Hi Birders,
Recently (14/11) Martin Smith, NPWS Ranger based at Coffs Harbour and
manager of the Bongil Bongil NR and its Little Tern colony that is located
on the beach near Sawtell, northern NSW, commented on the fact that after 8
consectutive successful seasons, the Little Terns have failed to appear this
year, and he asked as to what was the experience of other people.
Elsewhere Terrrill Nordstrom has reported two pair nesting at Windang, Lake
Illawarra and Greg Clancy has reported on about 3 pairs nesting at Brooms
Head and birds at the Nambucca Heads site. This far short of the usual
numbers known to nest along the Coast and even at the sites mentioned.
Here at Karagi Point, The Entrance, 92 Little Terns were seen on the
sandbars in the entrance to Tuggerah Lakes on 11/11/05 and atleast 30% were
in breeding plumage and two pairs were seen flying over the fenced colony
site in courtship display. I expected that the birds were about to lay
because in most years nesting has commenced by 14/11/05. In the past 5 years
we have average 20-30 pairs nesting at this colony.
However on 19/11/05 an inspection showed that only 4 Little terns were
present in and around the nest colony site and on the sandbars at the
entrance to the Lakes. A quick trip around other usual know sites failed to
turn up any other Little Terns. So our Little Terns have disappeared too.
It would be nice to receive some confirmation that Little Terns are breeding
elsewhere in NSW in large numbers to compensate for the lack of birds at
some of the other usual sites!.
Alan Morris
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