Bundamba Wetlands Annual Report 2006

AGM 10 March 2007

Bundamba Lagoon (formerly and frequently called Daly’s Lagoon) is on an upper reach of Bundamba Creek, south of Ripley, on a 1200ha property, Stewartdale, belonging to the Sporting Shooters Association, purchased as a location for their rifle range and other facilities. They are managing the property as a conservation project, i ncluding the restoration and rehabilitation of the wetlands and the other significant ecosystems after years as a cattle property .

The leader of the project is Fiachra Kearney of CSIRO. From March 2005, BASQ is doing monthly bird surveys to monitor birdlife of the lagoon. His protocols are standardized (30 min counts from each of 2 points). We also make a presence/absence list for birds of the lagoon and surrounds as extra birds frequently appear outside survey times.

The lagoon dries up every 15-20 years, and was dry for some time; it last filled in November 2004 . The area when full is 50 hectares. The water level was very low from December 2005 until March 2006, when it rose a little after rain. Since then it has steadily dried and at the beginning of March 2007 was completely dry, a sad sight. This is unfortunate as there had been a lot of planting of reeds and similar plants to revegetate the water's edge, and few are expected to survive this long drought. However a fair number of regrowth saplings are surviving.

We have now completed 25 surveys of the wetland, and on 30 September, one wider presence/absence survey of the major habitats on the property. The 22 counters involved are almost all BASQ members.

In the last 12 months (see bird list for 2006):

Wetland species and bird numbers have declined greatly and rapidly because of the drought, for example Aust. Grebe maximum last year 990, this year 226; Grey Teal 600+ /200+, etc. 11 wetland species recorded last year were not there on survey days this year: Wandering Whistling-Duck, Musk and Freckled Ducks, Hoary-headed and Great Crested Grebes, Great Cormorant, Pelican, Little Egret, Swamphen, Moorhen and Coot. No Pelicans were seen after the maximum of 80 in March 2006 (They finished the fish?)

Black-winged Stilts and Masked Lapwings have bred successfully, and Black-fronted and Red-kneed Dotterels have probably bred as young birds have been present. The success of these ground-nesting birds suggests the SSA's Hunting and Conservation Group are controlling the numbers of foxes and feral cats. Other successful breeders include Grey Teal, Black-shouldered Kite, Magpie-lark and Willie Wagtail, and probably Wood Ducks and Black-fronted Dotterels as young birds were present.

Waders include Black-winged Stilts, Red-necked Avocets, Red-kneed Dotterels, Black-fronted Dotterels, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Marsh Sandpiper, and Latham’s Snipe. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were present until May, then from October until February. Latham’s Snipe were present in September and February, presumably on both migrations, but the dry conditions would not suit them

In June, the White-breasted Sea-Eagles caught a Flying-fox. Although we saw them copulating in July, they do not seem to have nested.

When there is water in the lagoon, counts are usually on the first Saturday of the month, starting at 6am in summer and 8am in winter, and take less than 2 hours overall. The ideal team is 4 people – 2 counters with telescopes and 2 writers. New team members are welcome. However while the lagoon is dry, there will be no counts.

Contact Margaret Cameron mcameron01@optusnet.com.au, 3282 9151 (We have an email list if you would like to hear news about Bundamba Wetland.)