Celebrating World Wetlands Day

It was back in  1897, that the Chapman Tuggerah Pioneer Dairy was established.  Over the years it's changed hands several times over, until ulimately in May 2000, the State Government agreed to hand it over to the community.  Trustees were appointed two years later to administer this site and the property's wetlands and waterways.  

To celebrate World Wetlands Day, WetlandCare Australia, with CEN's Waterwatch project supported by the Pioneer Dairy Trust, Community Environment Network and Birding N.S.W., had organized a Breakfast with the Birds event at this property .  Though it is not yet generally open to the public,  this opportunity  for all is destined by late July this year.

The weather during the week had been one with continuous rains and the grounds were well sodden. Most arrived for the 8 a.m. start wearing gum-boots or other heavy-duty footwear; wise move.  Visitors were organized into smaller groups and set off in differing directions to see what bird-life they might encounter. 

A wonderful telescope stands idle for a moment; it had x60 magnification I think and with a Swarovski lens; my goodness I hadn't known they not only make sparklies, but lenses too!  What fun it was to see the crisp, clear picture, as if hardly any distance between us and the water-birds at all. Thanks to a very generous Central Coast Birding group member for having carried it along with her all morning, and made it available to us.

  Intermediate Egret

Way out there, is the Plumed Whistling Duck Dendrocygna eytoni.

..trying to get a better image to share now with some cropping

 Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa

 Black Swan Cygnus atratus

 Shame this next special find was way so high, but I have to share...

Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris

Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Referenced:  Central Coast Wetands Pioneer Dairy fact sheet

Linking to The Pine River Review for: