We had been expecting the water birds to return by April, but the above average rainfall in the district has kept water levels higher than usual. Recent storms with heavy rain have water lying around the hide with the addition of swarms of mosquitoes.

With various celebrations and busy weeks, this report writer did not find time over February or March to write much. Not that there was much to write about. Having continuing rain and high water levels in the lagoon, the usual summer waterbirds are just not present. And wet weather does tend to discourage the bush birds. The February and March surveys were much the same as the January one.

The start of the birding New Year was celebrated on Friday, 3 January with a group selfie photo in front of the hide at Hasties, after a biscuit reward for achieving 52 species. We thought there would be meagre sightings with a rain-topped swamp almost vacant of water birds, and frequent storms discouraging bush bird activity. But not so.