I have just been listening on ABC local radio to a report of the flood
plains left over from the floods in the north west early this year. It
sounds like it is the equal or better than Lake Eyre. The Fortescue Swamp
is reported to have 100,000 birds with many breeding such as Pelicans, and
the Mandora Swamp (from Wallal Station to Anna Plains) is estimated to have
300,000 birds. 30 species of waterbird were found to be breeding.
These are large low lying areas that flood after cyclones and the water can
last for months to years. Much of it is samphire. The current wetlands
are estimated to last at least until the end of the wet season in early
2002.
I have seen the second area briefly a few years ago where it crosses the
Great Northern Highway just north of the Sandfire Roadhouse at the southern
end of Anna Plains Station. There were thousands of Black-winged Stilts
and Whiskered Terns breeding quite close to the highway. Close by we found
Black Swan, Freckled Duck, whistling-ducks, etc although these weren't
breeding that we saw.
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