Bird outing to Karrook at Kalimna Park

Posted on 24 May, 2016 by Tanya Loos

By Tanya Loos.

Saturday 14 May 2016 had a magical Autumn morning and our group of 25 bird observers was ably led by Jules Walsh and Geoff Hannon from Friends of Kalimna Park. Jules and Geoff are locals in the area and were able to share with the group some of the history of the site known as Karrook. Thanks Jules and Geoff!

It was very quiet at first, with our group seeing few birds. But by the time we got to the gully/ dam area, the bushland was alive with Scarlet Robins (6!!), thornbills, White-throated Treecreepers and a very healthy looking male Golden Whistler. Another highlight was a Little Eagle soaring overhead!

We also saw an Eastern Spinebill –a small, much-loved honeyeater, most often seen in gardens so great to see in the bush! One of you (I think it was Lynette!) asked me if the female had a grey crown,  and I most mistakedly said  “oh no, that difference is the difference between White-eared male and female honeyeaters”. Well,  I am happy to say that as a birdwatcher one is learning all the time and I was very wrong! Geoff Park did a lovely blog post on Natural Newstead on these birds which points out that the female spinebill does indeed have a grey crown (as in the picture by Geoff below, and read more on this post HERE).

Our outing was during the annual mainland Australia Swift Parrot survey count weekend. While we did not see any Swifties, we have nevertheless  submitted a survey form,  as knowing where they are NOT is also very important. I have attached a word copy of the completed survey form (WL_-_Swift_Parrot-Regent_Honeyeater_survey_sheetConnectingCountry).

If you would like to be on the email list for bird surveys in the area – drop me an email at tanya@connectingcountry.org.au.

A female eastern Spinebill, by Geoff Park

Our bird walk also happened to fall upon the Global Big Day Out 2016 – a massive worldwide event that encourages users of eBird to record their sightings. eBird is an online recording tool that can be downloaded as an app, or used online.  To see our survey as it looks in the eBird program go HERE.

Don’t worry if you have never heard of eBird – it is a great tool, and fun to check out but not essential. Sometime this year BirdLife Australia will finish their smartphone app and online recording tool or portal – we’re expecting that this will be more useful and relevant to us than eBird, as it is locally-based and uses exactly the same bird surveying methods.

Having said that I think the idea of a simultaneous worldwide bird count is a lot of fun! The results of the Global Big Day Out are in: 6,199 species recorded by 15,446 people all over the world! In Australia, 487 species were recorded in 944 checklists by just 309 people! Our humble contribution was 20 species! I encourage you to explore the Global Big Day website (click HERE)  – it is really inspiring and has a lovely picture of a map of birds all over the world to download.

The statistics for the Global Big Day Out

Swift Parrot count this weekend

Posted on 11 May, 2016 by Tanya Loos

Fans of the Swift Parrot are pleased to hear that the “swifties” are back in the Mount Alexander region, with a small flock of adults and juveniles reported on Geoff Park’s blog Natural Newstead (click here). These precious and declining migratory parrots visit the area every year in Autumn and winter. BirdLife Australia coordinates counts across the birds’ range, and we encourage you to participate this weekend (14-15 May 2016)! The Swift Parrot surveys can be undertaken in a couple of different ways.

Swift Parrot feasting on blossom, a beautiful photo by Chris Tzaros.

1. Join me on an outing to Kalimna Park this Saturday 14 May 2016. Kalimna Park is not renowned for a lot of Swiftie sightings but it is good to know where the birds are not occurring, as well as where they are. This walk is a rescheduled outing from last week which was cancelled due to bad weather. Please call or email to book a place and for further details. Phone 0400 458 910 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
2. Head out on a survey yourself! The form to use is very easy and can be downloaded from the Birdlife website (click here). Elizabeth (Beth) Mellick from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation is coordinating the various Swiftie survey locations in our region, so if you are carrying out a survey, please email Beth at  beth@nwf.org.au.  The Muckleford-Newstead area is usually the best place to go to see some Swift Parrots!  However, some other potential locations that are not yet covered by birdwatchers include: Harcourt, Nuggetty, Welshmans Reef, and if you wish to go further south, Campbelltown and Talbot.

From Tanya Loos,
Coordinator of Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Projects

Autumn bird breeding and a pardalote nest box

Posted on 20 April, 2016 by Tanya Loos

From Tanya Loos, Woodland Birds Project Coordinator.

The summer of 2015 – 2016 has been a strange one; long and hot and mostly very dry. While some of the signs of Autumn are here, such as the arrival of Eastern Spinebills and other autumn migrants (as noted on the Natural Newstead blog), in other cases birds are still behaving as if it is summer!  Patrick Kavanagh (Newstead Landcare)  photographed this beautiful Common Bronzewing on the nest at the Rise and Shine Reserve on March 19. This is a very late time to breed.

This is a male Common Bronzewing, the female’s colours are more muted. Pic by Patrick Kavanagh

Patrick also reports frenzied activity around his Striated Pardalote nestbox – could they be going for brood number four at his place?! Pardalotes usually breed around September to February, with some records of breeding as late as March. Patrick has some beautiful photos of his Striated Pardalotes on the Natural Newstead blog here.

Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives and Newstead Landcare has kindly sent in photos and building instructions for her Striated Pardalote nest box  – an ingenious use of recycled materials, and such a simple design, I think even I could make this box!

According to Frances:  “The pardalote ‘box’ is made of heavy duty cardboard roll…and so needs to be placed under the eaves, out of the rain.

It was designed and made by Ric Higgins who has apartment blocks of them under the eaves at his place at Yandoit, all occupied by Striated Pardalotes in the springtime.  You often see designs with a perch near the entrance home but it is not necessary.”

The design is featured below, and followed by a photo of the Striated Pardalotes gathered around the nestbox at Frances’s place in Newstead. Who knows – if you are quick and get this delightful home up and running, you might have a brood of Autumn pardalotes at your place!

Drawing by Ric Higgins

Pardalotes at the nest box, pic by Bonnie Humphreys

Feathered Five Festival March 2016: Diamonds in the hills

Posted on 15 February, 2016 by Tanya Loos

There’s diamonds in those hills – Diamond Firetails, that is. This jewel of a bird is one of the ‘feathered five’, our very special woodland bird species that are a focus for Connecting Country. Over the years, we have supported a number of on-ground projects that strive to ensure these five species and other woodland birds are flourishing in the Mount Alexander region of central Victoria now and in the future.

Our inaugural Feathered Five Festival is a celebration of woodland birds and their habitat with two days of birdwatching, activities and talks over the weekend of 19-20 March 2016. However, you don’t need to be a budding birdwatcher to attend the free Saturday Evening Forum on the 19^th of March in Campbells Creek.

From 5pm until 6pm, Connecting Country staff members will be on hand to answer your land management concerns; Bonnie Humphreys can help you identify any plant, Jarrod Coote will consider whole farm planning and funding opportunities, Tanya Loos knows lots about birds and other fauna,  Alex Schipperen is great with practical things such as fencing and the control of weeds and rabbits, and Asha Bannon will help you link-up with your local Landcare Group. You can bring along any plant samples you’d like identified and you can contact us beforehand if you’d like a detailed aerial photo of your property to discuss. Meanwhile, Judy Laycock will be running some exciting nature art activities with the kids.

Following a tasty dinner from Growing Abundance and music by Castlemaine’s Chat Warblers, we are thrilled to have Professor Andrew Bennett, from Latrobe University and the Arthur Rylah Institute, and Phil Ingamells, from the VNPA, share their thoughts on the future of biodiversity in the area. Andrew has been a scientific advisor to Connecting Country since 2010 and will discuss “Drought then flooding rains; how do woodland birds respond to climatic change?”. Phil Ingamells is sure to inspire us with his talk “Collaborating on ten things we can all do to help nature adapt to a new climate”. A short panel discussion will take place after the talks.

On both mornings of the Feathered Five Festival, bird walks in search of the feathered five will occur in various locations around the Mount Alexander region. Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Coordinator, Tanya Loos, explains; “in the last year or two, through walks and workshops, we have been encouraging a cohort of budding birdwatchers to get out there and improve their birdwatching skills. This weekend is their time to shine as a number of community led walks will be carried out simultaneously on the Saturday morning – the feathered five drive!”

On the Sunday morning, we’re pleased take part in a guided nature walk with a special focus on woodland birds and their habitat. The walk will take place at a private property in Strangways which is a woodland wonderland, with a lovely grassy understory and grand old eucalypts. This joint Connecting Country and the Friends of Box Ironbark Forest (FOBIF) event will be led by Tanya Loos (Connecting Country) and Andrew Skeoch from Listening Earth.

You can come to one event –or all three! Bookings are essential – by the 17th March 2016. Click here for more information and to book, or call Connecting Country on 5472 1594.

This festival has been made possible with funding from the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Australian Government.

Muckleford bird outing

Posted on 8 February, 2016 by Tanya Loos

Beginner birdwatchers and experienced mentors alike joined together to explore the Muckleford forests on Sunday 7 February, 2016.

The morning was warm and  still, and the bush seemed washed clean after the recent downpours to grace the area. We concentrated on a few sites along Mia Mia Track near Newstead, and then finished at the “Quince Tree” site, along Pullans Rd towards Maldon.  The group was rather large, at twenty people, but we saw some great birds, and learnt a lot from one another, too.

Part of the group scans the bush for woodland birds at the Quince tree site

Geoff Park has been featuring the Mia Mia track on Natural Newstead lately, and he kindly provided some local “intel” on some good spots.

As we stood around introducing ourselves at our first stop,  we heard the distinctive call of the Crested Bellbird way off in the distance, and we also saw and heard a Peaceful Dove.

We saw a female Hooded Robin and searched for the male Hooded Robin without success, but a male Rufous Whistler resplendent in his russet-coloured plumage gave everyone excellent views. We also saw plenty of honeyeaters, such as Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters. Another highlight was very good views of a juvenile Rufous Whistler, with a streaked breast.

And then, all at once, there was a small flock of Varied Sittella working the bark on the trees, an adult male Scarlet Robin with a  juvenile Scarlet Robin, a Speckled Warbler hopping along the ground, and some Buff-rumped Thornbills. Not everyone got to see every bird – but most people saw the Sittellas which I am very glad for, as they are a special little bird, almost like tiny treecreepers.

As it was getting hot, we moved to the Quince Tree site a little earlier in the hope of seeing a few more birds. We also carried out our second “2 hectare 20 minute” survey of the day. This method is the gold standard of bird surveying – moving slowly along an area of two hectares, recording all birds seen and heard for exactly twenty minutes. Some of the participants have set up survey sites on their properties, while others are surveying the many group sites we have dotted about the Mount Alexander region. Practicing the method in a group is always worthwhile! For more on bird surveying and group sites – see HERE.

‘Quince Tree’ is the unofficial local name for a public bushland reserve near the eastern end of Pullans Rd in Gowar. It is named for the group of old Quince trees near the site entrance, and it has been a renowned site for Victorian birdwatchers for decades.  The drought hit the birds of Muckleford forest hard, and while the site is not as amazing as its glory days in the eighties, it still has a consistently good number of special woodland birds. This site is actually one of Connecting Country’s official bird monitoring sites and over 60 species have been observed here since 2010 – including Painted Button-quail, White-browed Woodswallow, White-winged Triller, Black-chinned Honeyeater and Little Lorikeet.

As we did the survey, we had some unusual views of White-browed Babblers high in the canopy in a couple of large Mistletoe clumps. Babblers are usually on the ground or in shrubs! We also caught  glimpses of the dozens of Fuscous Honeyeaters in the area, and also Brown Treecreepers. As often happens on bird outings, the highlight was back where the cars were parked.

The babblers emerged from a stand of silver wattles, and one flew very close to our group with feathers in its bill, and then entered a nest in the Quince trees! We were surprised to note that breeding was occurring at this time of year, however, I have since discovered that babblers actually maintain their nests year round as a permanent roosting or sleeping site for the babbler family! The Birds in Backyards profile on White-browed Babblers also states that while most breeding is from June to November, these sociable birds will breed at any time of year – see this link for more information:  [Birds in Backyards]. So we do not know whether the birds are lining their nests for the coming of another brood, or just keeping the roosting nests nice and comfy with a feather lining!

To register your interest for upcoming bird walks, please send me an email or give me a call. Tanya Loos, Woodland Birds Project Coordinator, 5472 1594, or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater update 2015

Posted on 14 January, 2016 by Tanya Loos

In the last couple of days, ABC Hobart has reported that this summer’s baby Swift Parrots have nearly all left Bruny Island in southern Tasmania to begin their migration to mainland Australia.

Dr Dejan Stojanovic, who has been monitoring the parrots, said the birds would fly over Tasmania first before heading north.  The young “swifties” can be distinguished from the adults by their calls. For more information and to hear the calls, read the article here

These young Swift Parrots face many challenges. Photo by Dejan Stojanovic

Each year for the past decade or so, BirdLife Australia have coordinated special survey weekends on mainland Australia for the migratory Swift Parrot and the nomadic Regent Honeyeaters.  One survey weekend is held in mid-May each year, and the other in early August.  An update from BirdLife details the findings from the last survey season for these two Critically Endangered woodland birds. For the full report, click on the link to see the Swift Parrot Regent Honeyeater 2015 update, or you can read the summary I have prepared below.

Swift Parrots

Much valued volunteers from the ACT, NSW and here in Victoria participated in the counts, including the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club and a number of other swiftie devotees we have locally. In central Victoria, the parrots were reported at Muckleford, Kyneton and the Greater Bendigo National Park.

The average flock size across their entire mainland range was small – generally between 1 to 40 birds – although in NSW one flock was observed with over 100 individuals!

The numbers of Swift Parrots found on the two dedicated survey weekends were low during 2015, despite a similar survey effort compared to previous year. In other years with similar low numbers of Swift Parrots on the survey weekends (e.g. 2009 and 2012), large groups were eventually located later in the season. This was not the case for 2015, where low numbers of Swift Parrots were reported throughout their mainland range across the whole period.

These findings support the recent uplisting of the Swift Parrot from Endangered to Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.  The threats they face in Tasmania, including continued logging of their breeding habitat and predation by the introduced Sugar Glider, coupled with ongoing drought in their winter feeding grounds on the mainland are hastening the decline of this very special parrot.

Connecting Country looks forward very much to the May 2016 Swift Parrot surveys, as recording where the birds are feeding and the numbers of birds is critical to the recovery effort. Thanks to all those who participated in 2015.

Regent Honeyeaters

The Regent Honeyeater was once a widespread species and moderately common across Victoria, including central Victoria. A blossom nomad, the distinctive honeyeaters would follow the flowering of the ironbarks and the Yellow Box trees  across the great woodlands that once covered Victoria and NSW.  These days, the picture is very different, with one sole wild Regent Honeyeater reported from Victoria in the 2015 year.  They are doing a little better in NSW, with over 100 wild individuals detected.

The Regent Honeyeater is the subject of an intensive recovery program, involving a captive bred population, where adults are released into prime Regent habitat around Chiltern in north-eastern Victoria. Some 77 individuals were released in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, and then monitored very closely through the use of radio transmitters. Happily the survival rates have been excellent, and breeding has occurred! One fledgeling raised by captive bred parents is still going strong months later – and named Lucky as he narrowly escaped being eaten by a Magpie! This incredible program is described in detail here.

Tanya Loos, 14 Jan 2016.

Lucky, a young Regent Honeyeater- 28 days post-fledging. Photo by Graham Watson.

Fancy seeing your photos at the next FOBIF exhibition?

Posted on 17 December, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Many of you will be familiar with the stunning photography exhibitions that are curated by the Friends of Box-Ironbark Forests (FOBIF), featuring intricate moss portraits, woodland birds and other flora and fauna of our beautiful area.  The theme of the next FOBIF photo exhibition is Trees in the Mount Alexander Region, and FOBIF are calling for potential photographers now.

TOGS in Castlemaine will host the exhibition in March 2016 and later in the year the Newstead Railway Arts Hub has kindly agreed host the same exhibition. Photos will be for sale to cover FOBIF costs.

The tree theme also allows photos of  close-ups of buds, nuts and flowers – and the fauna that live among the tree bark and foliage. For more information on submitting photos, and the guidelines click here.

We are excited at Connecting Country because March is also the month of the first Feathered Five Festival – a two day celebration of five very special woodland birds that live in our local forests. More on this soon….

This is a magnificent tree – which I think is a Manna Gum.  FOBIF members have kindly offered to assist in the correct identification of the trees for any submitted photos. Picture by Tanya Loos

Bush birds with Chris Tzaros – a memorable morning monitoring!

Posted on 11 December, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Last Saturday, 5 December 2015, over 25 of us were treated to a morning workshop with author and photographer, Chris Tzaros.  Chris is a wonderful presenter and ecologist, and his talk was a fantastic overview of the bush birds of the ‘Connecting Country landscape’. Chris likes to call them bush birds rather than woodland birds, because as he rightly pointed out, many of our so-called woodland birds are found in the area’s extensive Box Ironbark Forests.

I was also really amazed by Chris’s ability to mimic bird calls – no need to play the smartphone bird call app at all!

In a comprehensive presentation,  Chris pointed out that we have a particularly rich bird fauna in this area on account of being at the intersection of many different landscapes. There is the Loddon River and the surrounding plains, Cairn Curran and the open country, the dry forests of Sandon and Muckleford, Mount Alexander and the River Red gum plains of Sutton Grange and surrounds.  We also have quite good patches of bush left, which means that our declining woodland birds are faring a bit better here than in other more degraded areas. Chris gave us a great overview of the birds of this area, including a special focus on the feathered five – the five species selected as ambassadors for woodland birds in the region.

Chris has provided training for many bird monitoring programs around Victoria across a diverse range of landscapes and communities. The bird monitoring method is kept consistent by training each area across the state to use the standard 2 hectare 20 minute bird survey.  This is the methodology recommended by BirdLife Australia, and also the method we use to monitor birds for our seasonal surveys.

As Connecting Country’s woodland bird coordinator, I also introduced everyone to the eleven zones identified as priority habitat areas in the region for declining woodland birds, and directed participants to the Group Sites which are the starting point for our community monitoring program.  The link below takes you to the bird monitoring page which has both the Group Site maps and a birdwatchers kit (in PDF format) – with instructions on how to survey, how to submit data and so on:  all of which are available for download (click here).

After the presentations, we visited the Rise and Shine Reserve and carried out a 2 hectare 20 minute survey at the Rise and Shine Group survey site. We were delighted to see one of the feathered five – a Jacky Winter – nesting at the entrance to the reserve!

Chris was very impressed with everyone’s enthusiasm and the willingness  to start counting birds, both on their properties and in the surrounding areas.  We will be building on this energy in 2016, with monthly bird outings, a Feathered Five Festival (19-20 March) and a new program called Stewards for Woodland Birds. Watch this space!

For more information or to get involved, please telephone me (Tanya Loos) at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594, or email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

It was well over thirty degrees Celsius at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve – but we did see a few birds on our two hectare twenty minute survey. Pic by Kerrie Jennings.

Here a Jacky Winter stands above the nest, with feathers sleeked down and wings outstretched in an effort to stay cool. Thanks for the pic Kerrie!

Woodland Bird Monitoring Workshop with Chris Tzaros – 9 Dec 2015

Posted on 18 November, 2015 by Tanya Loos

On the first Saturday of December, join a small group of bird observers for a morning with ecologist and photographer Chris Tzaros. Chris shall take us through the ins and outs of monitoring woodland birds – with a special focus on the collection of data for Connecting Country and BirdLife Australia.

We are currently looking for volunteers to carry out regular bird surveys on both private and public land across the Mount Alexander region. In particular we are searching for the feathered five: the Jacky Winter, Painted Button-quail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper and Diamond Firetail. Attending this workshop would be a great first step in getting involved.

The workshop will cover:

• A background to bird identification and bird fauna of the Mount Alexander region.
• Bird monitoring methods of the monitoring project (including a practical component).
• The role of community volunteers in ecological monitoring projects.

Some experience in bird watching is desired, however we are open to any enthusiastic attendees! Be quick though – we have just a few places left.

When: Saturday 5th December 2015 , 9am-12pm  (followed by lunch until 1pm).

Where: Newstead Community Centre, Newstead.

RSVP: Essential! Contact Tanya Loos on 03 5472 1594 or by  email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au. Please detail any dietary requirements.

A male Red-capped Robin, by Chris Tzaros

 About Chris Tzaros: Chris is a wildlife ecologist and nature photographer for his company; Birds, Bush and Beyond. In 1997 he was awarded Young Australian of the Year in the Victorian environment category in recognition of his commitment to box-ironbark conservation and his dedicated work on threatened birds such as the Grey-Crowned Babbler and Swift Parrot. In 2005, Chris authored a comprehensive book on the Wildlife of Australia’s Box-Ironbark Country. Chris is also an accomplished bird photographer and has contributed many beautiful images to Connecting Country’s Woodland Birds Brochure.

Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2015

Posted on 7 October, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Celebrate National Bird Week 2015 by taking part in the biggest citizen science project to hit Aussie shores!  From 19-25 October, thousands of people from across the country are heading out into their backyards, local parks, or favourite outdoor spaces to take part in the second annual AUSSIE BACKYARD BIRD COUNT!   This is an initiative of BirdLife Australia; Connecting Country is an affiliate group of this fantastic organisation. We have a data-sharing agreement with BirdLife Australia – which means that the Aussie Backyard Bird Count helps us keep track of how woodland birds are faring in the Mount Alexander region.

 To get involved in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, all you need is 20 minutes, your outdoor space of choice, and some keen eyesight (or binoculars).  It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or an expert.  Simply record the birds you know and look up those you don’t on BirdLife’s new Aussie Bird Count app or our through their website (www.aussiebirdcount.org.au).  You’ll instantly see live statistics and information on how many people are taking part near you and the number of birds and species counted across your neighbourhood and the whole of Australia!

Not only will you get to know your feathered neighbours, but you’ll be contributing to a vital pool of information from across the nation that will help us see how Australian birds are faring.  Last year volunteers counted 800,000 birds from across Australia, this year Birdlife Australia hopes to make it to at least one million. Get your friends and family together, head into the great outdoors and start counting!

For more information head to www.aussiebirdcount.org.au  or check out the ABBC Poster.

Also, don’t forget that there are some great guest speakers in the Mount Alexander Shire area over the coming weeks, with Andrew Skeoch speaking at the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club this Friday (9 Oct) and Emmi Scherlies talking about Powerful Owls at the Newstead Community Centre next Thursday (15 Oct).  See our earlier blog for further details on these two events (click here).  We’ll also have some information soon about our guest speaker at our upcoming AGM on 27 October.

‘Bird Week’ in the Castlemaine Library October 2015

Posted on 7 October, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Ever wondered which bird field guide is for you? What about a good bird book for kids?  Head into the Castlemaine Library this month to check out our Bird Week display.

A small sample of the books and brochures about Australian birds.

Connecting Country has teamed up with the Castlemaine Library to present the display and includes reviews of some of the key bird books available.

For young people and the young at heart the Library also has the Great Library Bird Count activity…

 The Bird Week display will be in the Castlemaine Library from 10th October – 24th October. 

Bird Week is an initiative of BirdLife Australia, and runs at the same time as the Aussie Backyard Bird Count. If you go to the Aussie Backyards webpage you can see that the Castlemaine Library display joins ‘bird week’ displays from all around Australia.

 If you can’t make it to the Library, see the Connecting Country birdwatching page for resources and useful tips to get you started.

Enjoy Spring at Pilchers Bridge: a celebration of flora and fauna

Posted on 18 September, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Landholder Chris Kirwan has generously invited one and all to his magnificent Trust for Nature property on Saturday 26 September 2015.

Perched on the edge of the Pilchers Bridge Nature Conservation Reserve, Chris’s  property protects Heathy Dry Forest and Box Ironbark Forest. The vegetation provides important habitat for the endangered Lace Monitor, the vulnerable Brush-tailed Phascogale and the Powerful Owl, and listed Victorian Temperate Woodland Bird Community species such as Speckled Warbler.

Tanya Loos will be giving a short talk on the birds of the area – as Connecting Country has two monitoring sites very close to Chris’s property. She will be joined by “the moth-man”, ecologist Steve Williams who will give a short talk on moths and the understorey; Ian Higgins from North Central CMA, who will present on the local flora;  Patrick Pigott, Ecologist, Federation University who will discuss a nearby tree thinning trial,  as well as representatives from CFA, and Axe Creek Landcare.  CLICK HERE to see the flyer.

Saturday 26^th September 2015

10.00 am to 4.00 pm

at 178 Huddle Road, Myrtle Creek

Sponsored by the Axe Creek Landcare Group  

Enquiries: Chris Kirwan Phone: 5439-6494   Email: cwkirwan@bigpond.com

A magnificent Lace Monitor – very rare these days and obviously quite at home!

Magic moments of winter bird monitoring

Posted on 8 August, 2015 by Tanya Loos

One of the joys of bird monitoring is the experience of magic moments: special points of time and place that stand out in the mind as truly special. Connecting Country’s winter bird monitoring has been completed for the 2015 year, involving two surveys at each of the 54 sites, which totals 108 ‘twenty minute – two hectare’ surveys. Here are a few of the magic moments from this winter’s wet and windy efforts!

While looking for the typical, tiny bush bird shapes in the foliage on the side of a hill in Metcalfe Conservation Reserve, I was completely taken aback by the sight of a huge Wedge-tailed Eagle taking off from the ground just metres in front of me, closely followed by another, younger bird. They had been eating a dead kangaroo, and the pair perched nearby in a paddock tree watching me closely as I completed the survey.

Speckled Warblers are not often encountered; they are a small, ground-foraging woodland bird somewhat like a scrubwren, with attractive streaky plumage. One lucky afternoon I had brilliant views of two foraging in rocky grassy undergrowth at the Nuggettys, then observed another at a direct seeding site in Maldon, foraging on the ground with thornbills and Scarlet Robins.

This year I have had the fortunate opportunity to set up a number of new bird monitoring sites (eight in total) with landholders who have past or present Connecting Country revegetation projects on their properties. After surveying a direct seeding site in the Blue Hills area, myself and the landholders went for a walk and we were rewarded with a brilliant session; dozens of bird species including Hooded Robins, Jacky Winters, Brown Treecreepers and culminating in a pair of Crested Shrike-tits doing a courtship wing shivering display. Magic!

This striking male Crested Shrike-tit was photographed by Geoff Park, and featured on his blog Natural Newstead.

If you are interested in a revegetation project on your property, call Jarrod Coote at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594 to find out more.

And for those of you who are enjoying the birds on your property; watch this space, as we will be going out on another outing in early September.

by Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Project Coordinator.

Australian Bird Index launched

Posted on 17 July, 2015 by Tanya Loos

On Wednesday (15 July 2015), BirdLife Australia launched the Australian Bird Index. This ground-breaking research measures the health of Australia’s terrestrial bird populations.  For the first time, vast quantities of data collected by volunteers and researchers have been analyzed to produce indices that help track Australia’s current state of biodiversity.

Just as the Consumer Price Index is a useful tool to evaluate the nation’s economy, The Australian Bird Index is a tool to quantify the overall health of the environment – using birds as the barometer.

The Bird Index has come about thanks to 15 years of citizen science data collection: comprising 14 million records and 900,000 surveys from across Australia – including many from the Mount Alexander region.

A Purple-crowned Lorikeet by Chris Tzaros – pic from Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Brochure

Now that Connecting Country is an affiliated organization with BirdLife Australia, both the data we collect for our long term monitoring program, and the data you submit,  will be shared with BirdLife to assist in this important work.

So how are we faring? In order to make sense of the data, the Australian Bird Index breaks Australia up into nine regions: for example, the Mount Alexander Shire occurs entirely within the South-east Mainland region.  In the South-east Mainland, dry woodland and forest dependent parrots are showing distinct downward trends over the last 13 years. These species include Purple-crowned, Musk and Little Lorikeets, Crimson Rosella and Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo.

But we see Crimson Rosellas all the time, I hear you say – this is the tricky thing about analyzing the data over a large area – in some areas the rosellas may actually be steady or even increasing, whereas across other areas, rosellas are dropping out of the  picture entirely. As such, BirdLife researchers plan to carry out further research for the comprehensive State of Australia’s Birds report planned for early release in 2016. For more on the Australian Bird Index and the upcoming report:  see here

The Australian Bird Index can tell us that the Purple-crowned Lorikeet has declined markedly, but not why this beautiful little bird has been reported as declining.  Again – further research is required to tease out some answers. My guess is that the changing weather patterns are playing havoc with the flowering of the eucalypts that these tiny blossom nomads rely upon.

Geoff Park has recently posted some stunning photos of the Purple-crowned Lorikeet (click here)  and it is great to hear that readers of his blog have reported seeing this species in good numbers.

Report from Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Coordinator

Winter migrants brighten bush and paddock

Posted on 20 June, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Connecting Country surveys birds in two distinct seasons – the winter non-breeding period from May to July, and the spring breeding period from September to November. Each season has its characteristic bird species, as well as quite a bit of overlap.

The 2015 winter bird surveys began in mid-May. In the Box Ironbark forests, such as occurs at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve pictured here, Golden Whistlers are present in good numbers. The magnificent golden male looks like a sunrise in his yellow, black and white plumage. The greyish brown females and juveniles can be hard to identify at first, but once you get your eye in they can be identified with confidence. Geoff Park has some great photos here and ID tips here.

When this photo was taken at Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve it was below zero degrees! The bush birds didn’t seem to mind – with plenty of weebills and thornbills bustling about.

Also bringing a blaze of colour to the region are Flame Robins – very aptly named little robins which may be seen mainly on grazed paddocks, often in groups of ten or more. Like the Golden Whistlers, the Flame Robins have a very brightly coloured male, and brownish females and young birds, known as “brown birds”.

A stunning male Flame Robin, photo by Geoff Park.

Both of these species have raised their young at higher altitudes of the Great Dividing Range, and are now spending winter in the lowlands. Lucky for us!

15 May 2015 – Help Tanya pull a swiftie!

Posted on 6 May, 2015 by Tanya Loos

It’s that time of year again – when bird enthusiasts across south-eastern Australia are seen staring intently into Yellow Gums searching for swifties and regents.
Swifties or Swift Parrots are very special visitors to the box ironbark forests from about April to September each year, flying across Bass Strait from their breeding grounds in Tasmania. The Mount Alexander Shire is one of the best-known swiftie hot-spots in Victoria. Visit Geoff Park’s blog Natural Newstead for an update on recent observations (click here). The last Regent Honeyeater stronghold is in NSW, but there is a glimmer of a chance they will visit this area again one day.

The Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club have participated in the annual Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater surveys for over twenty years, and will be taking part over the official survey weekend on May 16 and 17. However, surveys can be done up to a week either side of this weekend. These surveys provide critical long-term data on the movements, habitat use and population sizes of these two threatened species.

If you would like to join in a search for swifties, and visit a really special spot at the same time, why not join Connecting Country’s resident birdo Tanya on her survey outing on Friday 15 May 2015. She will be visiting Columbine Creek in the Fryers Range State Forest, south of Fryerstown. The survey will begin at 9am, and finish midday at the latest.
Please email or telephone Tanya for the details (03 5472 1594 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au). Everyone from beginner to expert is very welcome to join in.

If you would like to do a Swiftie survey on another day, copies of the datasheet are available for downloading (WB-Swift_Parrot-Regent_Honeyeater_survey_sheet-May_2014  ). Even if you don’t see the target species during your searches, it is still worthwhile to send the information about your unsuccessful search into Birdlife Australia. It helps them to know where birds are not being found, as well as where they are present.

In 2014, Doug Ralph showed us the beauty and richness of the Columbine Creek bushland.

For more information on the Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater BirdLife survey results from 2014: Swift Parrot & Regent Honeyeater August update for 2015_FINAL

Making Connections: A bird’s eye view

Posted on 14 April, 2015 by Tanya Loos

On Friday 27 March 2015, some 30 people gathered together with me (Tanya Loos) and other Connecting Country staff in the Sutton Grange area to explore landscape ecology using the feathered five as our practical examples – these being the five focal species for the Habitat for Bush Birds project; the Jacky Winter, Painted Button-quail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper and the Diamond Firetail.

 Dr Pia Lentini, an ecologist from Melbourne University brought her considerable expertise to the Sutton Grange hall to introduce us to concepts such as landscape connectivity and landscape ecology. Pia also introduced us to some principles of conservation planning – In particular, how do we prioritise our actions? We dipped our toes into this complex field by looking at a case studies and plenty of pictures of woodland birds. Pia concluded with mapped examples of conservation planning work that she has undertaken using the eleven priority woodland bird zones identified for the Habitat for Bush Birds project. Watch this space – as Pia’s research is completed we will let you know more!

After lunch, David Merrick from Tarrleah Drive in Sedgwick shared the story of the revegetation work that has been achieved in his small community over the past fifteen years. As one participant said, David’s talk summarised beautifully “ the community interaction to create the habitat, and the ongoing interaction required to continue the work”. Resident Tamsin Byrne also kindly lent us her photo albums from the Tarrleah Drive revegetation works. We visited Tamsin’s property after lunch for a bird walk.

 We were most fortunate to have Shane Carey present on the day to take some photographs. Shane is a photojournalism student at Latrobe University, who is taking photos of Connecting Country and our activities for his university requirements. Thanks Shane!
For more photos, pdfs of the presentations and further reading from the Making Connections workshop, visit the webpage (click here).

Birdwatchers dwarfed by Tamsin Byrne’s incredible Red Box tree.

23 April 2015 – Why music happened; birdsong, music and the evolution of listening

Posted on 10 April, 2015 by Tanya Loos

The Castlemaine Library is set to come alive later this month with the sounds of bird calls, frog choruses and drumbeats.  “Why music happened; birdsong, music and the evolution of listening” is a  sonic journey presented by Andrew Skeoch.

Andrew will explore how nature – through birdsong, animal calls, insect and frog choruses – uses sound to communicate, survive and adapt, and will discuss how music has evolved in our own species.

Andrew is a bioacoustic researcher, musician and sound recordist.  His intriguing conclusions are supported by audio recordings made over 20 years in wild habitats the world over, and will have you appreciating music from an entirely fresh perspective.

This free event is being hosted by the Castlemaine Library – Bookings are essential – please click here or phone the library on 5472 1458.
Light refreshments provided.

Thursday, 23 April 2015 – 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Castlemaine Library

Twitcher Picture – kids, birds and art at the Castlemaine State Festival

Posted on 2 April, 2015 by Tanya Loos

At Connecting Country, most of our education programs involve adults – so we were delighted to be a supporter of local illustrator/author Trace Balla’s recent activities as part of the 2015 Castlemaine State Festival.

For five days, the Castlemaine Art Gallery was buzzing with round 500 local students from grades 2 to 6.  Trace Balla ran a local bird poster-making program, facilitating 20 workshops with around 500 students.  She showed them pictures from her illustrated book “Rivertime“, which is about a boy and his bird-watching Uncle’s canoe journey on the Glenelg River – which sparked lively conversations about bird identification and bird behaviour.  This was followed by a sketching demonstration by Trace.

Next, the students entered the art-making space, surrounded by bird sounds from a CD of recordings made by Andrew Skeoch and Chris Tzaros from the book “Wildlife of the Box Ironbark Country“. The walls were adorned with bird photographs by Geoff Park.  Students chose information sheets from Birdlife Australia and photographs from Geoff Park as inspiration to draw their own stunning bird posters with quirky facts.

“I loved inspiring the local kids to get to know more about their local birds . Hopefully this is just the starting point for many of them to develop a lifelong interest in our beautiful neighbours!” said Trace Balla.

Each student received a copy of the Woodland Birds of Central Victoria brochure, donated by Connecting Country.

This was such a successful project that there is talk that the gallery may continue to use the space as a children’s art space rather than a storeroom. And many students have been spotted drawing birds since!

We also send our congratulations to Trace as her book, “Rivertime” has just been shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize (click here for further details).

Woodland Bird Brochure launch next Monday (8 Dec)

Posted on 2 December, 2014 by Tanya Loos

It has been a couple of years in the making…
Connecting Country are thrilled to announce that the “Woodland Birds of Central Victoria” brochure is printed and ready to be released into the world.

When: Monday, December 8th 2014 from 5.30pm until about 6.30pm
Where: In the Hub garden, on corner of Barker St and Templeton St (enter via gate on Templeton St)
RSVPs are preferred as we will be supplying drinks and nibbles. RSVP to me, Tanya Loos, on 5472 1594 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

The brochure was initially developed by past Connecting Country Woodland Bird Coordinator Kerryn Herman and a team of local naturalists and photographers.  As part of my role of Habitat for Bush Birds Coordinator – I re-ignited the project and added in information on our focal woodland bird species, the feathered five; Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Painted Button-quail, Jacky Winter and Brown Treecreeper.  The subtitle of the brochure is “An identification and habitat management guide” because the birds are ordered into the particular kind of woodland bird habitat we might expect to see them in.

Geoff Park – well known for numerous local biodiversity activities, including his popular Natural Newstead website – is one who has generously contributed photographs to the brochure. He has also kindly agreed to speak at the launch about the brochure and its value – and of course, about our woodland birds!

We hope that landowners, landcare groups, schools and budding bird enthusiasts enjoy the Woodland Birds of Central Victoria brochure.  One free copy of the brochure will be available on the day for each attendee, with a gold coin donation for any additional copies.  All funds raised will go towards future reprints of the brochure.  And for those of you looking for nature-orientated Christmas gifts, copies of Friends of Box-Ironbark’s Mosses of dry forests of south eastern Australia and Tanya’s book Daylesford Nature Diary will be available for purchase.

Photographs and guidance for the brochure were provided by Nigel Harland, Damian Kelly, Greg and Jeanette License, Geoff Park, Chris Tzaros, Debbie Worland, Beth Mellick, Brendan Sydes and Ern Perkins.  Support for the brochure project came from the Victorian Government’s Communities for Nature program and from generous private donations to Connecting Country.

This photograph of a Weebill, a species often found within regenerating woodland habitat, was taken by Chris Tzaros.

The brochure on display next to a very old Wombat skull.