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Dear John,
I am not about the argue about the pros and cons of
the construction of Port Botany. I am not a fan of port developments anywhere.
The channel into Penrhyn will not be dredged is will be an area left open behind
the port. Read more about Ramsar and you will see it has nothing to do with
areas such as Penrhyn. There are a number of criteria for nomination as a Ramsar
site and Penrhyn comes nowhere to meeting any of these.
Yes, the 100 to 200 birds do have a reason for
returning to Penrhyn. The reason larger numbers do not go there is
because the area can't support any more. In a few years the numbers may be
much lower. If the area is enlarged it may again attract larger numbers of
waders.
As far as "natural" habitat is concerned. Penhryn
estuary is not natural. It was created by the Sydney Ports Authority in the
early 1970s. Just after that the site attracted large numbers of
waders.
Any site that provides large areas of mudflats will
attract waders whether it is natural or not. As long ago as 1965 I was involved
in creating wader habitat in the east of England with the late Bert Axell at the
RSPB nature reserve at Minsmere. The idea was to create nesting habitat for the
Pied Avocet that had not bred in the UK for about 100 years. The site is still
one of the most successful artificial wader sites in the world. Many migratory
waders as well as nesting terns and waders still use the site. I have visited
other man made sites (not initially constructed for waders) around the world
including the Mai Po Marshes in Hong Kong, many sites in Taiwan, Port Hedland in
WA, Tullakool Evaporation Ponds in NSW etc. all of which are very important
habitats for large numbers of waders.
Obviously "natural" sites of importance to waders
should be protected and enhanced where possible. However the future of sites
around Sydney looks grim with the expansion of mangroves over saltmarsh
(important roosting habitat) and mudflats over much of the Parramatta estuary,
the Hunter and many other places. The creation of additional habitat with the
exclusion of mangroves may well be the only way to prevent further loss of, or
increase, the numbers of waders in Sydney.
The proceedings of a Seminar held at Homebush Bay
in July last year on many of these issues should be available in a few weeks (as
soon as I get all of the final papers together) for anyone
interested.
Phil Straw
Chairman NSW Wader Study Group
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