Water and Shorebird Sanctuaries As part of our water and shorebird public awareness strategy, we are going to produce a set of guides (Companion D) highlighting significant walks, adjacent to the waterways, where infrastructure is in place e.g. boardwalks or bird hides
Dolphin rides, with “gang of five”: Dolphins are great fun when they go under your boat looking up at you, jump out of the water doing tricks and generally interact with us paddlers in all sorts of ways. One Saturday morning, in October, the “gang of five” were out near Boodalin Island and met a pod of about eleven dolphins. The dolphins decided that each one of the five should be taken for a “dolphin ride” not only one paddler at a time, but often two at a time This went on for about half an hour or so enough time to travel (if that’s the right word) 3/4 of the way back to the Murray River. So fast and furious were some of these “rides” that amid the cries of joy and laughter, there was at least one cry of, “I can’t control my boat ” Now I know that individual paddlers have enjoyed similar “ride” experiences, but never have I heard of a group being chosen for this trick. P.S. I was there, and at one time I counted at least four dolphins under my boat. Barry
Robert’s bird count highlights
Sunday 10 Oct-- 450 red necked avocets; Sunday 17 Oct -- 1,150 red necked stints
24 Oct. Herron Pt Walk Total 2487 W&S birds, 730 W & 1757 S-birds - 1180 red-necked stints Uncommon sighting, terek sandpiper
7 Nov. Island Pt Paddle Total 447 W&S birds, 274 W &173 S-birds – higher tide so not a lot of birds. Of interest wood sandpiper uncommon
14 Nov. Austin Bay Walk Total 2766 W&S birds, 191 W & 2575 S-birds - 1850 rednecked stints -20 fairy terns, 110 banded stilts.
28 Nov. Murray Delta & Boodlan Is Paddle Total 1368 W&S birds, 670 W & 698 S-birds.
5 Dec. Island Pt Paddle 807 W&S birds, 469 W & 338 S-birds - 16 species of shorebirds (usually 9 or 10, 12 max) including wood sandpiper and ruddy turnstone and greater sandplover all relatively uncommon.
Of interest - pectoral sandpipers on Austin Bay Paddle - uncommon, white-bellied sea eagle Harvey delta both times, 6 whistling kites together Austin Bay.
Sandy Cove and Clansman Beaches: We, along with the Mandurah Paddling Club and The Mandurah Over 55s Canoe Club have written to the Shire of Murray stating that these two public beaches should remain open to use by paddlers
DEC Canoe guides/ maps: Now available, titled Murray River: Pinjarra to Peel Inlet, the guide also takes in the Serpentine River from Riverside Gardens downstream. Durable, water resistant and virtually rip proof the guide will be available at most outdoor recreation stores, visitor centres and paddling stores for $11.00. Enquiries please contact DEC’s, Recreation and Trails Unit on 9334 0265
Sanctuary Zones Update: Recently both the Peel inlet and Harvey Estuary have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in a report by Birds Australia. IBAs are selected to identify priority places around the world for bird conservation. On Sunday, February 7, 2009 as part of the nationwide shorebird count, in excess of fifty thousand birds (56,000) were counted by trained volunteers.
For more details please refer to sanctuary zones for water and shorebirds on this blogsite
Road Reserve: Following representations from the Friends, the road reserve just south of the Caltex Service Station at Herron, is now open to the public allowing pedestrian access to the foreshore
Brunswick Island: Ninety percent of the Watsonia was knocked out last year. Follow up spraying has been done this year and probably will continue for another two years. It is pleasing to note the sedge/rush vegetation is reclaiming where the Watsonia infestations once thrived
