Hi Esther, Tony,
The Kakadu Beach wader roost is being managed by Council in accordance
with the maintenance manual, and they do a very good job. As always,
before they groom the roost, they send an advice to key players. I
received this advice on July 21 or thereabouts, as did Linda Cross, the
count coordinator of the Qld Wader Study Group. Your photos show that
they have done a good job.
When we built the roost we had to knock down a forest of casuarinas.
Without regular grooming the roost would revert to a casuarina forest.
We were losing a really major roost because of a pre-existing approval
for a development. We worked with the developer to create an artificial
roost to compensate for the loss of the existing roost (which was also
not natural, but accidentally created by clearing and tidal flooding of
the site).
Waders do not like vegetation, and prefer open roosts where they have
full view in every direction. (Refer Wayne Lawler's roost building
manual.) We created just that, but also created a maintenance manual at
the time, because we knew that without regular grooming the roost would
revert to a casuarina forest or a mangrove forest, depending on the
elevation. (Mangroves at tidal level, casuarinas above tidal level.)
The problem that keeps rearing its head is that the roost was built for
waders, and in particular migratory waders. It was not built for Pied
Oystercatchers, Beach Stone-Curlew, and so on, to breed. The fact that
these resident species have been attracted to the Kakadu Beach roost is
a consequence of its creation, not the reason for it. The roost is not
suitable for Beach Stone-Curlews to breed, though they keep trying. If
we were to modify the roost to suit Beach Stone-Curlews, we would have
to plant casuarinas, and then waders would not like it. We can't have it
both ways. As the roost currently operates, the regular grooming keeps
it open so that on the highest tides there is somewhere for the waders
to go.
Over the years I have heard regular criticism from well-meaning birders,
but truly, I assure you that Council is meticulous in following the
maintenance manual, and I applaud their efforts. People are not allowed
to walk on the roost, and so American and Japanese tourists don't even
come into the equation.
Cheers,
Jill
On 28/07/2015 8:34 AM, Tony Russell wrote:
>
> Is anyone aware as to why this work is happening and who might have suggested
> it to Council? Or is this another case of a Sunshine Coast council destroying
> the environment of endangered waders and shore birds?
>
> Kind Regards,
> Esther Horton
>
> It's so that the beach is nice and clean for the Japanese and American
> tourists. No nasty twigs to catch their feet and no bird poo to tread in.
>
> Tony.
>
>
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