A preliminary assessment of the importance of the Manning River for shorebirds and other waterbirds

In 2008, the author conducted monthly high tide surveys at Harrington and Mudbishops Point, the two known shorebird high-tide roost sites within the Manning River. The data obtained suggest that the Manning River is important for several migratory shorebirds, such as Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica and Double-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus. High numbers of some other waterbirds were sometimes recorded, including more than 1,600 terns in November 2008 and 150-200 Little Tern Sternula albifrons in several other months. Beach Stone-curlews Esacus magnirostris were recorded on most of the surveys.