Now that the ponds APPEAR to be open again, I might mention the numbering issue. Back in the days of the telephone chatline a diagram was helpfully placed in the box at the sign-in point. It is still there today, photographed by me this afternoon. Although the diagram has been attributed to me, it was in fact the work of Bob Rusk.
Some time later, use of the internet enabled access to a separate code used by ACTEWAGL. I use ‘enabled’ loosely because I am unable to find it at the moment, but some people can, and have used it in reports. I did find a message by Chris Davey last September, which gives the ACTEWAGL code, if you want to know it –
For myself, I continue to use that entry gate system.
My main purpose here is to report that the ponds APPEAR to be open. It is possible to walk in through the usual (southern) entry point without seeing any prohibitive signs or opening any gates. There are ‘environmental control’ areas that are to be avoided. Operational areas are fenced with exclusion notices, and there does appear to be a restriction at present from Dairy Road to 1-3. The barrier from that direction to 4-7 appears to relate only to vehicles. As to the ponds themselves, 7 is completely dry and 6 is partly so with a generous margin of drying mud that looks promising. This afternoon it had a salting of Red-kneed Dotterels and 4 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. The water body is so shallow that one of the sandpipers could stand with dry feathers 20m out among the ducks. 4 has its traditional complement of Hoary-headed Grebes. A Whistling Kite flew over quite low. These have been seen so often they are probably breeding in the area as they used to a few years ago, but I know of no current nest site
