Day 7, Dalby to Tibooburra
The two Bulloo overflow lakes at the end of the Bulloo River
Date: Tuesday 8th October 2024
Project: Eastern Australian Waterbird Survey
Observers: Richard Kingsford (UNSW), Chris Sanderson
Pilot: Thomas Clark
We headed off early down to survey Band Six which starts with Coolmunda Dam. This wetland in the Macintyre River catchment was brimming with waterbirds. There were large numbers of Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead and Wood Ducks. There were also large numbers of fish-eating birds, mostly cormorants and Pelicans. Overall it had a high diversity of different waterbird species, probably more than a thousand. This usually happens when it's dry in land.
After this we surveyed Boobera Lagoon, a permanent waterhole on the Macintyre River.
We then headed west until we met the Macintyre River.
The Macintyre River
We then surveyed many of the off-river storages around here, used to irrigate cotton. Many of these were either dry or half-full. When the wetlands get to this stage, they can be productive habitat for waterbirds.
Macintyre River, off-river storage
There was one large natural wetland on the Boomi River with a great diversity and number of waterbirds.
Following our survey along the Macintyre and the Boomi Rivers. We went and refuelled at St George. Then we headed down the Balonne River and then surveyed some more off-river storages before we started heading west.
After surveying a few more small dams, we came across the large storage on the Warrego River, south of Cunnamulla, used for irrigation.
Warrego River off-river storage
There are up to a hundred small claypans, canegrass swamps and other small lakes here which can take considerable time to survey when they have water.
Warrego River claypans
Today most of the claypans in the Warrego River floodplain were dry.
Surveying one of the few shallow water canegrass swamps out here.
We then reached the Bulloo River which was low and had stopped flowing.
Bulloo River
Surveying along the Bulloo River
There were patches of blue-green algae which is a natural phenomenon when these rivers start to dry out.
Bulloo River
Then we surveyed the Bulloo overflow floodplain and its two lakes. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of waterbirds.
Bulloo overflow floodplain
Coming over the Bulloo floodplain
This is great area for waterbirds but it was obviously drying out. South of the two lakes, there was also water on the floodplain.
Drying Bulloo floodplain
Then we headed off, finishing the day 7 survey and refuelling at Tibooburra.