I've now scaled and repositioned Roy Wheeler's locaity map and superimposed it
on an aerial photograph. the results can be seen here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/pshute2/DairySwampLaverton#5680998428196626290
If the description "the northern end of Golf Links Swamp" means true north, and
if the map is to scale, then Dairy Swamp may still exist. There's certainly a
boggy area there, which I've never properly checked out. For interested locals,
this area is on the north side of the path running along the north end of
Truganina Swamp, just east of the ford across Laverton Ck.
Suitable APS habitat? I don't know, but it's dense enough to hide a few in
there.
If Roy meant magnetic north, then the location could be anywhere from there to
Mt St Joseph pond.
Peter Shute
________________________________________
From:
On Behalf Of Peter Shute
Sent: Wednesday, 30 November 2011 7:45 AM
To:
Subject: Australian Painted Snipe
Many thanks to those who replied with information and pdf files with location
details of Dairy Swamp. This description is from Wheeler's (1955) Emu paper,
"Charadriiformes at the Laverton Saltworks, Victoria, 1950-1953".
"5. The Golf Links Swamp is a large, non-permanent swamp passed en route from
the Altona Railway Station to the Saltworks. The northern end of this swamp is
known as the **Dairy Swamp** and is covered with a short growth of samphire.
The Quarry Dam is now a permanent waterhole becoming more extensive as sand is
excavated from it. It lies at the south-east corner of the Golf Links Swamp."
and this is a link to the map from that paper:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pshute2/DairySwampLaverton#5680486330115083362
I haven't had time to properly compare the map to a Google Maps satellite image
of the area, but given that it's north of the old saltworks, and apparently
south of Laverton Ck, I'm guessing that the Quarry Dam mentioned became Altona
Tip, which then became Truganina Parklands, and now has a huge hill built over
it, which probably also covers the site of Dairy Swamp.
Perhaps the relatively recently built chain of ponds just north of the car park
is near where it was, but I doubt the topography is anything like what was
there then.
On the other hand, there is a golf course on the other side of Laverton Ck,
south east of Truganina Swamp. Perhaps at the time, Laverton Ck was indistinct
and marshy there, and is therefore not shown on the map. That would mean Dairy
Swamp might have been part of what is now Truganina Swamp, which I believe once
extended further east, where there is now housing.
Opinions welcome.
Peter Shute
> ________________________________________
> From:
> On Behalf Of Peter
> Shute
> Sent: Tuesday, 29 November 2011 1:38 PM
> To: 'Mike Honeyman'; ;
>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Australian Painted Snipe
>
> According to Mike, this "Altona" flock of up to 19 APS were
> at "Dairy Swamp, Laverton" (Victoria) in 1951. Does anyone
> know where Dairy Swamp might have been?
>
> Peter Shute
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
> > On Behalf Of
> > Mike Honeyman
> > Sent: Sunday, 6 November 2011 5:39 PM
> > To: ;
> > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Australian Painted Snipe
> >
> > Hi Keith / all
> >
> > A good year indeed!
> > I've been helping on a project going back through historic
> > records of
> > APS sightings recently, and it is noticeable that this scarce
> > species
> > has always had intermittent good years following seasons of good
> > rainfall, after which it largely disappears again.
> > Decades ago the good years occasionally saw post breeding flocks of
> > 10-20 birds (APS are polyandrous so one female can foist a
> > brood on a
> > couple of males!) which would be amazing if it were to happen again.
> > Especially if a flock hangs around Altona like they did about fifty
> > years ago!
> >
> > mjh
> >
> > ===============================
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> >
> > http://birding-aus.org
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> >
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