G'day birding-aus,
Bribie Island is a relatively small sandy island, some 70km north of
Brisbane Qld, Pumicestone Passage separates Bribie Island from the mainland
and Buckley's Hole is a small conservation park at the south-western corner
of Bribie Island.
The brochure "Pumicestone Passage Shorebird Challenge & Identification
Guide" has now been printed and the insert, containing a checklist and a
quiz, is just about ready. It features some excellent photographs from
several well-known birding-aus subscribers and will be available soon for
all visitors to the area - and it's free! To view this brochure visit
http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/environment.aspx?id=25047, but in order to
see the photos in all their glory it is best to download the pdf version.
Please note that the quiz and associated prizes are really intended for
visitors and their young and (hopefully) enthusiastic kiddies, rather than
the hardened birders who subscribe to birding-aus. Apologies if you don't
consider yourself hardened! The brochure is a joint initiative from SEQ
Catchments and Moreton Bay Regional Council and is intended, amongst other
things, to improve community awareness in order to help protect our
shorebirds.
Please take a moment to consider the annual life cycle of our migratory
shorebirds. Typically, each year, they undergo a round trip of some 20,000
km, spending their non-breeding time here in Australia. During that time
they must gain sufficient energy for the return journey to their northern
breeding grounds. They feed whenever they can, as the tides allow, and on
high tides must rest and preen, not wasting the energy gained. However, I
rarely see roosting shorebirds at Buckley's Hole remain undisturbed
throughout a high tide. It takes either poor weather or a major sporting
event to keep people away. This disturbance often involves hundreds of birds
and, in previous years when numbers were generally higher, thousands of
birds. This is, indeed, "bird-disturbing". You may never have "seen one drop
dead of exhaustion" but how many fail to reach their breeding grounds
because they have run out of fuel, a journey now becoming increasingly
difficult as many of their wetland staging posts overseas are being
reclaimed? And how many fail to arrive in time to breed successfully? It's
an absolute nightmare trying to reduce the disruption to shorebird roosts in
the Pumicestone Passage region, and hopefully this shorebirds brochure will
help get the message across.
Disturbance is particularly harmful at Buckley's Hole as it has been one of
the few places in the area where shorebirds can still roost on king tides.
And the spit is getting larger, which has led to it being virtually joined
to the mainland at both ends at low tide. This leads to folk getting used to
being able to use the area for whatever and thinking that it is an okay
place to be. Although dog walkers are probably the worst offenders, as dogs
will chase shorebirds with enthusiasm, fishermen are almost as much of a
problem. Even when stationary, they often line up along the spit, and just
one positioned where shorebirds need to move to as the tide rises is enough
to force the birds to abandon the roost. Then we have folk just out for a
stroll or a sunbathe, boats moored too close, jetskis zapping past, etc.,
etc. Another worry is when the disturbance is caused by officialdom or
birders, as other people can assume that it's acceptable to be on the sand
spit and it doesn't matter if those "gulls" are flying around. Laurie has
made a valid point about having extra signage, and this is something that we
might be close to achieving. But there really needs to be a concerted effort
to prevent all access to the sand spit, especially during high summer tides.
Surely it's not being "ultra-puritan" or "precious" to try and help
shorebirds survive these constant challenges? The authorities
also deplore shorebird disturbance and the Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning
Plan states that disturbing shorebirds is an offence that attracts an
on-the-spot fine of $225. And if the matter proceeds to a court hearing the
Magistrate may allocate a greater penalty. Disturbance is disturbance, even
if only minimal and even if there are worse culprits. Please, please help to
reduce the problem, not contribute to it!
Some years ago, several birding-aus subscribers obtained a copy of the
booklet "Birds of Buckley's Hole". At the time some 250 species of bird had
been recorded in this small conservation park but this number has since
risen to over 270. If anyone who has the original booklet would like a pdf
containing details of the additional species, please email me and I'll send
it to you. Note that there's really no point in having the update unless you
have the original (now out-of-print) booklet.
Cheers - Trevor.
PS Two Mangrove Honeyeaters have just flown onto my tv aerial!
Trevor Ford
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