Endangered species on our golf course- Blue Billed Duck
Published on 15th January 2019 in Guests News
Blue billed duck
I guess we take it for granted that birds and animals use our golf course. We are often reminded when we have to putt through some bird droppings or get swooped by a magpie. Then there are the signs warning us that there are snakes in the area. What you may not know is that golf courses are often the last haven for rare native animals and birds in the suburbs.
The dam next to the 12thgreen has been of particular interest to naturalists in the last couple of weeks as it has been inhabited by a couple of Blue-billed ducks. Not surprisingly it has a distinctive blue bill. It turns out that the numbers are disappearing at an alarming rate and the Victorian Government has declared it endangered. It’s good to know that we have inadvertently helped the State’s conservation efforts by providing refuge for this duck.
You may have noticed other visitors throughout the year. The noisy Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos feeding on the pine trees by the 7thfairway, or the corellas unhelpfully digging up the fairways. Maybe we can put a bit of thought into supporting and managing wildlife in ways consistent with our golfing efforts.
First of all we need to know what is here. To this end, myself and Mark Smith will start to develop a species list with the aim of establishing what species use our course, how wide spread they are and what resources they use. Over the next 12 months we will work on this and report back to you periodically.
If you have an interest in wildlife or see an interesting animal, feel free to join in and contact Robin Drury or Mark Smith. Please include the name of the animal, date and location (i.e. fairway number or dam site).
Please remember that we are primarily here for the golf, and should not hold up play.
Report by
Robin Drur