American Golden Plover ~ Gonzo Birder

American Golden Plover yawning with its tongue out

On Thursday, 18 April I had checked into St John of God hospital for a surgical procedure. I spent the first fifty or so years of my life without having any procedures. Those were the days. 

This was not a ‘big’ procedure, but it required general anaesthesia. They told me it went well and that I did not need a hospital sleepover. I was back home in the early evening, feeling pleasantly dopey, but experiencing some discomfort (i.e. pain). Nothing unexpected. It was time to rest and recover. I had a quiet night.

Friday morning I was up for a while, but went back to bed, and to sleep, before noon. Around 3pm I woke up enough to notice I had a message from James. I rang him and I learned that there was an American Golden Plover being reported at the Borrow Pit in the WTP only two hours ago. It would be an Aussie Lifer for me. I had to go. I mean seriously, I had no choice.

I grabbed my bins and my new/old camera, and dashed out the door (dashed is subjective). At the Avalon Airport exit, I realised I had forgotten my key to the WTP. I drove back to the house.

Regardless of this maddening detour, I was at the Borrow Pits looking at the beautiful American Golden Plover just after 4pm. Joy! A totally unexpected Lifer twenty-four hours out of hospital. Gonzo Birding. That is new phrase that I may begin using. It fits my birding in a lot of ways. Maybe I am the Gonzo Birder. Here are my first Aussie Lifer looks at the AGP at the WTP.

Other birders were there and as the word got out, more birders came. Some left work early in Melbourne and hurried down. This was an opportunity to see the first American Golden Plover in breeding plumage seen in Australia, thus making for very positive identification. Identification of an American Golden Plover without any drama. And believe me, there can be a lot of drama in non-breeding bird identification. 

I am also an American (expat) in Australia but I am certainly not in breeding plumage. And at this point it is highly unlikely that I ever will be again, haha.& I took a few recording shots with my new/old camera and was driving home after about 15 minutes. A mega twitch done and dusted. 

Except that James had not seen the bird.

The next morning at 9:18am, I collected him at the Lara Station and we dashed over. And dash we did. Soon he was looking at the bird with quite a few other birders. We hadn’t had a ‘mega’ at the WTP since the Black Tern a year ago. And one of the best parts of a twitch was in full swing. It is the feeling that I call Lifer High. People were smiling, laughing, giggling, joking, hugging and just being naturally high as only birders can be about a life bird. Shared Lifer High is the best and there was a lot of it going on.

Someone else's photo in wide-angle, I am on the left taking photos

We saw some dear friends, but left fairly quickly so that James could catch the train back to Melbourne. He had plans for later that arvo. I did consider going back over, but unbelievably I was still not 48 hours out of hospital. I went home and took a long afternoon nap.

Sunday I had other plans already in place, but I heard that the AGP was seen well all day. So Monday morning, I took advantage of the closeness of the WTP to my house and I drove (no need to dash) over just before sunrise. I even took a few phone pics of the early morning. I love sunrises and sunsets and do not make the time to see them very often anymore, not by myself. Doing things alone is not my way. No, not if it was ever so. I need to share full stop. It is life to me. Which is why I am tapping out these words on this tired-ass laptop and why I so deeply appreciate those of you who read them. Thank you.

I was the first one at the Borrow Pits and the bird was waiting for me. I had that mega-rarity all to myself for at least fifteen minutes. Brace yourself, here come a bunch of AGP photos.

Yes, there was Lifer Pie

Soon more birders arrived. I saw my dear friend Kris Bernard who I had not seen in quite while. And again, there was much shared Lifer High. Joy. I do love, I need, to share, but I thoroughly enjoyed my bit of 'alone time' with that bird. We were both 'Americans' in the Land Down Under. Although I seriously doubt that the Plover will become a Permanent Resident.

Sending love as I do ❤️