THE North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) is reporting a jump in waterbird numbers across the region’s wetlands, thanks to an environmental watering program.
NCCMA program delivery executive manager Rachel Murphy said in the Gunbower floodplain wetlands, water for the environment partnered with a high-river flow to produce a longer watering that prompted breeding.
“At Little Reedy Lagoon, Long Lagoon, Reedy Lagoon, and Black Swamp we saw birds such as wedge-tailed eagles, nankeen night herons, eastern great egrets, Australasian grebes, and a lot more,” she said.
“We also experienced an important little-pied cormorant breeding event involving little pied cormorants at Long Lagoon. About 60 chicks hatched and fledged in 29 nests, which is a fantastic result.
“The ecological benefits of water for the environment in northern Victoria are clear. Water for the environment is doing its job and doing its job well.
Water delivered to the Loddon Murray wetlands, including important Kerang Lakes sites, also resulted in strong waterbird numbers this season.
“We had waterbirds breeding at Richardson’s Lagoon, Lake Elizabeth, Lake Yando, Lake Meran, Lake Leaghur, and Lake Murphy,” Ms Murphy said.
Across in the west, the NCCMA delivered water to seven Wimmera Mallee Pipeline wetlands.
“We’ve had waterbirds breeding in five of those sites, and plenty of birds feeding at all of them,” Ms Murphy said.
“We only deliver a comparatively small amount of water to these wetlands, but it plays a big part in creating the right conditions for bird breeding in a landscape that is otherwise really dry.”
