News Release March 18th, 2009
Ocean bird study in Port Stephens - Great Lakes marine park
The survey team are hoping to see albatross
in the marine park
Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park staff and members of the Hunter Bird Observer’s Club will conduct the first ever ocean bird survey on the marine park this Thursday.
Marine park manager Max Haste said while there was a great deal of knowledge about shorebirds, he said less was documented about pelagic seabirds, such as albatross, that don’t venture into the shore.
“Its cross-over season so that means the summer birds such as shearwaters should still be here, while the winter birds such as albatross may have arrived.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the marine park staff to team up with the Hunter Bird Observer’s Club and we look forward to working with the club to further identify what species are in the marine park.”
The club’s Alan Stuart said he wanted to get an idea of species, numbers and distribution.
“Port Stephens is closer to the continental shelf than Newcastle and Swansea, where we’ve conducted similar surveys, so we are hoping to see the birds that don’t venture into shallow waters, such as the wandering albatross or the black-browed albatross.
“It’s absolutely exciting, we’re just not sure what we’re going to find. We will also take the opportunity to check on the endangered Gould’s petrels which only breed on Cabbage Tree Island and nearby Boondelbah Island.
“The marine park officers will become our eyes and ears. They’re frequently out on the water, so Thursday is going to be a great opportunity to also brush them up on their identification skills. Ocean birds aren’t easily identified – their colour is often similar and they don’t always have distinctive patterns. It becomes important therefore to look at their flight patterns, such as wing beats, or how they skim the water.”
Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park covers approximately 98,000 hectares and extends from Cape Hawke Surf Life Saving Club near Forster south to Birubi Beach Life Saving Club at the northern end of Stockton Beach and includes offshore waters to the 3 nautical mile limit of state waters. The NSW Government established the park in December 2005 and the zoning plan for the marine park started on 21 April 2007.
The park’s diverse marine life includes many species of dolphins, turtles, fish, invertebrates, seabirds and seaweeds along with threatened species such as the Gould’s petrel, little tern, grey nurse shark and green turtle. Humpback whales travel along the marine park coastline during their annual migration north to breeding grounds. Important oceanic islands, major estuarine wetlands and lake systems feature among a variety of park habitats.
For more information please call the Port Stephens – Great Lakes Marine Park on 4916 3970.
Media Contact: Tonia Liosatos
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