Exciting citizen science right here in Sydney’s south!
Become part of a group which is dedicated to studying, conserving and educating the community about the migratory shorebirds of Boat Harbour.
A Rare and Valuable Shorebird Habitat
Boat Harbour, on the south side of the Kurnell Peninsula, is a significant rocky headland for shorebirds in the Sydney region. One of the few locations of its kind on the temperate east coast of Australia, Boat Harbour has historically hosted an excellent diversity and abundance of migratory shorebirds. Habitats like this form a crucial part of the matrix of sites which are well suited to specific shorebirds on the their southward dispersal across the continent following migration.
Unfortunately, over several decades we have witnessed a gradual decline of these birds on the beaches from Wanda and Greenhills and onto the reef itself. This has largely been due to human disturbance factors in the locality as the population has grown and patterns of recreation has changed as well as de-prioritising by local and state government. This has been exacerbated by a poor understanding of the park boundaries and responsibilities by the relevant statutory bodies. Poorly planned and regulated local commercial activity has been a critical factor in the past decade.
Working for change
There are two primary ways Boat Harbour Shorebird Study Group hopes to turn around the fortunes of this important local environmental asset.
Observing and Counting
Building a picture of the patterns of diversity and abundance of the migratory shorebirds and the other bird species which live on the reef will help us to better understand how the birds are responding to human activity at this location. When integrated with other data collected elsewhere on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway our efforts will contribute to understanding the effects of human activity and global warming on a broader scale.
We visit Boat Harbour every month, counting and recording the shorebirds roosting on the reef during high tide. We share our data with BirdLife Australia (The Australasian Wader Study Group) and e-bird, making our efforts available to the entire birding and avian research community worldwide. In this simple way we also hope to contribute to knowledge about the lives of these fascinating birds.
Education and Advocacy
Boat Harbour Shorebird Study Group will create a local presence in Cronulla Mall where we will distribute material informing locals about the values of Boat Harbour headland and how to become good stewards of the birds. We will also build a social media presence which celebrates the shorebirds of Boat Harbour and educates the local community about good stewardship
We also intend to engage with local and state government, encouraging them to put measures in place which protect the reef, by reducing levels of disturbance: a key threatening factor for Endangered migratory shorebirds.
Resources
Free Ebook
“The Common Shorebirds of Boat Harbour”, learn about the location, migration, the birds of the reef and their stories.
Free Ebook
“The Greatest Show on Earth” is a broad look at the year in the life of migratory shorebirds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
Info Pack
Everything you need to know about joining, participating in our study group as well as our study protocols and community engagement.
Join us!
To join our surveys, all participants need to complete the
.
If you have any questions about the study group or joining, please contact Ricki Coughlan
Aussie Wild acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land which we visit, the Dharawal and Darug people. We pay our respect to their elders past, present and emerging.