Elphinstone bird walk – 1 May 2021

Posted on 29 April, 2021 by Frances

BirdLife Castlemaine District is teaming up with Elphinstone Land Management Association (ELMA) for their May 2021 bird walk. Bird walks are held monthly at some fabulous birding spots around central Victoria.

Please read on for more details from BirdLife Castlemaine District. To read their latest e-news – click here

May Bird Walk – Saturday 1 May 2021 – Coliban Main Channel, Elphinstone VIC

The next BirdLife Castlemaine District Branch bird walk will be held on Saturday 1 May 2021 along the Coliban Main Channel, Elphinstone. This is a joint walk, in conjunction with the Elphinstone Land Management Association (ELMA). The ELMA group of volunteers work on public and private land to enhance biodiversity, carry out land restoration, offer advice on best practice land use, and to manage pest plants and animals. ELMA is a member of the Farm Tree and Landcare Association (FTLA).

The walk is along the maintenance track running beside the Coliban Main Channel that transfers water from the Malmsbury Reservoir to Bendigo. It is very easy walking. The treed area which has mainly peppermint, box and stringy-bark with a moderate to high cover of shrubs and ground-layer vegetation starts out relatively narrow but increases in width as we continue along the walk.

Possible sightings are the usual several Honeyeaters, Scrubwrens, Fairy-wrens, Pardalotes and Treecreepers etc. with there being historical sightings of Eastern Spinebill, Dusky Woodswallow, Red-browed Finch, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Little Eagle and Tawny-crowned Honeyeater. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos have also been seen recently. Our walk leader is Damian Kelly. ALL WELCOME!

Note there are no toilets at the site.

Where: The walk will begin at the Coliban Main Channel gate No.14 where the channel crosses under Wright Street, Elphinstone VIC. From Castlemaine, take the Pyrenees Hwy (B180) toward Melbourne. About 10 lm from Castlemaine, turn right onto Diggers Way toward Elphinstone. Drive approximately 1.4 km and turn right onto Wright Street, drive about another 1.4 km to where the channel crosses under Wright Street. There is a small parking area but most will need to park along the road itself. The road is not overly busy but is a main road so please park and walk with care. GPS: -37.11611, 144.33747.

When: Meet at the Coliban Main Channel at 9:00 am.

Bring: Water, snacks, binoculars, sunscreen, hat, sturdy shoes. During snake season we strongly recommend wearing long trousers and covered-in shoes.

More info: Jane Rusden, 0448 900 896, Judy Hopley 0425 768 559 or Bob Dawson 0417 621 691.

Please note that walks will be cancelled if severe weather warnings are in place, persistent rain is forecast, the temperature is forecast to be 35 degrees C or above during the walk period, and/or a Total Fire Ban is declared. Please check your email and our Facebook page the day before the event in case there is a cancellation.