

So, I stayed overnight and searched again the following morning. After an hour it appeared. I got good scope views of it feeding before attempting to get closer to take a photo of its stunning long bill.

I crawled in the mud slowly to ensure it did not flush but it fell asleep and stayed that way for my entire stay.

I finally had to leave to drive all the way back to Adelaide without my stunning photo.