Top birdwatching, right on our doorstep
With the great spring weather now upon us and the promise of another warm summer on the horizon, more and more people are starting to awaken from their winter hibernation and head down to the water’s edge.
Whether it be the beach, the river, the estuary or the inlet, there are countless outdoor activities that mother-nature can now offer the whole family and many are completely free and easy to participate in.
One of the easiest and cheapest activities would have to be birdwatching.
For those who live in the Bunbury region, the Leschenault Estuary and adjacent inlet offers world-class birdwatching that is easily accessed by boat, car, bike or on foot.
There are more than 60 species (5000 individuals) of wetland birds that have been identified using our local waterways at any one time, making it one of the most critically important bird habitats in Australia.
Among the more common wetland birds would be our resident waterfowl such as the geese and duck species, along with the majestic black swan.
Birds of prey are also easy to identify, especially when they are soaring in the air searching for food such as fish, other birds, snakes and rodents.
Known as raptors, the most common birds of prey seen around here include the white bellied sea-eagles and the smaller ospreys, both of who build and rebuild elaborate stick nests in trees year after year.
A third group of birds to look out for are the fish eaters such as pelicans, terns, cormorants and darters. Pelicans are the easiest to spot because of their size and will constantly feed using a dunk and swallow strategy.
Others such as the cormorants and darters join their prey underwater to chase them down.
Unfortunately, for both birds, they can become waterlogged and will often need to stand in the breeze with their wings widely spread to dry before they can fly.
Terns on the other hand hover above the water surface awaiting their chance to dive directly in to capture fish and crustaceans found close to the surface. The smallest and most threatened in this group would be the fairy tern. This is because they nest on sandy points such as on the vegetated shoreline near the Cut. Disturbances from humans, their pets and four-wheel-drive vehicles are impacting their ability to nest successfully.
The final group of birds to look out for, especially at this time of year, would be the waders.
These birds are found along the water’s edge and on the mudflats feeding on molluscs, crustaceans, insects and worms.
The more common waders include the great egret, bat-tailed godwit and the pied oyster catcher, however, one little guy that must also be mentioned has to be the red-necked stint.
This little bird weighs in at only 28g and is one of up to 40 migratory species of waders that travel thousands of kilometres from the Northern Hemisphere to spend the summer in Bunbury.
The path the birds take is called a ‘flyway’ and we are lucky in the South West to be a stopping point on that path.
Unfortunately, there is evidence to suggest that migratory shorebird populations throughout the world are declining because of widespread habitat destruction, especially those using the flyways of the Asia Pacific. The great news for us is that we are at the southern end of their migration route and uniquely placed to assess the impacts of these threats on their numbers.
A major program under way is known as Shorebirds 2020 and is designed to reinvigorate and coordinate national shorebird monitoring in Australia.
It is a collaborative enterprise between Birdlife Australia and Australasian Waders Study Group and is funded by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country and WWF-Australia.
Click here for more information at www.birdlife.org.au/projects/ shorebirds-2020
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