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Hi Birders,
Chris Corben asked about the current status of
Wandering Whistle-ducks in north-east NSW, as he recalls that 10 years ago there
were few to be found in south-east Queensland and presumably therefore in NSW as
well.
Prior to 1980 there were about 20 records for NSW
since 1900, being mainly from Wakool, Gilgandra, Gulargumbone, Macquarie
Marshes, Armidale, Woolgoolga, Grafton and Casino (Morris, McGill & Holmes
1981). It was considered by Frith to have been much more common in NSW prior to
1900 (Waterfowl in Australia 1967). However since by 1976 Wandering
Whistle-Ducks have become regular at Grafton and Casino. With the construction
of some lakes near Mooni, north of Coffs Harbour, the birds became regular there
from about 1980 with up to 40 being resident. Since then birds are seen
regularly in numbers up to 50 birds at Tweed Heads, Port Macquarie STW,
Woolgoolga, Dangars Lagoon (Uralla), Trenayr, Emerald Beach (Coffs Harbour),
Cowans Ponds (Grafton), Jabiru, Geneebeinga & Golfcourse Swamp Wetlands
all at Casino (breeding reported in 1992 and since then), Macksville STW,
Frederickton, Belmore Swamp (Kempsey) & Durroughby. I note that there were
even 13 birds at Bagotville on 14/4/1991 as mentioned in the 1999 NSW Annual
Bird Report.
Small numbers are now being reported in wetlands
along the Manning River, while since 1984 up to 150 birds have been resident in
the lower Hunter Valley wetlands, mostly at the Wetland Centre (Shortland),
Market Swamp (Sandgate), Dungog, Tarro Swamps, Ash & Kooragang Islands, and
Seaham Swamp. Breeding takes place annually at a number of these sites.
In the 2000 Hunter Region Annual Bird Report, the
Wandering Whistling-Duck is recorded as being a local breeding resident and bird
of passage (HBOC 2001). While numbers continue to increase in NSW, even 10 years
ago this duck was probably more common in north-eastern NSW than Chris Corben
had realised.
Alan Morris
Records Officer, Birding
NSW
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