Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Project: Eastern Australian Waterbird Survey
Observer: Terry Korn
“It was a dark and stormy night” is considered the worst beginning of a story ever by a novelist but tonight in Cunnamulla it is indeed a dark and stormy night. In fact it was a dark and stormy afternoon as we ducked and weaved around numerous threatening downpours to reach Cunnamulla safely but at exactly at the same time as a heavy storm.
Besides this excitement, we had another day where good waterbird numbers were restricted to the large water storages near Kingaroy and Inglewood. Our route this morning from Charleville to Kingaroy was characterised by numerous farm dam counts. Many of these dams were dry or holding little water. It was not until we reached the rich basalt soil hills just north of Kingaroy where some large wetlands persist that we became excited about the number of species and their numbers. Kingaroy is the home of Joh Bjelke Petersen, acknowledged at the airport which is named after him. While checking the weather for the afternoon flight I was constantly reassured by my colleagues with his infamous saying: “don’t you worry about that”.
Heading south from Kingaroy to begin counting on Band 6 at Coolamunda Dam, we crossed the beautifully fertile patch worked Darling Downs around Dalby. From the air the productivity is obvious and the patterns of cultivation mesmerising.
Cropping country between Goondiwindi and St George. Photo: Terry Korn
Coolamunda Dam is east of Inglewood and, at 56% capacity, attracts many pelicans, cormorants, coot, hardhead and black swans. It is also a very popular fishing spot where optimists in their “tinnies” wave to us as we skid by on a stiff breeze.
Storms between St George and Cunnamulla. Photo: Terry Korn
The off-river storages between Goondiwindi and St George were a mixed bunch this year. Some were full, a lot were empty and some near empty. A few of the dry ones even had crops growing in them and a good percentage of the area was being prepared for summer crops.
The storm we rendezvoused with in Cunnamulla. Photo: Terry Korn