Hi Everyone,
It's been a while since I used to post regularly, and I have a bit on
which to update you regarding the Noosa estuary on Queensland's Sunshine
Coast and its shorebirds.
We undertook 18mths of shorebird and tern surveys for Noosa Council and
its North Shore Management Committee, submitting a report earlier in
2007. We reported on what was there, which habitats were more important
and what levels of disturbance were occurring. I think our highest
migratory tern count on peak passage was 38,500 birds. Migratory
shorebirds occur in only moderate numbers, with the most common species
being Bar-tailed Godwit, Pacific Golden Plover and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.
Council responded to the report by limiting public access to one sand
island in the estuary from September until March annually, so that local
shorebirds can breed undisturbed. This is also helpful to migratory
birds. Vehicle access is now also barred completely to the northern
sandspit where up to 20 4WDs would park at peak times. Vehicles are now
obliged to park further up the beach behind the bollards and people must
now walk in, and leave their dogs, horses and camels with the cars.
Boats may still land on the sandspit.
Council's move to restrict access really surprised us. What moved them
to action was not especially the information we imparted, but the
pictures we took of birds defending nests and nesting habitat with wheel
tracks through it. We are now partway through an unplanned extension of
the surveys, which I intend to continue for two years, in order to see
if the closures make any difference in the use of the estuary by
shorebirds and terns, or difference in bird numbers (not that this would
be definitive). I guess I'm driven by curiosity, and can see that if
there is a case to show benefit from the closure, it might have wider
application than only Noosa.
We surveyed last Wednesday, December 19. We found at least an estimated
2740 migratory terns, made up of White-winged Blacks (WWTE), Littles
(LITE)and Commons (COTE). The vast majority were WWTE and COTE, and
could have been around half-half. I can't give exact numbers because I
count them in 10s as they fly in to roost at night, and though we could
separate them to species level, when they came in too quickly it's too
hard. And the migratory terns arrived later this year than in previous
years.
Also of interest was the presence, for the first time during our
surveys, of 2 Beach Stone-Curlew. If anyone has any records of this
species in Noosa before, I'd love to hear from you, just out of
interest. It's perfect habitat, but we hadn't seen them there.
Of further interest was that I noticed two juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits
showing one or two new adult feathers on their mantles. I haven't been
sharp enough in previous years to pick up the point at which the
juvenile feathers give way to adult feathers.
Cheers all,
Jill Dening
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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