On February 22nd 2020, the Victorian chapter went out to Reedy Swamp, a deep open water tall marsh wetland on the outskirts of Shepparton, for a Breakfast with the Birds. The event was hosted by RBMS with Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) and Birdlife Australia, to discuss the importance of drought refuge and environmental water management during dry times.
Wetlands and environmental water project officer Jo Deretic from GBCMA spoke about how the CMA undertake planning for watering events under different climatic scenarios, in the context of landscape scale management and prioritisation and individual site requirements. Reedy swamp became a significant drought refuge for central Victoria recently, providing refuge for thousands of species, and even interstate species never before recorded, being observed at the site, like the Crimson Chat. Bradley Wood-Clarke from Birdlife Australia helped the group identify the species observed and discussed the various habitat requirements and the importance of maintaining sites like Reedy swamp.
