Another failed prediction?

In recent weeks I’ve been psychologically preparing myself for the drying of the wetlands on the plains. It’s been a remarkably bountiful time, especially for crakes and rails, but it felt like we might be entering a dry cycle again.

This is the norm and since I arrived in the district in the 1980s there have only been three really wet periods – 1996, 2010/11 and 2022, when the wetlands have been full.

Lo and behold we are enjoying a wet start to autumn and with cooler days the plains wetlands are holding on well. Long Swamp for example was dry two weeks ago and now has a sheet of water over the floor of the wetland. This is good news for birds such as Australian Spotted Crakes.

Australian Spotted Crake, Moolort wetlands, 13th April 2023

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Frogmore Swamp, 11th April 2023