Environmental news

During autumn this year, water for the environment was delivered to Lake Limbra on the Chowilla Floodplain to provide habitat and food resources for the many young waterbirds that were observed during summer monitoring.

34 waterbird species were observed in recent monitoring with approximately 2,000 birds consistently recorded on any given survey morning. Feathery users included deep-diving grebes, ducks and cormorants, large and small waders, and fringe-dwelling species. Freckled Duck, Musk Duck, Blue-billed Duck and Australasian Shoveler (threatened species) were seen using the lake, along with hundreds of swans.

Vegetation including black box woodlands, sedges, lignum, grasses and forbs have also benefited from the watering; and aquatic flora like the tiny, free-floating Lemna/Wolffia spp. has emerged in shallow waters.

Photo credit: Helga Kieskamp