Milburn wrote "Should I start the ball rolling by nominating the now
infamous Cowan Marshes near Grafton. This now has demonstrable national
importance as a wetland area. Future posting from visitors to the area
would constitute concrete evidence of their recreational, conservation and
economic value.".
I think this is a reasonable idea but I'm not sure that concrete evidence
has been demonstrated that would justify this level of importance for
Cowan's Pond. Don't get me wrong. I was once on the management committee
for this reserve and it is a wonderful area. I just don't see it as having
national importance as a wetland.
I can see lots of reasons for places like the Hunter River estuary, the
Macquarie Marshes, the Pilliga and Goonoo forests and the Capertee Valley.
Unlike these other areas, Cowan's Pond is very small and while used by
regionally important birds such as Black-necked Stork, Comb-crested Jacana
and Magpie Goose they do not rely on the wetland. If someone wanted to
nominate Cowan's Pond they would have to nominate the Clarence Wetlands as a
whole to make the nomination credible.
I can see several instances where a nomination for a small wetland might be
credible. A case could be made for The Shortland Wetlands, for example, on
the basis that it contains an important coastal breeding colony of four
egret species. Even then it would be strengthened if the neighbouring
Hexham wetlands were included as these contain important foraging habitat
for these species.
Mind you, the whole scenario changes if one is merely talking about
bird-watching locations (as the thread started). In this case the exact
location is what people are interested in but this does little for the
actual long-term conservation of the bird. Even then recording a location
for a particular bird could well be misleading. I continually have people
saying that Glen Davis is THE place to see Regent Honeyeaters. What a load
of nonsense. Sure, they are seen there from time to time but if I went
there tomorrow to see them I would, most probably, be mightily disappointed.
Like many birds they move around. In remote places I can see why people
might like to be directed to a particular spot to see a particular bird but,
often you really need to hunt around. This may mean tens of kilometres from
THE spot. Many birders will not do this and there are often good reasons
for this - time constraints etc. More often, I think, it is a case of
thinking that if the birds aren't there then they aren't there when, in
actual fact, they are just up the road and were driven past getting to THE
spot. I am amused by reports that the Pintail has left. It's probably on
one of the many other small wetlands that can be found within easy flying
distance of Cowan's Pond.
Possibly getting off the track a little here. I, once again, assume that
Milburn was talking about areas of conservation importance for birds
(although having just re-read his posting again I'm not all that clear that
this is the case). If this is the case then we need to be careful about how
these are defined.
Cheers
David Geering
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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