September, 1952 THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST 
Page three 
Bird Observations along the River 
Torrens Outlet Channel 
by Brian Glover 
The artificial channel, diverting 
the River Torrens from The Reed- 
beds (the periodic flooding of 
which had caused considerable in- 
convenience in the surrounding 
areas) to the sea, commences about 
a quarter of a mile north of the 
Henley Beach Road, and reaches 
the sea at Henley Beach South, its 
total length being approximately 
two miles. 
High earth mounds enclose two 
fiat areas about 50 feet wide, 
between which is the broad, shal- 
low channel. Along most of the 
length of this is a dense growth of 
Bulrush ( Typha angusti folia), in 
places intermixed with a small 
amount of Common Reed ( Phrag - 
mites communis) which dominates 
the vegetation further upstream 
(i.e. along the R. Torrens proper). 
The embankments and flats are 
well grassed, the only larger vege- 
tation being in the form of a very 
occasional Red Gum ( Eucalyptus 
camaldulensi. Above the Davis 
Bridge (Tapleys Hill Road) there 
are a number of Red Gums in the 
surrounding paddocks and the R. 
Torrens proper is lined with these 
trees. Along the channel are oc- 
casional small to large areas devoid 
of vegetation, one of these being 
immediately below the Davis 
Bridge. 
Usually the bird-life of the chan- 
nel is quite small, both in species 
and individuals. Whilst crossinjg 
the Davis Bridge on 27-2-52 the 
writer’s attention was drawn to the 
large number of birds of over a 
dozen species congregated on the 
above-mentioned bare patch, which 
at this time was partly covered by 
shallow water, the rest being wet 
mud. 
Between this date and 9-4-52 
seventeen visits were paid to the 
area. Most of the earlier visits were 
to the Davis Bridge pool only, but 
after this had dried out the birds 
were found at another pool hall- 
way between the Tapleys Hill and 
Henley Beach Roads. By 9-4-52, 
after some rain, the channel con- 
tained water throughout its length 
and almost all the water birds had 
disappeared, only three species 
being recorded on this occasion, 
viz. Swamphen, Black-fronted Dot- 
terel and White-faced Heron. 
Although most of the visits were 
merely to one or both of the pools 
mentioned above, the channel 
between the Davis Bridge and the 
mouth (a distance of just over one 
mile) was examined on one oc- 
casion, and to half a mile above 
the Henley Beach Road on two 
occasions. 
The following is the list of birds 
observed. Birds that could be seen 
on the beach at he mouth of the 
channel (such as Crested Terns, 
Red-capped Dotterels, Little Stints, 
etc.) are not included. The pad- 
docks surrounding the channel 
were not examined; any inhabi- 
tants of these areas recorded were 
merely seen or heard in passing, or 
seen flying over. 
