The home of an endangered bird species at the Hexham Swamp is getting an upgrade.
A new project is underway to install a nest platform for two Black-necked storks that have lived in the area since 2018.
The Hunter Bird Observers Club and Hunter Local and Land Services are working together to construct a large robust aluminium nest platform, suitable to hold the storks’ two metre wide and one metre deep nest.
Hoping to install the construction early this month to support breeding in the upcoming season, the project is a first of it’s kind for the Black-necked stork in Australia.
HBOC member Anne Lindsey says the nest platform will be important to help monitor the breeding of the endangered species.
“The Black-necked Stork is known to breed as solitary pairs in often difficult-to-access places, making detailed breeding studies a challenge and this region is regarded as the southern limit of its the breeding range,” Anne says.
“Two years ago, a nest was blown out of the tree in a storm, resulting in the death of one of the two chicks which is why we are installing constructed nests to help the storks to successfully breed.”
Amanda Hyde from Hunter Local Land Services says the platform will provide a stable base for the storks’ nest.
“With HBOC members expertise, we are working together with a local Newcastle industrial designer to construct a nest platform from aluminium that is large and robust and will be secured to a tripod.
“The platform will be embedded around a paperbark tree that was previously used by the storks as a nest tree and has since fallen into disrepair.”