Breeding Straw-necked Ibis, Lake Alexandrina
2023 Waterbird Survey Map
| Date | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 08/11/2023 | Day 24, Bourke to Griffith |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Jody O'Connor Pilot: Thomas Clark We took off from Bourke and flew over the Darling River on our way to the Macquarie Marshes.
|
| 07/11/2023 | Day 23, Moree to Bourke |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Jody O'Connor Pilot: Thomas Clark We headed off west of Moree, beginning with a flight down the Gwydir River where The Raft, as it is called has built up over the years...
|
| 06/11/2023 | Day 22, Sydney to Moree |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Jodi O'Connor Pilot: Thomas Clark We headed out from Sydney to Moree in northeastern NSW. It was first a straight transport flight north before surveying the Gwydir River and its wetlands.
|
| 03/11/2023 | Day 21, Swan Hill to Sydney |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter Trainee: Ashwin Rudder Pilot: Thomas Clark Leaving Swan Hill early we made a beeline north to the wetlands of the lower Lachlan. First up was the Great Cumbung Swamp...
|
| 02/11/2023 | Day 20, Goolwa to Swan Hill |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter Trainees: Shelley Thompson (MDBA), Ashwin Rudder Pilot: Thomas Clark We headed northeast as the sun rose over the Lower Lakes, on our way to do a second count on the lower River Murray.
|
| 01/11/2023 | Day 19, Goolwa to Goolwa |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter Trainees: Simon Toop, Shelley Thompson, Karl Hillyard, Allira Taylor-Wilkins, Ashwin Rudder Pilot: Thomas Clark This was a spectacular day on an amazing system of wetlands with tens of thousands of waterbirds.
|
| 31/10/2023 | Day 18, Mildura to Goolwa |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter Trainees: Simon Toop, Shelley Thompson Pilot: Thomas Clark Today we ran down the River Murray from Wentworth, past Renmark, Loxton and on to Berri, surveying the Riverland and then on to survey the two Lower Lakes, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert.
|
| 30/10/2023 | Day 17, Sydney to Mildura |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter Pilot: Thomas Clark Departing Sydney we headed south to Albury to count along the wetlands of the River Murray and its floodplain.
|
| 25/10/2023 | Day 16, Griffith to Sydney |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Heath Dunstan Trainee: Kurt Murphy Pilot: Thomas Clark We headed south from Griffith to pick up our usual Survey Band 4 and continue heading east along the Band.
|
| 24/10/2023 | Day 15, Broken Hill to Griffith |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Heath Dunstan Trainee: Kurt Murphy Pilot: Thomas Clark We left Broken Hill to finish off the southern part of the Menindee Lakes. First up was Lake Menindee.
|
| 23/10/2023 | Day 14, Sydney to Broken Hill |
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Heath Dunstan Trainee: Kurt Murphy Pilot: Thomas Clark Today was my first leg of this 41st aerial survey of waterbirds. I was keen to see where the water was and whether the numbers of waterbirds had built up after La Niña years.
|
| 19/10/2023 | Day 13, Wangaratta to Sydney |
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright Pilot: Thomas Clark From Wangaratta we continued eastward, counting along sections of the King, Ovens and Kiewa River valleys.
|
| 18/10/2023 | Day 12, Narracoorte to Wangaratta |
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright Trainee: Scott Henshall Pilot: Thomas Clark Departing Narracoorte on another perfect day for waterbird survey, we tracked north...
|
| 17/10/2023 | Day 11, Warrnambool to Narracoorte |
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright Trainee: Scott Henshall Pilot: Thomas Clark The weather gods seem to have heeded our pleas and Tuesday dawned bright and clear with almost no wind, providing perfect waterbird counting conditions!
|
| 16/10/2023 | Day 10, Sydney to Warrnambool |
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright Trainee: Scott Henshall Pilot: Thomas Clark Departing Sydney we headed south to Avon and Cordeaux Dams near Wollongong.
|
| 12/10/2023 | Day 9, Armidale to Sydney |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark Departing Armidale we headed to some large dams near the coal fired power station at Lake Liddell.
|
| 11/10/2023 | Day 8, Thargomindah to Armidale |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark Eventually we departed Thargomindah and headed west along the water holes of the Bulloo River.
|
| 10/10/2023 | Day 7, Charleville to Thargomindah |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark Flying east from Charleville we surveyed a series of small farm dams and drainage lines which have low numbers of waterbirds
|
| 09/10/2023 | Day 6, Windorah to Charleville |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark Lake Machattie was almost full of water and was teeming with waterbirds, it is genuinely a spectacular sight to see...
|
| 08/10/2023 | Day 5, Rockhampton to Windorah |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark From Rockhampton we headed south to Callide Reservoir near Biloela which had low numbers of waterbirds...
|
| 06/10/2023 | Day 4, Mt Isa to Rockhampton |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark Today is one of the longest legs of the survey so we decided to get going early and depart in the pre-dawn darkness.
|
| 05/10/2023 | Day 3, Airlie Beach to Mt Isa |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark After departing Airlie Beach we head west across the floodplain of the Proserpine River...
|
| 04/10/2023 | Day 2, Maroochydore to Airlie Beach |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark Rain showers greet us on day 2 of the survey as we head into the hills west of Maroochydore...
|
| 03/10/2023 | Day 1, Sydney to Maroochydore |
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas Trainee: Chris Sanderson Pilot: Thomas Clark The forty-first year of waterbird aerial surveys departs Sydney into clear skies but a gusty north westerly.
|
- Date
- 08/11/2023
- Location
- Day 24, Bourke to Griffith
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Jody O'Connor
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We took off from Bourke and flew over the Darling River on our way to the Macquarie Marshes.
- Date
- 07/11/2023
- Location
- Day 23, Moree to Bourke
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Jody O'Connor
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We headed off west of Moree, beginning with a flight down the Gwydir River where The Raft, as it is called has built up over the years...
- Date
- 06/11/2023
- Location
- Day 22, Sydney to Moree
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Jodi O'Connor
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We headed out from Sydney to Moree in northeastern NSW. It was first a straight transport flight north before surveying the Gwydir River and its wetlands.
- Date
- 03/11/2023
- Location
- Day 21, Swan Hill to Sydney
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter
Trainee: Ashwin Rudder
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Leaving Swan Hill early we made a beeline north to the wetlands of the lower Lachlan. First up was the Great Cumbung Swamp...
- Date
- 02/11/2023
- Location
- Day 20, Goolwa to Swan Hill
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter
Trainees: Shelley Thompson (MDBA), Ashwin Rudder
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We headed northeast as the sun rose over the Lower Lakes, on our way to do a second count on the lower River Murray.
- Date
- 01/11/2023
- Location
- Day 19, Goolwa to Goolwa
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter
Trainees: Simon Toop, Shelley Thompson, Karl Hillyard, Allira Taylor-Wilkins, Ashwin Rudder
Pilot: Thomas Clark
This was a spectacular day on an amazing system of wetlands with tens of thousands of waterbirds.
- Date
- 31/10/2023
- Location
- Day 18, Mildura to Goolwa
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter
Trainees: Simon Toop, Shelley Thompson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Today we ran down the River Murray from Wentworth, past Renmark, Loxton and on to Berri, surveying the Riverland and then on to survey the two Lower Lakes, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert.
- Date
- 30/10/2023
- Location
- Day 17, Sydney to Mildura
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, John Porter
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Departing Sydney we headed south to Albury to count along the wetlands of the River Murray and its floodplain.
- Date
- 25/10/2023
- Location
- Day 16, Griffith to Sydney
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Heath Dunstan
Trainee: Kurt Murphy
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We headed south from Griffith to pick up our usual Survey Band 4 and continue heading east along the Band.
- Date
- 24/10/2023
- Location
- Day 15, Broken Hill to Griffith
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Heath Dunstan
Trainee: Kurt Murphy
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We left Broken Hill to finish off the southern part of the Menindee Lakes. First up was Lake Menindee.
- Date
- 23/10/2023
- Location
- Day 14, Sydney to Broken Hill
- Description
-
Observers: Richard Kingsford, Heath Dunstan
Trainee: Kurt Murphy
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Today was my first leg of this 41st aerial survey of waterbirds. I was keen to see where the water was and whether the numbers of waterbirds had built up after La Niña years.
- Date
- 19/10/2023
- Location
- Day 13, Wangaratta to Sydney
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright
Pilot: Thomas Clark
From Wangaratta we continued eastward, counting along sections of the King, Ovens and Kiewa River valleys.
- Date
- 18/10/2023
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright
Trainee: Scott Henshall
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Departing Narracoorte on another perfect day for waterbird survey, we tracked north...
- Date
- 17/10/2023
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright
Trainee: Scott Henshall
Pilot: Thomas Clark
The weather gods seem to have heeded our pleas and Tuesday dawned bright and clear with almost no wind, providing perfect waterbird counting conditions!
- Date
- 16/10/2023
- Location
- Day 10, Sydney to Warrnambool
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Paul Wainwright
Trainee: Scott Henshall
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Departing Sydney we headed south to Avon and Cordeaux Dams near Wollongong.
- Date
- 12/10/2023
- Location
- Day 9, Armidale to Sydney
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Departing Armidale we headed to some large dams near the coal fired power station at Lake Liddell.
- Date
- 11/10/2023
- Location
- Day 8, Thargomindah to Armidale
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Eventually we departed Thargomindah and headed west along the water holes of the Bulloo River.
- Date
- 10/10/2023
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Flying east from Charleville we surveyed a series of small farm dams and drainage lines which have low numbers of waterbirds
- Date
- 09/10/2023
- Location
- Day 6, Windorah to Charleville
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Lake Machattie was almost full of water and was teeming with waterbirds, it is genuinely a spectacular sight to see...
- Date
- 08/10/2023
- Location
- Day 5, Rockhampton to Windorah
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
From Rockhampton we headed south to Callide Reservoir near Biloela which had low numbers of waterbirds...
- Date
- 06/10/2023
- Location
- Day 4, Mt Isa to Rockhampton
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Today is one of the longest legs of the survey so we decided to get going early and depart in the pre-dawn darkness.
- Date
- 05/10/2023
- Location
- Day 3, Airlie Beach to Mt Isa
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
After departing Airlie Beach we head west across the floodplain of the Proserpine River...
- Date
- 04/10/2023
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
Rain showers greet us on day 2 of the survey as we head into the hills west of Maroochydore...
- Date
- 03/10/2023
- Location
- Day 1, Sydney to Maroochydore
- Description
-
Observers: John Porter, Shannon Dundas
Trainee: Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
The forty-first year of waterbird aerial surveys departs Sydney into clear skies but a gusty north westerly.