Assessment of Waterfowl Abundance and Wetland Condition in South-Eastern South Australia December 2014

Assessment of Waterfowl Abundance and Wetland Condition in south-eastern South Australia December 2014

Published by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Government of South Australia December 2014

Head Office Chesser House 91-97 Grenfell Street ADELAIDE SA 5000

Telephone +61 (8) 8204 9000 Facsimile +61 (8) 8204 9334 Internet: www.environment.sa.gov.au

ABN 36702093234

Report prepared by:

Rhiannon Niven and Mike Greig Conservation and Land Management Branch Strategy and Advice Directorate Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources

Copies of the report can be obtained from: T: +61 (8) 8204 1910 E: [email protected] www.environment.sa.gov.au

Assessment of waterfowl abundance and wetland condition in south-eastern South Australia, December 2014

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ……………………………………………………………………….. 1

1. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………... 2

1.1 Study Brief …………………………………………………………………………………… 2

1.2 Climatic Conditions …………………………………………………………………………. 2

1.3 Survey Locations ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3

1.4 Site Selection …………………………………………………………………………………… 5

1.5 Observers ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

1.6 Survey Methods ………………………………………………………………………………… 6

2. RESULTS ………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

2.1 Wetlands Surveyed and Water Coverage ……………...…………………………………….. 7

2.2 Wetland Status …………………………………………………………………………………. 9

2.3 Overall Waterfowl Abundance……………………………………………………………. 10

2.4 Analysis of Distribution and Abundance for Game Species………………………….. 13

2.5 Waterfowl Species Composition within each District…………………………………. 17

2.6 Waterfowl Density………………………………………………………………………….. 20

3. CONCLUSIONS……………………………………………………………………………... 21

4. REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………. 22

iii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Spring waterfowl and wetland surveys have been conducted annually in South Australia (SA) since 2003, to provide a coordinated and consistent regional approach to waterfowl data collection and analysis. These ground-based surveys sample a range of wetland habitats across south-eastern SA, providing an understanding of annual trends in wetland condition and waterfowl populations.

This report presents the results of the 2014 waterfowl and wetland surveys in SA. A total of 104 wetland sites were surveyed across October and November 2014, in four districts of south-eastern SA: Murraylands, the Fleurieu Peninsula and greater metropolitan Adelaide, Coorong, and the South East. Sites were divided between those that are frequently hunted and those set aside purely for conservation. The surveys were coordinated by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) (Conservation and Sustainability Unit), with the assistance of volunteers from a variety of stakeholder groups and individuals.

The 2014 waterfowl and wetland survey indicated that waterfowl are locally abundant. Total abundance was the highest recorded since the surveys commenced in 2003. Over 250,000 ducks were counted from a surveyed wetland area of approximately 23,000 hectares; the largest area surveyed since commencement. This is a significant increase of approximately 60,000 more ducks than counted in October 2013 (from approximately 19,000ha of wetland area). Grey Teal comprised of the majority of the total waterfowl abundance recorded. Grey Teal, Chestnut Teal, Blue-winged Shoveler, Pink-eared Duck and Mountain Duck recorded their highest abundances on record since the surveys commenced in 2003. Hard Head, and Wood Duck showed a decrease in population when compared with recent years. These results reflect the widespread availability of favourable habitat, including ephemeral wetlands and wetland pasture currently present across southern SA. All of the non-game duck species (Freckled, Blue-billed and Musk Duck) were also observed in limited numbers.

Average waterfowl density from the sample of 104 wetlands was 11.1 ducks per hectare, an increase on the 10.5 ducks per hectare of 2013. The Coorong district supported the highest density of ducks during the 2014 count (17.2 ducks per ha), reflecting it’s listing as a Ramsar listed wetland and refuge for many waterbird species.

In addition to the 2014 ground survey, aerial reconnaissance surveys of the Murraylands, Coorong and South East districts were again undertaken. Aerial counts from discrete wetlands were used to calibrate ground-based counts and improve observations at some wetlands where access is difficult. The results confirmed that ground-based abundance figures were highly conservative but that the species composition of counts was proportionally accurate.

At the nation-wide scale, 2014 has been a year of relatively low rainfall. Waterbird numbers, wetland area and waterbird breeding have declined since 2012 and are below long term averages.

1. INTRODUCTION

Spring waterfowl and wetland surveys have been conducted annually in SA since 2003, and provide a coordinated and consistent regional approach to waterfowl data collection and analysis. Data is obtained from ground and aerial surveys, along with data from The Living Murray project and the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Recovery Project to provide a broad understanding of the abundance and annual variation of waterfowl numbers in SA.

For the most part, SA is a vast semi-arid expanse, too deficient in rainfall to support permanent habitat for waterfowl. The south-eastern corner of the state (protruding southward from 34 to 38 degrees of southerly latitude) is a zone that receives dependable annual rainfall and mild temperatures, where inundated wetland areas remain for many months through winter and spring of each year.

The South Australian spring waterfowl and wetland surveys are a systematic ground-based assessment of waterfowl abundance and wetland condition, for application to the future hunting season decision-making process. The annual survey aims to present a snapshot of waterfowl abundance, species composition and wetland condition at a point in time. Results over time will show trends, provided the same wetlands are surveyed accurately, employing the same methodology. There is no intention to extrapolate total abundance values for each duck species.

The 2014 waterfowl and wetland survey employed the methodology that was designed in March 2003 for the first ground-based waterfowl survey of this type. As such, it remains a volunteer- based survey with support from the DEWNR and other state government agencies.

1.1 Study Brief

Since 2003, a suite of approximately 100 wetlands and wetland complexes were selected for annual spring waterfowl surveys, across four districts of South-eastern Australia: Murraylands, Fleurieu Peninsula, Coorong, and South East (Figure 1). The surveys are designed to represent the range of habitats required to understand changes in wetland condition and waterfowl populations.

The 2014 waterfowl survey was coordinated by DEWNR (Conservation and Sustainability Unit), with the assistance of volunteers from a variety of stakeholder groups. A total of 104 wetlands and wetland complexes were surveyed between 26 October and 7 November 2014. The aerial surveys were completed over three different days due to weather conditions making flight not possible. Sites were divided between those that are frequently hunted and those set aside purely for conservation.

1.2 Climatic Conditions Rainfall across South Australia during 2014 has been below average but most regions experienced conditions close to the long term mean.

Rainfall trends for each of the four survey districts are summarised below:  The Murraylands region received below average rainfall over the past 12 months in sections of the region. Wetland status has improved with local environmental inflows contributing to improved cross-border River Murray inflows over the past two years.

 The Fleurieu Peninsula also experienced below average rainfall conditions relative to the long-term average for the region, staying on trend with the majority of the State.  The Coorong and South East districts have received mixed rainfall conditions over the past 12 months, with just over half of the area below average in 2014, with conditions remaining close to average elsewhere.

1.3 Survey Locations Approximately 100 sites were selected for the survey, representing four districts (Murraylands, Fleurieu, Coorong, and the South East) (Figure 1). 104 sites were completed by the ground and aerial surveys, the highest number completed generating a greater coverage of the State’s wetlands. Spatial coverage across each district was a factor in site selection along with wetland type, quality, size, ownership (public or private), and status (protected or open to hunting). Sites that have a current monitoring program or an existing waterfowl database were also prioritised for inclusion. Data was utilised and integrated from The Living Murray program and the Coorong and Lower Lakes Recovery Project. Some wetlands were counted more than once on different days by various volunteers. The data was then combined to create a mean total count for that site. Similar results from the different surveys increase the validity of the surveys completed by volunteers.

All of these sites fall south of 34 degrees of latitude. North of this mark, rainfall is too deficient and mean daily temperatures are too hot for anything other than temporal wet areas after heavy rainfall events. Exceptions are the northern inland lakes, which respond to periodic rainfall in central Australia.

The survey area has been divided into four districts:

Murraylands: A corridor following the River Murray from Murray Bridge to the South Australian/Victorian border, which includes floodplains. Fleurieu: The Fleurieu Peninsula, Greater Adelaide, and the coast north to Port Gawler Conservation Park. Coorong: The Lower Murray Lakes, Coorong and watercourses to the west of the Keith- Naracoorte Road. South East: The coast extending south from Kingston to the South Australian/Victorian border and inland to the south of Naracoorte.

Figure 1. Sites surveyed in 2014

1.4 Site Selection

The following criteria were used to select the survey sites:

Spatial Coverage Where topography permitted, sites were selected to provide the best possible geographic coverage within each district. Coverage was considered to be the most important criterion during site selection.

Private /Public ownership Many of the state’s large wetland areas are conserved and managed as ‘reserves’ under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. However, significant wetland areas, particularly reclaimed wetlands, are owned and managed by private organisations such as Wetlands and Wildlife and South Australian Field and Game. These private areas are significant, and are given good representation in the survey.

Wetland Size Wetlands were divided into sites larger or smaller than 100 hectares within each district and both sizes have been sampled equally. Some waterfowl species show a preference for wetland size. For example, Mountain Ducks are generally found in large open areas, and consequently both large and small wetlands are required to ensure that no bias exists in our long-term understanding of trends in waterfowl populations.

Status (open or closed to hunting) A distinction was made between sites that facilitate hunting and those that have been declared purely for waterfowl conservation. Duck hunters shoot either on public Game Reserves, unalienated crown lands or on private lands. Many of the popular hunting areas were selected as survey sites, as were significant conservation areas.

1.5 Observers

Observers included DEWNR staff and various volunteer groups and individuals. Many thanks are extended to those who gave up significant amounts of time and effort, listed below:

Banrock Station Barmera Moorook Field and Game Birdlife South East SA Conservation and Hunting Alliance of SA Coorong Nature Tours Sam, Ashley, Alexander and Debbie Dunn Fleurieu Birdwatchers Friends of Shorebirds South East Hellenic Shooting Sports Association SA Loch Luna River Cruises Loxton Field and Game Barrey Niven Quail Tomorrow

SA Field and Game Lake Bonney Branch SA Water Wetlands and Wildlife

DEWNR rangers

1.6 Survey Methods Potential observers were sent a list of the survey sites and asked to indicate which sites they were prepared to survey. Survey forms (see Appendix A) were circulated amongst volunteer groups and Departmental staff. The ground-based waterfowl and wetland condition surveys were undertaken between 26 October and 7 November 2014 with approximately 70% completed after 1st November. A total of 104 sites from the four districts in South-eastern South Australia were surveyed. Some sites were surveyed more than once and similar results act to validate data.

As far as possible, similar numbers of small (less than 100 ha) and large (greater than 100 ha) wetlands were surveyed. Smaller wetlands are more abundant and easier to survey. Large wetlands are logistically more difficult to count; they require a more intensive search effort, better observational equipment and access to the water at a number of locations. Data for these larger sites was often taken from aerial surveys (see below).

Most participants surveyed from the land using an area search or point count technique. A few observers launched boats and surveyed from the water. Ducks were the focus of the survey; however some observers undertook a complete inventory of all waterbirds at their site. Each wetland survey involved a short assessment of wetland physical condition. Each observer answered four brief questions about water coverage, aquatic fauna and flora and the size of the area they surveyed. Most observers used binoculars to assist with their identification. Spotting scopes were used to improve identification along the Coorong and on the larger wetlands in the South East and Murraylands in particular. Survey forms were returned to DEWNR for analysis.

In addition to ground-based surveys, aerial surveys were undertaken in the Murraylands, South East and Coorong districts. Aerial counts from discrete wetlands were used to calibrate ground- based counts and improve observations at some wetlands where access is difficult. These were undertaken on the 6th of November in the Murraylands, and the 7th and 11th November in the South East. The South East aerial survey was completed over two days due to weather conditions. The Murraylands aerial survey was completed on the same day as the Eastern Aerial Waterbird Survey (EAWS) potentially disturbing wetlands and impacting bird abundance counts.

2. RESULTS

2.1 Wetlands Surveyed and Water Coverage

A total of 104 sites from the four districts (Murraylands, Fleurieu, Coorong and South East) in south-eastern South Australia were surveyed. An overview comparison of the wetlands selected and surveyed in 2014 against previous years is provided in Table 1. A summary of the water coverage in each district is provided below:

Murraylands Many of the survey sites in the Murraylands are established lakes, swamps and lagoons, connected to the main channel of the River Murray at a comparable elevation. Many of the Murraylands sites have high biodiversity value and support healthy waterfowl populations when inundated. Below average rainfall over the past 12 months was been received in sections of the region but water levels remained relatively stable in many of the surveyed sites. Some drying of wetland sites was seen. Wetland status has improved with regulated local inflows contributing to improved cross-border River Murray inflows over the past two years. The Living Murray ‘Icon Sites’ of the Chowilla Floodplain, and the River Murray Channel (the majority of SA river span) were included in the survey and monitoring data has been integrated into this report. Waterbird and frog breeding have been noted at these sites indicating that the regulated environmental flows are having a positive impact on the landscape conditions in these areas, especially as a result of the Chowilla regulator and weir pool inundations.

Fleurieu The Fleurieu Peninsula supports a mosaic of small water storages, farm dams and spring fed wetlands across a highly fragmented landscape. Many of the region’s wetlands are regulated, and therefore do not necessarily reflect climate trends. Overall, the rainfall and water levels for the district were considered to be below average.

Coorong The Coorong region contains a significant number of large and small wetlands and watercourses that become seasonally inundated each winter. Some of the wetlands are dependent on discharges associated with the South East drainage scheme. The Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth The Living Murray monitoring data was included in the survey and has been integrated into this report. Dredging of the Murray Mouth is predicted to begin in December to respond to the low water levels and flows. Rainfall has been below average in approximately half of the region resulting in a drying of wetlands.

South East

The South East district contains a broad suite of wetland types to functionally support a range of different waterfowl species. Extensive drainage networks influence wetland conditions. Rainfall in the South East was below average in over half of the region with drying of some of the wetland sites resulting in a congregation of high numbers waterbirds in selected sites.

Table 1. Wetland summary 2003-2014

District Year No. of Wetlands Wetland Area No. of sites No. of sites No. Hunted No. Protected Surveyed surveyed (ha) <100ha ≥100ha Sites Sites Murraylands 2003 23 1,450 16 7 10 13 Murraylands 2004 21 1,594 14 7 10 13 Murraylands 2005 22 1,639 14 11 10 12 Murraylands 2006 24 1,650 17 7 10 14 Murraylands 2007 25 2,890 17 8 11 14 Murraylands 2008 26 2,790 14 12 12 14 Murraylands 2009 24 2,750 13 11 11 13 Murraylands 2010 25 3,570 10 15 16 9 Murraylands 2011 19 2,970 8 11 10 9 Murraylands 2012 20 3,070 8 12 11 9 Murraylands 2013 15 2,810 5 10 9 6 Murraylands 2014 27 4,791 16 11 12 15 Fleurieu 2003 15 518 13 2 0 15 Fleurieu 2004 15 488 13 2 0 15 Fleurieu 2005 15 507 13 2 0 15 Fleurieu 2006 15 512 13 2 0 15 Fleurieu 2007 12 502 10 2 0 12 Fleurieu 2008 14 562 12 2 1 13 Fleurieu 2009 12 564 10 2 1 11 Fleurieu 2010 14 466 13 1 3 11 Fleurieu 2011 16 1,695 11 5 3 13 Fleurieu 2012 16 1,695 11 5 3 13 Fleurieu 2013 7 17 6 1 0 7 Fleurieu 2014 13 315 12 1 0 13 Coorong 2003 22 3,392 14 8 15 7 Coorong 2004 25 3,020 15 10 15 10 Coorong 2005 25 2,205 14 11 15 10 Coorong 2006 28 3,560 17 11 17 11 Coorong 2007 28 3,365 10 18 16 12 Coorong 2008 27 3,100 10 17 19 8 Coorong 2009 27 3,210 9 18 19 8 Coorong 2010 22 3,405 11 11 16 6 Coorong 2011 17 4,147 6 11 13 4 Coorong 2012 18 4,247 6 12 14 4 Coorong 2013 24 9,265 6 18 10 14 Coorong 2014 28 8,080 14 14 11 17 South East 2003 28 7,175 19 9 16 12 South East 2004 25 4,251 18 7 14 11 South East 2005 24 3,783 15 9 14 10 South East 2006 24 3,283 17 9 14 12 South East 2007 26 3,105 11 16 15 12 South East 2008 28 2,618 18 10 15 13 South East 2009 28 2,710 17 11 15 13 South East 2010 26 2,196 20 6 18 8 South East 2011 25 3,128 17 8 16 9 South East 2012 25 3,128 17 8 16 9 South East 2013 26 7,291 14 12 11 15 South East 2014 36 9,948 20 16 14 22 Total 2003 86 13,611 55 31 43 43 Total 2004 86 9,353 60 26 41 45 Total 2005 86 8,134 56 33 39 47 Total 2006 93 9,005 64 29 41 52 Total 2007 91 9,862 47 44 41 50 Total 2008 95 9,070 54 41 47 48 Total 2009 91 9,234 49 42 46 45 Total 2010 87 9,637 54 33 53 34 Total 2011 77 11,940 42 35 42 35 Total 2012 79 12,140 42 37 44 35 Total 2013 72 19,383 31 41 30 42 Total 2014 104 23,134 62 42 37 67

2.2 Wetland Status

Widespread below average rainfall experienced across the state was reflected by the clear downward trends in average water coverage at the survey sites with similar conditions to that experienced in 2006.

Waterfowl breeding was recorded at 13% of sites in 2014, incorporating a range of duck species. In 2013 breeding was identified at 15% of all sites surveyed.

Figure 2. Average water coverage at survey sites.

2.3 Overall Waterfowl Abundance

The 2014 wetland and waterfowl survey indicated that waterfowl are locally abundant. Total abundance is the highest recorded since the surveys commenced in 2003, most likely because of the greater number of wetlands surveyed (104) (Figure 3 and 4) and continuing population growth rates since 2011. A total of 257,825 ducks were counted from a surveyed area of approximately 23,134 hectares. In 2013, 204,313 ducks were counted from a surveyed wetland area of approximately 19,383 ha.

The Coorong (approximately 8,080 ha) and the South East (approximately 9,948 ha) districts held the majority of ducks, with 54% and 39% of the ducks counted compared with 24% and 72% in 2013. The Murraylands (approximately 4,791 ha) held approximately 6% and Fleurieu (approximately 315 ha) held 1% of total ducks compared with 4% and 1% in 2013 (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Total waterfowl count by region 2003-2014.

300,000

250,000

200,000

South East 150,000 Coorong

Number Number ducks of Fleurieu Murraylands 100,000

50,000

0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Survey year

Grey Teal represented 78% of the total waterfowl abundance recorded. This species had a dominant presence in south-eastern SA reflecting the distinctively higher total number of ducks counted in the South East and Coorong districts compared to previous survey years (see Figure

4). Counts of Grey Teal may also be impacted by the results from the South East aerial survey where all Chestnut Teal and Grey Teal ducks were counted as Grey Teal because of poor visibility. The increases in Grey Teal and Pink-eared Duck populations (Figures 5a and 5b) may also be due to their tendency to travel to refuge wetlands of good condition as a result of the current widespread drying of wetlands.

Figure 4. Trends in the annual abundance in waterfowl species 2003-2014.

300,000

250,000

200,000 Pink-eared Duck Hard Head Blue- winged Shoveler 150,000 Mountain Duck Wood Duck

100,000 Black Duck Number of surveyed ducks surveyed of Number Chestnut Teal Grey Teal 50,000

Survey year

Figure 5a. Trends in the Residential Species of Waterfowl (2003-2014).

Figure 5b. Trends in the Nomadic Species of Waterfowl 2003-2014.

2.4 Analysis of distribution and abundance for game species

Grey Teal were recorded in high numbers in 2014, with more than 200,000 birds recorded across the four survey regions (Table 3). The largest counts in 2014 were an estimated population of 36,760 ducks along the Coorong West Shore site and 32,500 at Lake Hawdon South in the South East. Grey Teal are a highly abundant and strongly eruptive species that will exploit a range of aquatic habitats with varying food resources.

Chestnut Teal counts were 7,773 across the survey area in 2014; an increase on last year’s count of 6,163, and the highest ever recorded (Tables 3 and 4). This species appears to have benefited from the recent wetter seasons in coastal localities, substantially increasing their numbers in the Coorong and South East regions since last year.

Pacific Black Duck sightings increased significantly from 935 in 2013 to 3,483. However, Black Duck are considered a much more widespread and abundant species than the survey results indicate. The annual survey consistently underestimates their abundance because they prefer to loaf in pairs or small groups and use vegetated wetlands quite secretively. The birds use tree hollows for nesting, at a time coinciding with the October survey, further reducing the probability of detection. Black Duck were the most commonly seen to be breeding, with young noted at several wetlands.

Wood Duck counts in 2014 were lower than previous years (673), though not significantly lower than the ten year average. The number of Wood Ducks recorded is reasonably consistent over time (Table 3). Wood Ducks were most abundant throughout the Murraylands (see Table 2) observed in paddocks, along the road and in car parks. The abundance of Wood Duck is not truly reflected by the project methodology. The species tends to congregate in small groups (commonly 2-12 birds) at farm dams, tanks, farmhouses, and amongst irrigated pasture. Although widely distributed, birds are generally highly dispersed.

Mountain Duck observations increased significantly in 2014 to 22,090 compared to 3,484 in 2013. This is the largest ever count of Mountain Duck since surveying began. Mountain Duck have shown a preference for large wetlands (≥100ha) over small wetlands. The species was most common in the South East and Coorong districts (see Table 2), a likely response to the shallow inundation of ephemeral wetlands and availability of wet green pick in this region.

Blue-winged Shoveler (listed as Rare in South Australia) were recorded at the second highest numbers (2,634 birds) since the start of surveying, and continued their increase in population from 2013. The Blue-winged Shoveler is an invertebrate feeder requiring optimal water quantity and quality. Over 95% of the species records came from the South East district.

Hard Head are aquatic ducks that show a preference for inland areas when wetland conditions are favourable. Hard Head were abundant in South-eastern South Australia in 2011, with 21,705 birds recorded. In 2012 this number fell to 13,434 birds, and in 2013 this slightly increased to 15,818 birds recorded (see Tables 2, 3 and 4). They have shown a significant decrease in population with only 3,019 counted. Numbers were highest at Lake Hawdon South (South East district), where 705 birds were recorded.

Pink-eared Duck numbers have varied significantly since the project methodology was first implemented in 2003. Trends in the abundance of Pink-Eared Duck have been extremely variable (Tables 2, 3 and 4). 2014 results show the species has increased to the second highest ever count at 16,793 reflecting the drying interior conditions. Pink-eared Duck are extreme nomads that will often move vast distances in quick-time to find favourable conditions. They are generally regarded as birds of the interior, but will adopt coastal areas when climatic conditions dictate. More often, these are wetlands that are shallow and drawing down, which harbour a rich source of aquatic invertebrates from which they derive the bulk of their dietary requirements.

Table 2. Waterfowl (game species) counted in each district 2003 - 2014.

Blue- Pink- Grey Chestnut Black Wood Mountain Hard District Year winged eared TOTALS Teal Teal Duck Duck Duck Head Shoveler Duck Murraylands 2003 8945 321 1297 970 650 144 548 463 13338 Murraylands 2004 6366 60 361 456 534 45 221 175 8218 Murraylands 2005 6914 85 727 104 929 275 543 926 10503 Murraylands 2006 9170 75 741 247 1711 338 1043 2517 15842 Murraylands 2007 3992 106 355 210 1141 97 502 964 7367 Murraylands 2008 2525 67 352 526 660 21 77 109 4337 Murraylands 2009 4397 66 845 616 421 18 274 286 6923 Murraylands 2010 2641 269 748 435 1918 19 618 26 6674 Murraylands 2011 7798 75 360 420 403 5 1018 126 10205 Murraylands 2012 11828 34 813 598 1172 5 1278 1431 17159 Murraylands 2013 5248 13 268 416 818 14 44 635 7456 Murraylands 2014 10235 295 1125 301 1422 458 146 2764 16746 Fleurieu 2003 717 81 596 396 4 57 191 108 2150 Fleurieu 2004 1334 48 501 298 6 146 302 128 2763 Fleurieu 2005 636 115 359 392 0 225 270 306 2303 Fleurieu 2006 653 67 281 192 32 135 325 452 2137 Fleurieu 2007 1278 58 509 291 55 56 649 469 3365 Fleurieu 2008 2923 130 563 203 101 29 432 293 4674 Fleurieu 2009 1989 49 604 87 403 54 563 60 3809 Fleurieu 2010 225 25 676 559 30 39 0 0 1554 Fleurieu 2011 2986 219 577 1151 193 20 427 37 5610 Fleurieu 2012 2054 108 640 1025 216 20 418 149 4630 Fleurieu 2013 245 29 83 102 0 9 81 0 549 Fleurieu 2014 1614 106 378 215 54 7 343 17 2734 Coorong 2003 22942 2311 600 16 111 1061 3589 6911 37541 Coorong 2004 18699 842 1029 38 1457 778 3292 6051 32186 Coorong 2005 8838 922 1098 26 312 526 1751 26 13499 Coorong 2006 9972 943 462 0 1802 659 78 420 14336 Coorong 2007 7868 483 492 0 822 195 157 0 10017 Coorong 2008 13555 607 468 20 629 86 177 342 15884 Coorong 2009 26411 2317 760 6 583 30 3987 1028 35122 Coorong 2010 513 167 88 21 880 5 59 6 1739 Coorong 2011 35339 5255 1597 48 630 8 3192 3402 49471 Coorong 2012 37692 1930 2485 28 978 308 2921 1599 47941 Coorong 2013 120125 4168 444 100 1109 147 9597 11337 147027 Coorong 2014 111678 4417 972 100 11699 328 704 9203 139101 South East 2003 11344 464 308 7 337 166 3798 9464 25888 South East 2004 13390 1796 1147 9 1872 1149 858 408 20629 South East 2005 10951 726 5640 0 3342 930 626 34 22249 South East 2006 3086 993 612 2 671 46 74 7 5491 South East 2007 9456 1408 353 0 2519 560 484 156 14936 South East 2008 6028 1594 341 70 1739 1382 407 50 11611 South East 2009 6829 800 746 15 2132 1262 2260 714 14758 South East 2010 422 365 221 36 2781 23 83 1 3932 South East 2011 40133 1792 1155 42 4256 682 21705 793 70558 South East 2012 76121 3662 1373 35 9056 1998 8817 4293 105355 South East 2013 35216 1953 140 57 1557 4249 6096 13 49281

South East 2014 77774 2955 1008 57 8915 1842 1826 4809 99186 Total 2003 43,948 3,177 2,801 1,389 1,102 1,428 8,126 16,946 78,917 Total 2004 39,789 2,746 3,038 801 3,869 2,118 4,673 6,762 63,796 Total 2005 27,339 1,848 7,824 522 4,583 1,956 3,190 1,292 48,554 Total 2006 22,881 2,078 2,096 441 4,216 1,178 1,520 3,396 37,806 Total 2007 22,594 2,055 1,709 501 4,537 908 1,792 1,589 35,685 Total 2008 25,031 2,398 1,724 819 3,129 1,518 1,093 794 36,506 Total 2009 39,626 3,232 2,955 724 3,539 1,364 7,084 2,088 60,612 Total 2010 3,801 826 1,733 1,051 5,609 86 760 33 13,899 Total 2011 86,256 7,341 3,689 1,661 5,482 715 26,342 4,358 135,844 Total 2012 127,695 5,734 5,311 1,686 11,422 2,331 13,434 7,472 175,085 Total 2013 160834 6163 935 675 3484 4419 15818 11985 204313 Total 2014 201301 7773 3483 673 22090 2634 3019 16793 257766

Table 3 - Waterfowl (game species) totals 2003 - 2014 Blue- Pink- Grey Chestnut Black Wood Mountain Hard Year winged eared TOTALS Teal Teal Duck Duck Duck Head Shoveler Duck 2003 43,948 3,177 2,801 1,389 1,102 1,428 8,126 16,946 78,917 2004 39,789 2,746 3,038 801 3,869 2,118 4,673 6,762 63,796 2005 27,339 1,848 7,824 522 4,583 1,956 3,190 1,292 48,554 2006 22,881 2,078 2,096 441 4,216 1,178 1,520 3,396 37,806 2007 22,594 2,055 1,709 501 4,537 908 1,792 1,589 35,685 2008 25,031 2,398 1,724 819 3,129 1,518 1,093 794 36,506 2009 39,626 3,232 2,955 724 3,539 1,364 7,084 2,088 60,612 2010 3,801 826 1,733 1,051 5,609 86 760 33 13,899 2011 86,256 7,341 3,689 1,661 5,482 715 26,342 4,358 135,844 2012 127,695 5,734 5,311 1,686 11,422 2,331 13,434 7,472 175,085 2013 160834 6163 935 675 3484 4419 15818 11985 204313 2014 201301 7773 3483 673 22090 2634 3019 16793 257766

Table 4 - Percentage (%) of all ducks counted 2003 - 2014 Grey Chestnut Black Wood Mountain Blue- winged Hard Pink-eared Year Teal Teal Duck Duck Duck Shoveler Head Duck 2003 55.7 4.0 3.5 1.8 1.4 1.8 10.3 21.5 2004 62.4 4.3 4.8 1.3 6.1 3.3 7.3 10.6 2005 56.3 3.8 16.1 1.1 9.4 4.0 6.6 2.7 2006 60.5 5.5 5.5 1.2 11.2 3.1 4.0 9.0 2007 63.3 5.8 4.8 1.4 12.7 2.5 5.0 4.5 2008 68.6 6.6 4.7 2.2 8.6 4.2 3.0 2.2 2009 65.4 5.3 4.9 1.2 5.8 2.3 11.7 3.4 2010 27.3 5.9 12.5 7.6 40.4 0.6 5.5 0.2 2011 63.5 5.4 2.7 1.2 4.0 0.5 19.4 3.2 2012 72.9 3.3 3.0 1.0 6.5 1.3 7.7 4.3 2013 78.7 3.0 0.5 0.3 1.7 2.2 7.7 5.9 2014 78.1 3.0 1.4 0.3 8.6 1.0 1.2 6.5

2.5 Waterfowl species composition within each district.

Murraylands surveys found that duck populations were highest on record with an increase in Pink-eared Duck continuing the trend from 2013. Grey Teal made up a slightly lower percentage to last year, while Hard Head were relatively absent. Other species remained relatively stable (Figure 6a).

Fleurieu district surveys saw increased numbers of all duck species and was the third lowest count since 2003. Grey Teal numbers have continued to fluctuate relative to environmental trends (Figure 6b).

Coorong district has seen a slight rise in the percentage of Mountain Duck and Pink-eared Ducks, whilst the remainder of duck species have stayed relatively stable (Figure 6c).

South East observations show the second highest aggregation of duck populations with slight increases in Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck and Mountain Duck but with a decrease in Hard Head (Figure 6d). Chestnut Teal numbers may be higher than presented due to the poor visibility during the South East aerial survey where all Teal species were counted as Grey Teal.

Figure 6a. Murraylands species composition 2003 - 2014

Figure 6b. Fleurieu species composition 2003 - 2014

Figure 6c. Coorong species composition 2003 - 2014

Figure 6d. Coorong species composition 2003 - 2014

2.6 Waterfowl Density

Waterfowl density was calculated by dividing the number of waterfowl counted in each district by the wetland area surveyed. There are many variables (see Section 2) that affect the accuracy of this figure. Each year the survey effort, survey area, number of replicate counts and survey expertise varies. The derived figures are considered to be an indicative trend only.

The average density of ducks from all wetlands in 2014 was 11.1 ducks per hectare. This compares with 10.5 ducks per hectare in 2013, 14.5 in 2012, 11.4 ducks per hectare in 2011, and 1.5 ducks per hectare in 2010. The high density of ducks may be reflecting the congregation of ducks in refuge wetlands of good conditions, such as in the South East and the Coorong.

At the regional scale, waterfowl densities were higher than the previous 12 months in the South East, Coorong, and Murraylands but lower in the Fleurieu indicating a movement towards larger, more permanent water refuges.

Figure 7. Density of waterfowl in each survey district (2003 – 2014).

3. CONCLUSIONS

The spring 2014 waterfowl survey confirmed the condition of many of the state’s important wetland areas and provided DEWNR with a very good understanding of the presence and abundance of waterfowl at sites in south-eastern SA. This survey was not designed to accurately measure total abundance of duck species at a regional scale. The selected sites are a representative sample of wetland area in each district. From these areas we learn about the composition of species, ratio of one species to another, and abundance at a particular site at a specific time.

Wetland conditions in the four districts of the survey show a steady drying phase in 2014, with waterfowl congregating in the refuge wetlands, especially the Coorong region. At the nation- wide scale, 2014 has been a year of below-average rainfall and drier wetland conditions, with less observed waterfowl breeding. The Lake Eyre and northern Murray Darling Basins have also recorded a below average rainfall.

The 2014 SA waterfowl and wetland survey indicated that waterfowl are locally abundant. Total abundance is the highest recorded since the surveys commenced in 2003. Hard Head, Wood Duck and Black Duck were present in relatively low numbers whereas the other species all demonstrated their highest presence on record. Hard head and Wood duck were the only ducks to decline in number from 2013.

One of the factors affecting the accuracy of the South Australian survey results is the low number of replicate counts for many of the study sites. This underpins the need to survey a site several times to ameliorate the effects of weather conditions, survey time, observer bias, localised movements and so on. Further, surveys should be standardised as much as possible from year to year, to allow for more accurate comparison of data between years.

Volunteers helped support the collection of the waterfowl and wetland data and we are very grateful for their enthusiasm and ongoing support of the project. Some have taken ownership of local wetlands and are keen to survey them on an ongoing basis.

4. REFERENCES

Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (2014). Ecological monitoring summary - Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert July 2013- June 2014.

Kingsford, R.T., Thomas, R.F., and Wong, P.S. (1997). Significant wetlands for waterbirds in the Murray-Darling Basin. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Murray Darling Basin Authority (2014). The Living Murray environmental monitoring data - The Living Murray Chowilla Floodplain Icon Site.