Bertha's Beach Important Bird Area
Designations | |
---|---|
Official name | Bertha's Beach |
Designated | 24 September 2001 |
Reference no. | 1103[1] |
Bertha's Beach Important Bird Area comprises 3300 ha of coastal wetlands at the entrance to Choiseul Sound, on the east coast of East Falkland, in the Falkland Islands. It lies about 8 km south-east of Mount Pleasant Airport and 40 km south-west of Stanley. It has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because of its significancer for a variety of migratory waders and other waterbirds. Overlapping it is the 4000 ha Bertha's Beach Ramsar site, recognising it as a wetland of international importance.[2][3]
Description[]
The site comprises the coast and its immediate hinterland from Fox Point to Bertha's Beach. It contains typical Falkland coastal wetland habitat with a white sand beach, coastal dunes, maritime heathland, freshwater ponds and brackish lagoons. The land behind Bertha's Beach is dominated by plains. To the north-east of Bertha's Beach is a large area of coastal lowlands with islands and promontories, with kelp beds extending up to 4 km offshore.[2][3]
Flora and fauna[]
Some 77 species of flowering plants have been recorded from the Ramsar site, including the rare . There is breeding colony of southern sea lions at the nearby Kelp Islands. Peale's dolphins can often be seen from the beach, playing in the surf.[2][3]
Birds[]
Birds for which the site is of conservation significance include breeding Falkland steamer ducks, ruddy-headed geese, gentoo penguins (500 pairs), Magellanic penguins and white-bridled finches, as well as migratory white-rumped sandpipers (15,000 individuals). The ponds behind the beach and dunes support many waterbirds including black-necked swans, Chiloe wigeons, Patagonian crested ducks, flying steamer ducks, yellow-billed pintails, silver and yellow-billed teals, and silvery and white-tufted grebes.[2]
References[]
- ^ "Bertha's Beach". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Bertha's Beach, East Falkland". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2012. Archived from the original on 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ a b c "Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands: Bertha's Beach" (PDF). Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK. 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
Coordinates: 51°52′S 58°19′W / 51.867°S 58.317°W
- Important Bird Areas of the Falkland Islands
- Ramsar sites in British Overseas Territories
- Landforms of the Falkland Islands
- East Falkland
- Falkland Islands geography stubs