Dowdle Swamp

Just five minutes drive from home towards Yarrawonga, Dowlde Swamp is a large Red Gum wetland that filled last spring due to all the good rains about. It has been great to visit every few weeks and see the changes in water levels, and how this effects the species seen and their numbers. I can usually see around 50 species now, before it had water, around 25 a visit. Water makes such a difference.


This morning I visited the north west side of the swamp as I often do. The water level has dropped considerably, probably by about 20cm compared to when it was at its peak. Highlights from today were a female Peregrine Falcon, female Cockatiel and 3 Plumed Whistling-Ducks, again on the levee near Geodetic Rd. Dollarbird was here still, being chased by some Sacred Kingfishers. No Nakeen Night Herons today.


Brown Treecreepers are common at the swamp.

It has been interesting to see the duck numbers and species change. Hardhead were once the most common duck a few weeks back, now only 1 today. A few months back I saw 1 Pacific Black Duck, today over 100. Grey Teal remain common, but down from numbers in the hundreds a few weeks back.


Little Corellas.

It will be interesting to see how the swamp develops as it starts to dry out.

List of birds below.
http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=74738