Macquarie Marshes
Freckled Duck by Nina Bardsley |
After two booming seasons of water flow through these marshes, this area again becomes some of the most important wetlands in Australia. Migratory birds such as Sandpipers, Godwitts and Latham's Snipe use the Marshes as a winter holiday area, coming from as far away as Siberia, China and Japan. Recognised as having international significance the Macquarie Marshes are listed with Camba and Jamba (international bird agreements) and they are on the Ramsar Convention of internationally recognised wetlands.
The Marshes are large - they cover about 180,000 hectares along the Macquarie River. The National Parks and Wildlife Service maintains the Macquarie Marsh Nature Reserve, which is 18,000 hectares. Water enters the Marshes and spreads out through very large reed beds. This slows the water flow down and it drops silt and sediment. In this way, the Marshes act as a large filter, cleaning the water and helping prevent algaeal bloom. Red gums, reed beds, coolibah, lignum and water couch are infested with a wonderful diversity of animal life depending on the productivity of the wetland food chains.
191 species of birds, 30 lizards, 14 snakes, 17 frogs, 4 tortoises, 10 mammals, 11 native fish species and 197 aquatic invertebrates have been recorded. Threatened bird species that occur in the marshes include Brolga, Australasian Bittern, Blue-billed Duck, Magpie Goose, Freckled Duck and Painted Snipe (57 counted recently!!).
Waterbirds flock to the Marshes from across south-eastern Australia when extensive floods occur and breeding by insects, frogs and fish provide sufficient food to support adult and young birds for several months. Hundreds of thousands of ibis and ducks have been recorded. Macquarie Marshes are one of the most important Australian breeding sites for bird species that nest together in colonies on lignum, reeds or in trees over water - ibis, egrets, spoonbills, cormorants and herons, notably Straw-necked Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Intermediate Egrets and Rufous Night-herons. Swans, Black Duck, Teal, Shovelers and Whiskered Terns occur in large numbers.
Contact us for an itinerary.
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Pricing
$2950.00 per person twin share/double
$86.00 single supplement
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For Bookings:
Please phone Follow That Bird to check if seats are available then fill in the booking form and mail with the deposit or full payment to Follow That Bird, 3/59 Central Road, Avalon, NSW 2107. Your place on the tour is not guaranteed until we receive the payment.
Follow That Bird aims to provide a high standard of interpretive guiding on each trip to make your birdwatching holiday a special one. With small groups, attention to personal service and lots of good fun, we're sure you will enjoy your time with us.
If you have any unanswered questions, please phone Follow That Bird on 02 9973 1865
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