Australasian Grass-owl, originally uploaded by Collaertsbrothers.
Last night at the Hunter Bird Observers Club meeting Adam Blundell reported on his research into Grass Owls in the Hunter.
A very interesting presentation, not least because he raised a conservation conundrum. In the 1970s Hexham Swamp was drained and eight floodgates installed to end the tidal flow. In the period since, the vegetation has changed from mangroves and saltmarsh to reedswamp and grassland. The current Hexham Swamp rehabilitation project will restore the tidal flow, and hopefully bring back the migratory waders - but it will mean the end of the Grass Owls.
