Birdwatching areas around 1. Thompson Beach: Samphire, Resident shorebirds sabkhas and seashore the Samphire Coast Arguably the best natural shorebird site in the gulf, residents at this small beachside town have been living with and working to conserve shorebirds for decades. Best viewing areas are on the intertidal mudflats between the intersection of Ruskin Rd and the southern boat ramp. The shorebird trails to the north and south take in the amazingly alien sabkhas and claypans before reaching tidal creeks where intertidal species Masked Lapwing Red-necked can be seen roosting. Shorebirds to look out for: Bar- tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Red Knot, Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Plover. Other highlights: Elegant Parrot, Samphire Thornbill, Bead Samphire (plant).

2. St Kilda Wetlands: the town with a pinch of salt on the side It is not unusual to see over 3,000 Banded foraging on the St Kilda foreshore in the hours around Black-winged Banded Stilt high tide. Flocks of over 10,000 still occur in the neighbouring saltfields. These leggy ballerinas breed in vast colonies in Central Australia’s Arid lakes where researchers from Deakin University have banded several hundred. Look out for coloured jewellery (leg flags) and report it to BirdLife Australia to help unlock their nomadic journeys. Beyond the tide line, vast flocks of Black Swans feed on the algae. On the way in and out of St Kilda you’ll travel between two of the old Dry Creek salt ponds. Although Pied Oystercatcher Sooty Oystercatcher now decommissioned, the ponds on the northern side of the road are still used at high tide by roosting shorebirds. Shorebirds to look out for: Banded Stilt, Red-capped Plover, Common Greenshank. * 3. Magazine Road Wetlands: a freshwater paradise Part of the larger Greenfields Wetland complex, Magazine Rd provides a variety of freshwater habitats Red-kneed Dotterel Black-fronted Dotterel that teem with birds. Following the walking track through the wetlands will take you past deep water, muddy islands and large ephemeral ponds which, depending on time of year and local weather, could turn up anything. Many rare and threatened shorebirds have been observed at the site including: Australian Painted Snipe, Long-toed Stint and Ruff. It is also one of the only places in the Adelaide International Sanctuary that you can regularly see Latham’s Snipe. Watch for them as they explode from the vegetation * Boundaries depicted represent Stage 1 of the Bird Sanctuary squawking, diving and weaving through the air. Red-capped Plover Australian Painted Snipe (Please report) Migratory shorebirds Where to see birds in the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary Pacific Golden Plover Grey Plover Eastern Curlew Wood Sandpiper

Helping to protect our shorebirds The eastern Gulf St Vincent (known as the Samphire Coast) has long been recognised as a highly significant region for shorebirds. Each summer tens of thousands Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Red-necked Stint of migratory birds leave their arctic breeding grounds and almost the length of the globe to spend their summers fattening up on our mudflats and wetlands. Here they join resident species who rely on the region for their entire life cycle or, in the case of some nomadic species, as a refuge from the drought. With continued support from the Adelaide Mt Lofty Ranges NRM Board and assistance from an army of Curlew Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone volunteers, BirdLife Australia has been working to monitor the shorebird populations in the gulf and identify priority habitats and management needs. For more information visit: birdlife.org.au/projects/samphire-coast-icon-project

Red Knot Great Knot

Images by Andrew Silcocks, Glenn Ehmke, Dean Ingwersen, Chris Tzaros & Chris Purnell

Australia’s voice for birds since 1901 BirdLife Australia is dedicated to achieving outstanding conservation results for our native birds and their habitats. With our specialised knowledge and the Marsh Sandpiper Common Greenshank commitment of an Australia-wide network of volunteers and supporters, we are creating a bright future for Australia’s birds.

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