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For anyone who saw channel 9 news tonight or read
the Daily Telegraph (Sydney) story on the White Ibis nesting at Lake Gillawarna
at Georges Hall would be admazed at the number of birds nesting on the island.
Two weeks ago 458 nest with around 1000 birds were recorded by myself and
Darryll Mckay but on Wednesday when I did a count over 800 nest and about 3000
birds were observed. Add to this around 500 Little Corella's the site was more
like a wetland from the top end than our local duck pond. The Ibis have been
nesting at the lake for the last 4 years with the first year around 10 nest
were observed and 20 the next year. Last season over 100 nest were recorded. The
site has been a roosting site for a number of years with around 200 Ibis
each night flying in plus Darters and LP Cormorants nesting and roosting. The
report that the Ibis have distroyed the habitat is not right as most of the
understory was weeds such as a large plot of Blackberry which has now
been distroyed and used as nesting material. NPWS plans to cull 40 birds to test
for disease and the local council still has plans to cull the Ibis to protect
the habitat as they don't want the birds to get out of control. This is a
site that all Sydney Bird Watchers should see and they should contact Bankstown
Council to complain about their plans to control these birds.
Regards,
Terrill Nordstrom
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