Honours Research Update
Are our mudflats safe for shorebirds?
Prepared for our MKEG Bequest • May 2026
About This Project
Every year, thousands of migratory shorebirds stop along our coastlines to feed on the small creatures — worms, snails, and crustaceans — that live in the mud of intertidal flats. These mudflats sit at the edge of our towns and cities, where they can receive runoff and pollution from the surrounding land. A key question that has not been fully answered is: could the contamination in these mudflats be harming the very birds that depend on them?
Gray Gourlay’s honours research project is setting out to answer that question. By measuring the levels of contaminants in mudflat sediments, plants, and invertebrates, and comparing them to what is known to be safe for shorebirds, the research will help us understand whether these important feeding grounds pose a risk to the birds that rely on them.
Progress So Far
Proposal accepted by the committee
Gray’s research plan was presented to and approved by the university honours committee earlier in April. The committee reviewed the aims, and methods, and gave the go-ahead to proceed. This is an important milestone: it means the research has been independently assessed and judged to be well-designed and scientifically sound.
Fieldwork completed
Fieldwork has now been carried out at mudflat sites where shorebirds are known to forage. Samples of sediment (the mud itself), intertidal plants, and the small invertebrates that shorebirds eat have all been collected. This hands-on sampling work is a critical step; it means the laboratory analysis will be grounded in real material from the places where birds actually feed.
Sampling in Fullerton Cove (17 March 2026), the most important foraging mudflat in the Hunter Estuary for Bar-tailed Godwit and Far Eastern Curlew.
Sampling completed to date
A Note of Thanks
To ensure the safety of the research team, we use a commercial provider to accompany us into Fullerton Cove. This sample collection and associated logistics (vessel cleaning) would not have been possible without the kind support of the MKEG bequest. A small amount of funds remains and these are being used to support field travel. The contribution is directly enabling a young researcher to ask, and begin to answer, a question that matters for the future of our shorebirds. Thank you.
Honours Research Project • Confidential Donor Update • May 2026
Are our mudflats safe for shorebirds?
Prepared for our MKEG Bequest • May 2026
About This Project
Every year, thousands of migratory shorebirds stop along our coastlines to feed on the small creatures — worms, snails, and crustaceans — that live in the mud of intertidal flats. These mudflats sit at the edge of our towns and cities, where they can receive runoff and pollution from the surrounding land. A key question that has not been fully answered is: could the contamination in these mudflats be harming the very birds that depend on them?
Gray Gourlay’s honours research project is setting out to answer that question. By measuring the levels of contaminants in mudflat sediments, plants, and invertebrates, and comparing them to what is known to be safe for shorebirds, the research will help us understand whether these important feeding grounds pose a risk to the birds that rely on them.
Progress So Far
Proposal accepted by the committee
Gray’s research plan was presented to and approved by the university honours committee earlier in April. The committee reviewed the aims, and methods, and gave the go-ahead to proceed. This is an important milestone: it means the research has been independently assessed and judged to be well-designed and scientifically sound.
Fieldwork completed
Fieldwork has now been carried out at mudflat sites where shorebirds are known to forage. Samples of sediment (the mud itself), intertidal plants, and the small invertebrates that shorebirds eat have all been collected. This hands-on sampling work is a critical step; it means the laboratory analysis will be grounded in real material from the places where birds actually feed.
Sampling in Fullerton Cove (17 March 2026), the most important foraging mudflat in the Hunter Estuary for Bar-tailed Godwit and Far Eastern Curlew.
Sampling completed to date
- 18/8/25. Hexham Swamp foraging grounds: 5 mudflat sediments, 5 saltmarsh sediments, 5 plants of three dominant saltmarsh species.
- 18/8/25. Tomago Wetlands foraging grounds. 5 mudflat sediments, 5 saltmarsh sediments, 5 plants of three dominant saltmarsh species.
- 18/8/25. Milham’s Pond foraging grounds. 5 mudflat sediments, 5 saltmarsh sediments, 5 plants of three dominant saltmarsh species.
- 17/3/26. Fullerton Cove foraging grounds. 10 mudflat sediments, 10 invertebrate samples.
- 1/5/26. Stockton Sandspit. 10 mudflat sediments, 10 saltmarsh sediments, 10 plants of three dominant saltmarsh species. 20 invertebrate sample collections.
- 12/5/26. Curlew Point. 10 mudflat sediments, 10 saltmarsh sediments, 10 plants of three dominant saltmarsh species. 20 invertebrate sample collections.
Laboratory analysis underway
The samples are now being analysed in the laboratory to measure the levels of contaminants present. A total of 60 sediment samples, 105 plant samples (3 species), and 337 invertebrate samples have been collected to date. Sediment samples from Fullerton Cove have been analysed for heavy metals and rare earth elements, while PFAS in sediment has been analysed for three locations, Hexham, Tomago and Milham’s pond to date. Plant material has undergone preparation for analysis and will now be freeze-dried using liquid nitrogen to improve output of homogenising. Invertebrates are being stored at - 20°C before dissection. 10 individuals make up one sample to ensure a wet weight of over 2g is reached. This is required for successful analysis of PFAS in tissue. Additional invertebrates will be collected from Stockton and Milhams pond in the coming weeks. By the 9th of June, two more sites (Hexham and Tomago) will be visited for sample collection, completing the fieldwork phase.
What Comes Next
Once the laboratory results are in, the contaminant levels found in the invertebrates will be compared against established thresholds for wildlife health. This will allow the research to draw conclusions about whether shorebirds foraging at these sites face a meaningful risk from what they eat. The findings will be written up as a full honours dissertation and are
A Note of Thanks
To ensure the safety of the research team, we use a commercial provider to accompany us into Fullerton Cove. This sample collection and associated logistics (vessel cleaning) would not have been possible without the kind support of the MKEG bequest. A small amount of funds remains and these are being used to support field travel. The contribution is directly enabling a young researcher to ask, and begin to answer, a question that matters for the future of our shorebirds. Thank you.
Honours Research Project • Confidential Donor Update • May 2026
