The importance of salt: one further perspective on the current Werribee scene. Below is a view from the beach-side hide of a low-water elevation hosting, among other species, avocets and Banded Stilts. Below that is a snap of part of a mixed flock sheltering from the wind in one of the borrow ponds. There were quite a few Banded Stilts around last year too, so whatever factors cause the outflux from the interior (maybe exceptional recent breeding conditions) are still at work. So far as I know we have never had the species in Canberra, although the Black-winged is not unusual. No doubt this is due to the lack of the saline conditions they are said to require. We have had the odd (clearly non-salt-dependant) avocet at Jerra wetlands, although for that the water level would be critical, I suppose.
