Media Release 10 August 2024
EcoNetwork welcomes bird experts at annual forum
Over 70 people came together on Sunday 4 August for an afternoon of engaging presentations about the incredible diversity of birds in beautiful Port Stephens. This year, EcoNetwork’s annual bird forum focussed on ‘Shorebirds and Seabirds on and off the Port Stephens Coastline’.
Our local community had a rare opportunity to hear from experts and researchers who outlined their latest bird monitoring and recovery programs. The forum was held at the Tomaree Community Centre.
Event Coordinator Ewa Meyer said that EcoNetwork was thrilled with the response as soon as the forum was announced. “Places booked out very quickly, so next year we may have to find a larger venue,” Ewa said.
“It’s wonderful that so many of our local residents are interested in learning about local birdlife and most are also keen to find out what they can do to help, especially in protecting wildlife habitat and reducing human-induced threats.”
The first presenter was Mick Roderick, a self-confessed ‘petrel head’ who arranges birdwatching trips to the continental shelf (referred to as ‘pelagic’ trips) on a near-monthly basis where seabirds, including albatross and petrel species, are regularly spotted. More than 200 people have been on Mick’s trips, which he organises in his spare time, just to make sure the boats go out.
“You need to get into deep water at the continental shelf to have any chance of seeing ‘true seabirds’. You won’t see them from land.” said Mick.
“It’s about 46km from the heads of Port Stephens to the shelf. It’s a very long day, but we see amazing seabirds, cetaceans, sometimes sharks and rays and even unusual insects flying out over the ocean.”
Researcher from Sydney, Dr Yuna Kim earned her PhD from Macquarie University, focussing on the conservation of Australia’s rarest petrel, Gould’s Petrel, which breeds almost exclusively on Port Stephens islands. Dr Kim specialises in investigating foraging ecology using tracking devices, providing scientific evidence to support conservation actions. She stated that
“despite significant conservation efforts, there is still concern about the population of Gould’s Petrels on Cabbage Tree Island, with recent declines in the number of nesting pairs and fluctuating breeding success.”
“We believe the causes for these declines are occurring at sea, where the birds spend most of their time and acquire all their food resources,” she added.
Forum attendees were concerned about ongoing human-induced threats which could further impact the decline of seabirds and shorebirds including the endangered Gould’s Petrel.
Dr Kim’s research findings considered the top 3 threats to the Gould’s Petrel at sea were fisheries, followed by light pollution as well as potential offshore wind farms. Undeniably climate change is the most serious and difficult threat overall.
The siting of any future wind farms needs to be carefully considered with regard to all our coastal bird activity, and detailed research data will be acquired before any decisions can be made. This approach is supported by local conservationists and environmental groups.
There are many long term human activities that continue to seriously threaten seabirds and other marine life especially fisheries and fishing in their various forms. As cited in EcoNetwork’s recent article on new energy projects and their impacts on nature, the BirdLife International Data Zone states that
“Global commercial fisheries have expanded dramatically since the 1960s, both in intensity and spread across the high seas. This is having direct and indirect impacts on birds worldwide as fishing pressure degrades the marine environment. Commercial longline, trawl and gillnet fisheries are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds each year, threatening the survival of a number of species, especially albatrosses.”
BirdLife has also highlighted another ongoing problem with fishing. This is called ‘fishing down the food web’ and results in less food for seabirds.
“With overfishing of large predatory fish such as tuna, sharks and swordfish, fishing pressure shifts to smaller prey species and has major implications for the seabirds dependent on the small shoaling fish and potentially destabilises entire marine ecosystems.”
Another speaker, our local Tomaree birdwatcher, Neil Fraser, has for many years been actively monitoring avian species populations in the Mambo-Wanda Wetlands Reserve, Worimi Conservation Lands at Stockton Beach, Swan Bay and Broughton Island. Neil has published a number of related research articles.
Neil’s presentation highlighted the significance of the migratory shorebirds that visit Port Stephens each summer, and how this occurrence is linked with communities 8,500 km away. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Sister Wetlands agreement with Kushiro in Japan. Neil discussed the importance of such international agreements to help protect migratory birds.
Neil revealed that internationally important wetlands in the Port Stephens area, and the species and ecosystems they protect, are relatively unknown to the public.
“If we are to protect the many threatened species in and around Port Stephens, being better informed about the role of these wetlands and the plants and animals they protect, is an essential part of raising public awareness,” he said. Members are campaigning to have Mambo-Wanda Wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention.
Sadly, attendees were shocked to hear about the bird flu that is due to hit Australian shores this spring or summer. We are currently the only continent in the world to have evaded the Avian flu H5N1 2.3.4.4.b strain which has killed millions of wild birds in other countries. The virus has even impacted mammals such as southern elephant seals in Antarctica.
BirdLife’s Seabird Project Officer, Emily Mowat, spoke at the forum and provided data from around the world on the impacts of this avian flu strain. She also informed us about BirdLife’s preparedness for when the virus is inevitably detected in Australia.
Obviously we cannot stop migratory birds flying from the north to their summer feeding grounds here in Australia, however Emily emphasised that there are ways in which people can help. Do not touch sick or dead birds or their faeces, note the time and location then call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888. Quick action can help reduce the spread.
Finishing on a lighter note, nature photographer, Mat Spillard from Corlette, took us on a wonderful journey with his slideshow of stunning bird images. On a personal note, Mat told us he is constantly inspired by nature and believes that
“the more time we spend observing nature, the more we start to appreciate it. Wildlife needs our help, especially in protecting their habitats.”
“If I can help in anyway to spread the message through my photography, then I’ll feel like I have played a small part.” Mat generously donated two framed pictures to the Forum’s Bird Nerd Raffle.
Forum Coordinator, Ewa Meyer, had many people to thank for making this such an informative and enjoyable forum and, on behalf of EcoNetwork, she acknowledged the speakers, volunteers, venue staff and the forum attendees for supporting this special community event, each in their own important way.
“Feedback following the forum has been very positive and people tell me they absorbed so much new information, and will now be better equipped to identify more species, and above all, understand and act on the challenges that seabirds and shorebirds face today and in the future,” she said.
See the program and photos from the forum ‘Shorebirds and Seabirds on and off the Port Stephens Coastline’.
For more information, contact Ewa Meyer.