The Netting Is Down |
But Are Our Welcome Swallows Really Welcome?
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There was a moment over the weekend when Coochiemudlo seemed to collectively exhale.
The netting was coming down.
After days of watching Welcome Swallows struggle with exclusion netting across the ferry terminal, after photographs, phone calls, reports, anger, tears and a community refusing to look the other way, Redland City Council acted.
For that, there is genuine gratitude.
Acting Mayor Julie Talty responded, trapped birds were attended to, and the exclusion netting at the Coochiemudlo Island and Victoria Point ferry terminals was ordered to be removed.
For those who had been watching these tiny birds desperately trying to return to the places they knew, it was an enormous relief.
But relief isn't quite the same thing as resolution.
Because one part of the announcement stopped us in our tracks
In announcing the removal of the netting, Acting Mayor Talty also spoke about Council looking at alternative bird deterrents, including options such as spikes.
And that's where the relief became uneasy.
Because the community hasn't spent the past weeks fighting for a different way to keep the Welcome Swallows out.
We have been fighting for a way to let them stay.
That's an important distinction.
Nobody is suggesting Council should simply ignore the very real problems created by bird droppings on public infrastructure. A busy ferry terminal has operational, hygiene, safety and maintenance requirements. Those concerns deserve sensible solutions.
But surely the question we should now be asking isn't:
"What can we replace the netting with to deter the birds?"
It is:
"How can we manage this infrastructure while allowing the swallows to continue sharing it with us?"
That one change in thinking could make all the difference.
They aren't choosing the jetty at random
Welcome Swallows commonly build their cup-shaped mud nests on sheltered ledges and structures, including buildings, bridges and other human-made sites. They can also return to established nesting areas and reuse nests.
In other words, the ferry terminal isn't simply somewhere a few inconvenient birds happened to discover.
For our local swallows, it has become habitat.
They know it.
They return to it.
They roost there, nest there and raise the next generation there.
And as we head into breeding season, that matters enormously.
Perhaps there is something worth remembering here too: they are called Welcome Swallows.
It would be a sad irony if the only solution we could find was another device designed to tell them they are no longer welcome.
So what if we stopped talking about deterrence?
This week, I have written to Acting Mayor Talty thanking Council for its swift action and asking for something constructive to happen next.
I've proposed an onsite meeting at the ferry terminal involving Council representatives and experts from BirdLife Australia and BirdLife Southern Queensland.
Not another battle.
Not another round of accusations.
A conversation at the actual jetty, looking at the actual problem.
Let's stand underneath those rafters together.
Let's look at where the birds roost and nest, where droppings fall, where passengers walk, what Council needs to maintain and what practical modifications might work.
Then let's ask people who understand Welcome Swallows what best practice looks like.
Could nesting areas be deliberately accommodated?
Could droppings be captured beneath preferred nesting or roosting locations?
Could cleaning practices or infrastructure design solve the problem without simply shifting it somewhere else?
There may be solutions none of us have thought of yet. That's precisely why the experts should be standing at the jetty with us.
We can do better than choosing between birds and people
This doesn't need to become a choice between protecting wildlife and maintaining clean, safe ferry terminals.
Coochiemudlo is surrounded by nature. It is one of the reasons many of us love living here.
Coexistence isn't always tidy. Sometimes it requires a little ingenuity, some compromise and, yes, probably someone cleaning up bird poo.
But surely that's a better challenge to solve than finding increasingly effective ways of preventing native wildlife from returning to the places it has learned to call home.
The netting coming down was a victory worth celebrating.
But it shouldn't be the end of this story.
The next chapter needs to be about coexistence, not another deterrent.
So yes, there is relief on Coochie this week.
There is gratitude too.
But there is also determination.
Because when those little Welcome Swallows return to the jetty, we don't want them confronted with netting, spikes or the next clever device designed to make them go somewhere else.
We want them to be welcome.
And we want to work with Council to find a way to make that possible.
If you feel the same, keep the conversation going. Support the call for Council, BirdLife experts and community representatives to meet at the jetty and find a practical solution that works for both the people who use our ferry terminals and the tiny birds who have been using them too.
NB: My eternal gratitude to my AI assistant who has kept the home fires burning while I've been at the jetty celebrating the swallows win! While AI has massaged my ramblings into readable text, the ideas are mostly mine (and a couple from other Coochiemudlians who have reached out - or published - with their concerns)
While these nests have been built in spite of the netting, we'd love to see any pics you have of nests since the netting has been removed
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22 Comments
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Netting hurt the birds, spikes will too. What’s next? Cages? No thanks. Let’s solve it like grown-ups, with proper planning.
Can someone invite the school kids along to the meeting with council? They have some great ideas and more at stake than anyone.
Wish council could just fence off a safe nook for the swallows under the jetty. Let nature have a little corner and keep most of the walkways clean.
Hope this means other wildlife issues in Redlands might get more attention now. Maybe next, koalas?
Fair point about finding a way to welcome the birds, not keep pushing them away. Maybe a regular community clean day could help too?
Love seeing everyone’s swallow nest pics! It makes me proud of our community for standing up for them. Let’s keep sharing the wins.
Great job Adaire (and others) in maintaining the focus on a solution rather than ‘battle stations’.
I get that cleaning extra is work but Coochie’s special because of the nature. If you want a spotless terminal, island life probably isn’t for you.
Really hope council doesn’t try spikes. Seen too many seagulls in town get hurt from those. We should do better by our wildlife.
Let’s not forget the whole island is wildlife habitat. Droppings are a pain but so’s oil on the road. Clean up and move on, I say!
Not sure why it took photos of trapped swallows for anyone to listen. Glad the netting’s down but keeping my guard up about what comes next.
If it wasn’t for the swallows, my daughter would never have started birdwatching. Let’s keep the next generation inspired and not drive these guys out.
So happy for the birds, but just hope this doesn’t turn into a big blame game again. Let’s keep the focus on making it work for everyone.
People keep saying ‘co-existence’ but when was the last time any real input came from the ferry crew? Hope they get included in these talks.
Cheers to whoever suggested the onsite meeting idea. Actually standing under the rafters, looking at the problem, is long overdue.
Let’s not rush for a quick fix just cause it’s breeding season. Make sure we get the right advice from BirdLife and don’t end up with more traps or danger.
I grew up watching those birds build nests by the water. Hate to see us shut them out now. Glad it sounds like council is listening (so far).
We can’t pretend the droppings aren’t an issue for staff cleaning and folks waiting for the ferry, but there are creative fixes. What about little shelters for the birds, away from the main areas?
What if the council just put up a board explaining why the birds are there? It’d help visitors understand. Might make people less annoyed about the mess, too.
Big thanks to everyone who rang council about the netting. Shows what we can do as a community. But spikes? Really?! That’s just going to hurt more animals.
Honestly, the bird poo is annoying but it’s not the end of the world. I’d rather wipe my shoes than not see those swallows again. There’s got to be a happy medium!
I’m so relieved the swallows are safe now. Coochie wouldn’t be the same without them darting around the jetty! Let’s keep pushing for real solutions, not just new ways to push them away.