From August 1997 I have made regular visits to a locality referred to as Greenshak Cove, to establish its significance to the Common Greenshank, (Tringa nebularia) regular visitors on Spring migration from the Northern Hemisphere to Western Australia.

Location

Greenshank Cove is located at the western shore of the Peel Estuary between the Estuary (or Bypass) Bridge and the Mandurah Quay development. It lies on the fringe of the Creery Wetlands and measures approximately 700 metres by 150 metres.

Method

Recordings were made in the months of August to December. Each month was divided into segments of approximately 10 days, the highest count in each 10 day segement being recorded.

Table of Results

Conclusion

One must refrain from making unwarranted conclusions from such a survey, but it may be assumed that the locality remains of significance to the Common Greenshank. Numbers are being maintained in spite of increasing residential development, although there is a variation within the annual pattern of visitation. From December onwards there is a general dispersal away from Greenshank Cove. To date there is no evidence of continued flocking after December.

Other Species

This survey was directed essentially at the Common Greenshank. Other 'water birds' observed at the locality in the Spring and early Summer have been:

Residents Black Winged Stilt, Pelican, Silver Gull, Crested, Caspian and Fairy Tern, Pied Oyster Catcher, White Faced Heron, Great and Little Egret, Hoary Headed and Australasian Grebe, Teal. Black Duck, Mountain Duck, Black Swan.

Migrants Grey Tailed Tattler, Common Sandpiper, Red Necked Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit.

Raptors Sea Eagle, Pergrine Falcon, Little Falcon, Whistling Kite, Black Shouldered Kite, Osprey (now established on its pole).

Acknowledgement The table of recordings was first published in the September 2006 edition of Western Australian Bird Notes (Royal Australasian Ornithological Union 'Birds Australia')