Rottnest Island lakes, swamps and coastal bird counts December 1981 to September 2007

Brief description

The salt lakes and swamps of Rottnest Island were surveyed by two observers, who between them walked round all the lakes and swamps (see figure of lakes and swamps below), with the exception of Barker Swamp, in the centre of the island. All birds, except Silver Gulls, seen around or on the lakes and swamps were identified and counted. The coastal surveys was conducted by one observer who drove round the island, stopping at 32 vantage points (see figure of observation locations below), from which observations were made with the aid of a telescope on a tripod and binoculars. All birds (with the exception of Silver Gulls) were identified and counted. Any species seen that were not initially identified were approached to identify them. Three complete surveys of birds of the coast were conducted between 24-27 September 1982, 21-23 September 1992 and 3-4 September 2007 by the same observer. These surveys commenced at the main jetty on Thomson Bay and involved walking anti-clockwise around the island; a distance of 37km. All beaches and cliff faces were traversed and the observer walked as close to the cliff edges as safety permitted. Counts were made of all non-terrestrial birds, with the exception of Silver Gull. These data on the birds of the salt lakes, swamps and coast of Rottnest Island were collected by Research Scientist Denis Saunders and Technical Officer Perry de Rebeira of CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Rangelands Research as part of research on island bird communities.