Ruby gives voice to sapphire – Scarlet Robins in Nature News August 4 2017

Posted on 13 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos

For this month’s Nature News, Connecting Country Landcare Facilitator, Asha Bannon shares her observations of Scarlet Robins in Campbells Creek.

“A flash of wing on a blue sky
A breast of delicate wildfire
The weight of day is carried away
As ruby gives voice to sapphire”

The opening words of Michael Kennedy’s song, “Scarlet Robin” beautifully sum up the joy of this bird. It’s a rare occasion that I’ll go out into the bush in spring without hearing the Scarlet Robin’s gentle “chee-dalee-dalee” call, a crucial part of a Box Ironbark soundscape. The male’s bright red breast can also give them away as they move through the bush, but you may need to look a little closer to spot his more camouflaged girlfriend.

Scarlet Robins are one of many woodland birds that depend on ground-level habitat to feed. Perching on a low branch or piece of fallen timber, they use this vantage point to spot insects on the ground below. They then swoop down to catch their prey, and return to the perch to gobble it up.

Observing these beautiful birds is a highlight of any walk in the bush for me. They are one of those birds that watches you as you watch it, creating a sense of mutual wonder. Both males and females are gorgeous in their own way. They will pair up for the year with their mate, never straying too far, seemingly connected by an invisible string as they move through the trees at eye-level.

I’ve seen Scarlet Robins twice at our place in Campbells Creek, which is just beside a tributary that leads into the creek itself. One was also seen at Connecting Country’s Campbells Creek monitoring site during a bird walk in July this year. This was only the third time a Scarlet Robin has been recorded at the site.

Scarlet Robins and other ground-feeding native birds are becoming more abundant in response to the maturing revegetation that the Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare have planted along the creek. They need good quality habitat to thrive, which is why they are one of Connecting Country’s newest indicator species of environmental health for this region. If you see a Scarlet Robin, you can send through your observation to tanya@connectingcountry.org.au and help build the picture of how this lovely species is doing in the region. For more information, visit http://connectingcountry.org.au/about/projects/securing-woodland-birds/bird-monitoring/

A male Scarlet Robin, by Geoff Park

31 August 2017 – The Genius of Birds

Posted on 24 August, 2017 by Connecting Country

On Thursday 31 August 2017, the Castlemaine Library is hosting a presentation by American science writer and New York Times bestseller Jennifer Ackerman.  Jennifer will talk about her latest book, The Genius of Birds, which explores the latest international scientific research on our feathered friends.  Once you have seen Jennifer’s presentation, no doubt you will consider ‘bird brain’ to be phrase used as a great compliment!

The presentation commences at 5.30pm.  Entry is free, but bookings are required (click here for link to the booking website).  The library has let us know that there are a small number of openings still available.

Jennifer Ackerman has been writing about science, nature, and health for more than 25 years. Her work aims to explain and interpret science for a lay audience and to explore the riddle of humanity’s place in the natural world, blending scientific knowledge with imaginative vision. She has won numerous awards and fellowships.  There is further information about Jennifer on her website (click here).

Local wildlife sound recordist Andrew Skeoch is a huge advocate for Jennifer’s book and the research that she has compiled.  CC staff member Chris is reading it at the moment – and is also fascinated by the findings.

Arrival of Spring Migrants – Nature News, 1 August, 2017

Posted on 16 August, 2017 by Tanya Loos

For this month’s Nature News, Newstead naturalist and photographer Geoff Park writes about the feathered migrants that are arriving in our region at the moment, and in the coming months. This article was featured in the Midland E xpress on August 1, 2017.

At this time of year the pulse quickens a little in anticipation of the arrival of the first spring migrants.

Over the coming months, an assortment of wonderfully different birds will appear in the box-ironbark country to spend the spring and summer breeding and entertaining us with their musical calls.

Most of these birds will have come from northern Australia, or even further afield, where they have spent the winter – a bit like the ‘grey nomads’ that enjoy warmer climes as they wend their caravans north in increasing numbers each year. Our avian visitors are referred to as spring migrants but in fact many arrive in the dying days of winter.

A Fan-tailed Cuckoo sings his descending trill call. By Geoff Park

The first of the spring migrants are usually the cuckoos, with five species arriving to breed in our district. Most years Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo turns up in early August along with Fan-tailed Cuckoo, followed soon after by Shining Bronze-cuckoos and the largest of all, the Pallid Cuckoo. These four are common and easily distinguished by their calls which are often uttered from a prominent vantage point. Black-eared Cuckoos are generally last to appear at the end of the month, in much smaller numbers.

All of these cuckoos are brood parasites, that is, they lay their eggs in the nests of unwitting hosts, such as thornbills, wrens and honeyeaters, which then raise the young cuckoos as their own. While the host species ‘fall into the trap’ year after year, they are suspicious and intolerant of adult cuckoos, often mobbing them relentlessly when they appear.

The cuckoos will soon be joined by other northern visitors, such as Sacred Kingfishers, and my absolute favourite the Rainbow Bee-eater – which will feature in my next Nature News article, in November.

I’m often asked about the effects of climate change on birds. There is no doubt that some species are arriving earlier each year in many places in southern Australia, with numerous studies now providing decades of evidence of this phenomenon. Each year I try to record the first sightings of spring migrants and I’d be delighted to hear of local observations for any of the birds mentioned in this article … and for the others that have been overlooked!

For more information contact Geoff Park at Natural Newstead www.geoffpark.wordpress.com

Remnant rescue for woodland birds – looking for eligible landholders

Posted on 3 August, 2017 by Tanya Loos

Connecting Country is currently seeking expressions of interest for on ground works on private land. In particular, we are looking for  landholders with remnant vegetation on their properties who are interested in undertaking actions that improve woodland bird habitat.

Thanks to our recently announced ‘Woodland bird community habitat protection and enhancement’ project, we have a small amount of funding available for the protection and enhancement of 60 ha of remnant vegetation. Building connections between bushland areas through direct seeding  and revegetation with tubestock is very important, but at the same time we need to care for our remnants; the core habitat.  This project will fund actions that protect bird habitat from threats such as stock grazing and weeds.

This male Scarlet Robin needs extensive areas of good quality habitat to thrive. Photo by Geoff Park

Eligible landholders will receive a site visit, and a subsequent plant list and property habitat management plan.  Activities funded will mainly focus on fencing for stock exclusion and weed control within these remnants.

Eligibility for funding from this project will be determined according to the following factors:

• Size of your remnant vegetation patch
• Property location
• Presence of threatened woodland birds

Deadline for EOIs: 24th September, 2017.

All interested landholders in Mount Alexander Shire are welcome to fill an EOI form on our onground works page. If your proposed project does not fit with the requirements of our current projects, we will keep you on file for future opportunities.

This project was funded with the support of the Victorian Government’s Regional Biodiversity On-Ground Action Initiative.

Our resident plant enthusiast Bonnie Humphreys in a beautiful remnant patch in Yapeen

Birds thriving in Campbells Creek

Posted on 27 July, 2017 by Tanya Loos

Connecting Country has been carrying out bird monitoring at a site in Campbells Creek since 2010, and so it was with great pleasure that Tanya had an opportunity to lead a walk there on Sunday 22 July 2017, with some of the members of Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare that had a hand in the restoration of  this part of the creek and surrounding land.

Over twenty people attended the Feathered Friends of Campbells Creek event, which was part of Mount Alexander Shire Council’s Sustainable Living workshop series. The workshop started with a bird walk at Campbells Creek, near Honeycomb Rd. We walked down to the Connecting Connecting bird survey site to carry out a twenty minute two hectare survey – the standard bird monitoring method. I was impressed to see nearly everyone had their own binoculars.

We all had great views of New Holland Honeyeaters, and at one point a Wedge-tailed Eagle soared majestically overhead. An abundance of thornbills darted about through the wattles, along with pardalotes, a Grey Fantail, superb fairy-wrens  and a small flock of Red-browed Finches. Towards the end of the walk, we caught a glimpse of a female Scarlet Robin, and this was only the third sighting of this species in 28 surveys! For a copy of the Bird Monitoring results for the Campbells Creek site click here.

It was seven degrees, a bit glary and a bit breezy – not the best conditions for seeing small birds. However it was clear that the wattles, hakeas, native grasses, hop bush and cassinia were providing excellent cover and hiding places for the small birds of the area!

“Hmmm – are they Yellow Thornbills calling and bustling about up there? “

After the bird survey, David King from the Friends gave us an overview of the work of the group over the past thirty years, in particular Ian Higgins. David told us that before the group started their revegetation work, Ian had counted a mere five individual wattles between Castlemaine and this section at which we stood! An incredible transformation. We then walked back up the path to the sign, which had a whole range of information and QR codes so that you could use your smart phone to find out more about the flora and fauna the Friends are such fine custodians of.

David King talked about the sign. Moments later we saw a Swamp Wallaby!! Photo by Jay Smith.

After our walk we returned to the Campbells Creek Community Centre for a short presentation on birds and habitat, where I had the opportunity to emphasise how the restoration work has made the site so perfect for small bush birds such as thornbills, fairy-wrens and pardalotes. The Scarlet Robin is an excellent candidate for a focal or flagship species for the area – and I predict that sightings of the Scarlet Robin may become more frequent in the coming years – thanks to the work of this fantastic group!

Many thanks to David King, and to Jay Smith from Mount Alexander Shire Council for hosting the walk.

As previously posted, the Friends are participating in National Tree day this Sunday:

Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare will be planting in the Honeycomb Bushland Reserve in Campbells Creek. It’s a 10 minute walk from car parking to the site, along an bush trail used by recreational walkers, with interesting features along the way. The planting will be followed by a free BBQ lunch for all, catering for a range of dietary needs.
When: 10am – 1pm, Sunday 30th July 2017 
Where: Meet at the Honeycomb Bushland Reserve, Campbells Creek, where Honeycomb Road meets the gravel trail (CLICK HERE for map).
More information: follow them on Facebook (CLICK HERE), go to their website (CLICK HERE) or contact Shona on 0408 724 699

Enjoying birds in frosty July – two events to come

Posted on 11 July, 2017 by Tanya Loos

Any bird lover knows that a wintery day is no barrier to birdwatching! The birds go about their business undaunted by the cold; well-wrapped in their feathery coats. If we rug up well, and there is no wind, then winter birding can be a lovely change from huddling by the fire!

This Jacky Winter is well insulated!      Photographed by Peter Turner

There are two events coming up soon for those that are interested in their local birds and their habitats. Both events involve a bird walk followed by a presentation about the birds of the local area.

Sunday July 16, 2017 – Bird walk and Landcare workshop for Guildford area

Bird Walk: Local bird and habitat walk along Casley Lane, near Guildford.  9:15am – 11:00am. Meeting point map sent with your RSVP.

Presentation: Guildford birds and how you can care for them, by Connecting Country’s bird enthusiast, Tanya Loos.  Also hear from Maurie Dynon, Guildford and Upper Loddon Landcare. Morning tea and presentation:  Guildford Hall 11:00am – 12:30pm

Please RSVP (with any dietary requirements) to Tanya Loos on 03 5472 1594 or by email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

This section of Campbells Creek has been surveyed for birds since 2010. The birdlife is amazing!

Saturday July 22, 2017 – Feathered Friends of Campbells Creek (part of Mount Alexander Shire Council’s Sustainable Living Workshop series)

Castlemaine and Chewton now have beautifully revegetated waterways thanks to the tireless work of local community groups. This has benefited our local birdlife greatly. Connecting Country has surveyed the birds of Campbells Creek for 7 years – and is keen to present a portrait of the creek’s burgeoning birdlife. Dress warmly for a mid-winter presentation, morning tea and bird walk at nearby Honeycomb Rd if weather permits.

The details: From 10.30am to 12.30pm.  Presented by Tanya Loos from Connecting Country.  In Campbells Creek area (the address/location will be provided to registered attendees closer to the date).  To reserve your place for the Feathered Friends walk contact Council’s Healthy Environments team on 5471 1700 or d.giles@mountalexander.vic.gov.au.

These two events are generously supported by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust. 

14 July 2017 – Talk on ‘the Birds of West Papua’

Posted on 10 July, 2017 by Connecting Country

Guest speaker at the July 2017 meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC) is Nigel Harland.  A resident of Sutton Grange and immediate past president of the CFNC, Nigel is perhaps best well-known locally for his annual wildlife-watching trips to remote corners of the world.  He has recently visited West Papua and will be speaking about (and displaying photos of) the exotic birds and other sights from this great adventure.  Those of you that have attended previous presentations by Nigel will recall his talent as both a photographer and raconteur, and also conveying a depth of knowledge and interesting facts about the locations that he visits.

The presentation is to be on the evening of Friday 14 July 2017, in the Fellowship Room behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St in Castlemaine.  The Uniting Church is midway between Barker St and Kennedy St, and next door to the Castlemaine Art Gallery.  The evening commences at 7.30pm.  Entry is free, and both members and visitors are encouraged to come along.

Winter in the Nuggettys – Nature News 4th July 2017

Posted on 6 July, 2017 by Connecting Country

For this month’s Nature News (also on page 15 of this week’s Midland Express), Nuggety Ranges Landcarer  Jane Mitchell writes about living on her property ‘Sunnydale’. This Nature News is dedicated to Jane’s recently departed daughter Clara Annie Patterson.

At ‘Sunnydale’ the birds are feeding off the last fruits of the year. Grey Currawong, usually too shy to come close, are attracted to the Persimmon tree near the back door along with groups of Silvereyes. The Pomegranate, planted by our European forebears, is a favourite of the Crimson Rosellas who tear at the split fruit with their strong beaks to reach the jewels inside. Then the smaller birds can follow now access has been granted.

Grey Currawong in Persimmon Tree, Sunnydale. Photographed by Jane Mitchell.

‘Sunnydale’, our home of 32 years, is in the Nuggetty Ranges which lie on the northern side of Maldon. Surrounding our land is Box-Ironbark bushland which provides habitat for over 60 species of birds and counting.

The Hedge Wattles are a favourite safe house for the Blue Wrens. Kookaburras have vantage points in the Grey Box and Yellow Gums to observe for their hunting purposes.

Overhead are Little Eagles, Wedge-tailed Eagles and Brown Falcons. There is a constant background sound-scape from Spotted Pardalotes. New Holland Honeyeaters exert their territorial rights in groups. Family groups of Red-browed Finches share the bird bath in turns returning to and fro their bush hideaway.

Then there are the seasonal visits from the male and female Scarlet Robin and Black-faced Cuckoo- shrikes who have their own particular flight habit. The thornbills twitter and flick through the taller canopy so fast they can barely be discerned.

Crimson Rosellas’ clear ringing call reaches across the valley. My special friend the Grey Shrike-thrush is a warming presence. Now the bronze-wings and Peaceful Doves are looking for any leftover Ruby Salt-bush seeds and are helping themselves to fallen pomegranates in their quiet, purposeful manner.

After the sun sinks the dark brings new visitors. A Southern Boobook call is a low, throaty sound from different vantage points. I hesitate to confirm but on a few evenings in the past the single and duet call from Barking Owls have been heard.

We are so fortunate to have this special place to live and share with our feathered friends. Each day I delight in their presence.

Silvereye in Persimmon Tree at Sunnydale. Photographed by Julie Hough

Fryerstown bird walk and workshop

Posted on 3 July, 2017 by Tanya Loos

Last Sunday, June 25 2017, Fryerstown residents and bird lovers from as far afield as Woodend and Shepherds Flat enjoyed a bird walk and gathering at the old Fryerstown School.  We were pleasantly surprised by the mild weather and yes – even sunshine!
Our group of twenty spotted 18 bird species , with Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters most definitely “bird of the day” as they were present in large numbers feeding on the flowering Yellow Gums.  Another highlight was some very good views of one of our target species, the Brown Treecreeper.  Nina Tsilikas took this lovely photograph of a Brown Treecreeper hopping about on the moss-covered ground. Out of shot is a large group of Long-billed Corellas who were digging for a bulb of some kind – the two species made quite a contrast.  They were foraging on a site known as Blue Duck Mine – soon to be the site of an exciting new project, but more on this later!

They appear to be plain brown – but the Brown Treecreeper is very beautifully patterned when seen at close quarters.

We walked along Turners Road to the Fryerstown Cemetery. Sadly the Eastern Yellow Robins who are usually there were absent, but we did get some lovely views of a male and female Galah. Nina was there again with her trusty camera – and these shots show the subtle difference between the sexes – the male has a dark brown coloured eye, and the female a pinkish red eye.

Male Galah

Female Galah

After the walk we all enjoyed sandwiches, cake and tea and coffee served by the School committee – and I gave a short presentation on woodland birds and how to help them thrive in the Fryerstown area.

Maurie Dynon from Guildford and Upper Loddon Landcare kindly stood up and gave the group an update on an exciting proposed restoration project in the Fryerstown township – the weed removal and revegetation of a patch of land known as the Blue Duck Mine. The funding is yet to be confirmed, but the land managers (Department of Environment Land Water and Planning) are  on board and so is the Fryerstown CFA, whose fire shed abuts the reserve. Fryerstown locals such as Clodagh Norwood, Helen Martin and  Bill Burris are thrilled that the Blue Duck Mine project, auspiced by the landcare group, could set in motion a number of habitat restoration projects locally.

Many thanks to the wonderful residents of Fryerstown for their generosity and enthusiasm – it was a really fun morning!

Finally, Connecting Country is  calling out for landholders who are interested in helping protect and enhance bird habitat on their property – if you are in the Fryerstown, Tarilta, Glenluce area and have remnant vegetation on your land – please fill in an expression of interest form – see Expression-Of-Interest-Form-July-2017-Connecting-Country and get in touch!

This event was generously supported by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust. 

Watching the Brown Treecreeper

Threatened woodland birds get a bodyguard

Posted on 21 June, 2017 by Connecting Country

Threatened woodland bird populations in the Mount Alexander region are being better protected through a new collaborative Connecting Country project. Over three years, $300,000 from the Victorian Government’s Biodiversity On-Ground Action initiative will help to protect, enhance and increase critical bird habitat in Box-Ironbark Forests in the Mount Alexander area. This area is important because it provides core habitat for the Victorian Temperate Woodland Bird Community, which is listed under the Flora and Fauna Guaranteed Act and an indicator of the health of the landscape.

The Diamond Firetail is one of the threatened Woodland bird species to be targeted by the project.

Krista Patterson-Majoor, Connecting Country Director – Project Manager, explains; “Over recent years, we have seen a decline among most threatened species within this bird community. We are taking a team approach with this project and collaborating with Trust for Nature, Dja Dja Wurrung, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Parks Victoria, Landmate, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), local Landcare groups and private landholders to carry out a variety of environmental works to help protect the birds.”

Works funded will include having private land owners undertake weed control and fencing to protect remnant vegetation across 60 hectares. In exchange, the owners will set aside land for conservation for at least ten years, including stock grazing removal and pest control. This funded project aligns with our Woodland Bird Action plan which aims to stabilise and then increase the populations of local species by protecting and expanding their core habitat. Landholders who are interested in finding out more are encouraged to contact Connecting Country or fill out an  Expression-Of-Interest-Form-July-2017-Connecting-Country.

DELWP Program Manager, Biodiversity, Jill Fleming, said: “This community-led group has been working for more than 10 years to protect threatened woodland birds in the Mount Alexander region and it’s great to see them receive this funding that will help them, and all the partners, to continue this important work.” DELWP’s involvement will help to broaden the scope of the project and ensure works carried out on private land will be complemented by similar activities on 80 hectares of surrounding public land that has been strategically aligned with private landholders and woodland bird priority zones. “By controlling the weeds and removing stock grazing, we discourage non-native birds, who may displace the native ones, from using the same habitat,” Ms Fleming said.

Twenty-six large scale, multi-partner regional partnership projects totalling $7.7 million have been funded through the Regional Biodiversity On-Ground Action initiative to address major risks to threatened species and ecosystems across the state. These projects will be delivered through regional partnerships between agencies, organisations, community, landholders and traditional owners. The list of projects is available at: www.environment.vic.gov.au/biodiversity/biodiversity-on-groundaction 

Box Ironbark East Biodiversity Hub Steering Group Members (from left) – Chris Timewell (CC), Jill Fleming (DELWP), Matt Menhennet (Landmate), Tanya Loos (CC), Steve Comte (Landmate) Deanna Marshall (TFN), Krista Patterson-Majoor (CC) Bonnie Humphreys (CC), Britt Gregory (NCCMA), Kirsten Hutchinson (TFN) and Noel Muller (PV) – at our inaugural meeting in Castlemaine. Absent are Rodney Carter (DDW), Steve Jackson (DDW) and Adrian Martins (NCCMA).

7th May 2017: Woodland Bird Spotting at Walmer

Posted on 20 April, 2017 by Tanya Loos

Follow that bird! A bit of fun in the Sandon Forest…

On Sunday the 7th May 2017, join the Connecting Country bird nerds on a bird walk, lunch and planting! Local artist Eliza Tree has graciously invited us to her beautiful 30 acre property in Walmer for our next bird survey. The property is grassy woodland adjacent to Crown land and has been awarded a Trust for Nature covenant.

We will do the bird walk, led by Eliza,  and then have a BBQ lunch. We will also spend a bit of time having a discussion about the overall conservation of the Walmer area – and identifying some projects for future funding proposals. After lunch,  there will be an understory planting session – grasses and wildflowers.

This outing is one of the monthly bird outings in the Mount Alexander area – a few hours out in the bush with like-minded people, carrying out bird surveys on private and public land. This year we have visited a private bush block on Limestone Road, and explored the wonderful Saltwater Track, Elphinstone.

The bird walks are open to everyone with an interest in birds and habitat – even for the total beginner! We can supply you with a pair of Connecting Country binoculars for the outing, and our bird group is friendly and happy to help people 1) find the bird and 2) identify it! We are all learning together – even your walk leader had to send photos of a bird of prey to Geoff Park (Natural Newstead) to confirm that the bird was indeed a Square-tailed Kite!

By identifying and counting the birds on private land such as Eliza’s block in Walmer, we gain a greater understanding of the health of our woodland bird populations; especially of our target species such as the Hooded Robin and Diamond Firetail. By attending the monthly bird walks, we hope that participants will feel confident and inspired to survey birds on their own properties, or on the various bird survey sites on public land.

There are many ways to get involved in the Stewards for Woodland Birds program – to register or to find out more, contact Tanya at tanya@connectingcountry.org.au  or call 5472 1594. You can;

1. Join the Bird Survey Enews mailing list for a monthly enews with updates on our bird walks and various projects.
2. Come along to our next bird survey – the Walmer bird and planting event on May 7 with Eliza Tree ( RSVP required for catering purposes) Eliza extends a warm invitation to camp on her land at Walmer on the Saturday night! Please contact Eliza directly on m: 0409 209707 if you would like to camp.
3. Send in your bird sightings! See here to find out more about how.
4. Get involved with our KBA (Key Biodiversity area) program, featured recently here.

The Stewards for Woodland Birds Program is generously supported by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust

Guardians assemble! A new group of custodians is formed…

Posted on 22 March, 2017 by Tanya Loos

The special bird habitats of Clydesdale, Sandon and Muckleford now have a small team of Guardians! These three areas, of both private and public land, are designated as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) by BirdLife International, and BirdLife Australia.

Connecting Country held a workshop on Saturday 18 March 2017 to recruit KBA guardians and provide training in filling out an Easter Heath Check form each year. Birdlife Victoria KBA coordinator Euan Moore and his wife Jenny kindly took some time out from their busy schedule to present a comprehensive introduction to KBAs, and how to become a Guardian.

The open bushland around the hall was filled with birds – despite being rather hot, we saw a Diamond Firetail, a Mistletoebird and a pair of Peaceful doves – 20 species in all!

There are over 300 KBAs in Australia – and the Easter Health Check is a means to working out which KBAs are in danger – so that lobbying can be done and funding procured. For example, recently the Murray-Sunset and Hattah KBA was saved from an inappropriate burning regime that had reduced the population of tiny,  rare birds called emu-wrens by such a drastic degree that they had become critically endangered.

In the case of our Key Biodiversity Areas,  the Easter Health check is a means for locals to come together and try to quantify the threats facing our woodland birds and their habitats. Each KBA has what are known as “trigger species” – the key species that are under threat in that habitat – in our area, the trigger species are the Diamond Firetail and Swift Parrot.  During the workshop there was much discussion around what these threats are, and the rate that they are causing declines in the Diamond Firetail. A fascinating process! Drought featured heavily, as did grazing, and pest animals such as European Rabbits, Red Foxes, and cats, both feral and domestic.

This young Diamond Firetail faces an uncertain future. Photo by Geoff Park

Connecting Country’s Stewards for Woodland Birds project is delighted to support the Easter Health Check initiative. The Health Checks filled in by our guardians will form the basis for a series of community plans for each area – Clydesdale, Sandon and Muckleford.

If you were unable to make it to the workshop but would still like to be involved – contact us! Not only birdos are needed for this process – anyone with understanding of our local habitats, the trials faced, and the communities working to address these threats is welcome to take part. At the workshop it was decided to form a small Guardians email list so that people can stay in touch – let Tanya know if you wish to be added to the list. Email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or call 5472 1594.

Thanks to Euan and Jenny for an inspiring and informative workshop – and many thanks to the enthusiastic participants! For more information on KBAs, see BirdLife’s overview: click here

The KBA workshop and the Stewards for Woodland Birds Program are supported by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust.

The Big Twitch on a smaller scale

Posted on 2 March, 2017 by Connecting Country

A Weebill – one of the smaller woodland birds on David’s “to get” list on his web page. Photographed by Geoff Park.

Those who attended Connecting Country’s 2015 AGM will recall Sean Dooley’s amusing recollections on his attempts to break the record for the most bird species seen in Australia within a calendar year.  He also wrote a self-deprecating book recounting this crazy adventure that he undertook in 2002 – The Big Twitch – which was popular among both birders and non-birders.  Tongue-in-cheek, the back cover of the book described Dooley’s efforts as possibly ‘the most pathetic great achievement in Australian history’!

Dooley’s book has inspired many other ‘twitchers’ to either attempt to break his Australian record, or to set new records for the most birds seen within state boundaries. (For example, Tim Dolby saw a then-record 345 species in Victoria during 2009 – click here to read of Tim’s journey).

However, as far as we are aware, no one has yet claimed the record for the most bird species seen within the boundaries of the Mount Alexander Shire in a calendar year.  However, that is all set to change, with local birdwatcher David Wilson deciding to undertake a big year in a small area.  After recently moving with his family to the Castlemaine area, David has taken on the challenge in 2017 as a fun way to get to know the forests, wetlands, waterways and other habitats of the shire.  As at the 22 February 2017, he had seen 104 different bird species.  Over the past four decades, the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club members have recorded more than 230 species from the shire and surrounds – although many of these were very rare visitor or accidental vagrants, and not all within the shire boundaries.  At least one species has gone extinct from the local area in this time – the last known Grey-crowned Babblers from the shire sadly disappeared in the early 2000s. David is not sure how many species he will get within the year – but an impressive 200 species seems within the realms of possibility.

If you would like to see how David is tracking, the rules he has set himself, which species he has seen so far and where, and what he has left to go – you can visit his website (click here – scroll down on each webpage to see the details).  David has also asked us to pass on the following message – “‘As the end of the year gets closer, I’ll be looking for any hints on where to find those missing species. So keep your eyes open – you may know where a key species is that I still need to see”.

Good luck David!

An opportunity to be a part of a global conservation initiative: locally!

Posted on 1 March, 2017 by Tanya Loos

BirdLife Australia is looking for people in each of the Key Biodiversity Areas to complete an “Easter health check” for their local area. Connecting Country has invited Euan Moore from BirdLife Victoria to come up to Clydesdale on Saturday the 18th of March to take us through the process for our part of the Bendigo Box Ironbark area.

The KBA boundaries are outlined in blue, and include Muckleford Forest, Rise and Shine Bushland reserve and the Sandon State forest. And a lot of private land too!

As you may know, Connecting Country is an affiliate organisation of BirdLife Australia. And BirdLife Australia is aligned with one of the biggest conservation networks in the world – BirdLife International. BirdLife International has designated hundreds of areas of conservation importance around the world known as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA).  And we have one here on our very own doorstep – we are part of the Bendigo Box Ironbark area.   Our part of the KBA has been designated especially for the Diamond Firetail and Swift Parrot, and covers both public and private land. Your property could be of international importance! For more information on the KBA and the Easter Health check process click here.

This annual check is about assessing habitat and its threats so anyone with a interest in landscape restoration would be most welcome. In fact, the KBA’s used to be known as IBA’s: Important Bird areas – but they changed the Important Bird to Key Biodiversity to reflect the importance of the areas for the whole ecosystem, not just birds! We encourage you to attend this workshop whether you live in the areas highlighted in the map or would simply like to visit the beautiful bushlands.

• 

  A Swift Parrot surveys its woodland home, photo by Chris Tzaros.

  When: Saturday, 18 March, 2017

• Time: 10-2pm with lunch provided
• Where: Clydesdale Hall, Locarno Rd
• RSVP is essential for catering purposes to Tanya on tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or 5472 1594
• Please wear outdoor appropriate footwear and clothing as we will be going to the nearby Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve for some of the workshop. Click  here for a workshop flyer.

Funding for this workshop has been generously provided by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, as part of the Stewards for Woodland birds project. 

2016 bird monitoring – painting a picture of our woodland birds

Posted on 19 December, 2016 by Tanya Loos

People most often ask – how are the birds doing? Are there more birds, and more ‘good’ birds as we have revegetated the landscape?  This is a really valid question, and the reason why we have put so much time and energy into our monitoring programs. It is a difficult question to answer. But we can say that we now know more than EVER before about the distribution of woodland birds across the landscape.  Monitoring began in 2010, and has combined both an in-house program (click here) and our citizen science program (click here).

I am just about to export some 8,473 bird records to BirdLife Australia, as part of our data-sharing agreement. These records are from the period May 27, 2015 to November 11, 2016.  This means the BirdLife Australia Bird Atlas is about to get a large injection of information from this part of the world – including 406  surveys carried out by myself, and 91 surveys from our Group Sites and landholder citizen science program. Well done team! This data gives us valuable information on how our woodland birds are faring across the landscape – including their distribution, and a beginning of an idea about their population sizes.

In this fascinating map above, we can see the distribution of the Brown Treecreeper. The white circles show where surveys have been carried out and the Treecreepers were not recorded. The green coloured dots show that the Brown Treecreepers  have been recorded there. The number next to the dot shows not the number of individual birds but occurrences – so a number two means that any number of Brown Treecreepers have been recorded on two separate occasions. The large ovals are the priority habitat zones as identified in our Ten Year Woodland Bird Action Plan.

For more exciting information from our recent monitoring results – see our updated website page here.

These maps have been generated for each member of the feathered five – and Cara Byrt, our database expert extraordinaire has just re-jigged the database so that we can create similar maps for any bird species! If you would like a map similar to the map above of your favourite bird species – email Tanya Loos and she will be happy to oblige!

On a final note: whether you enjoy birdwatching in a group, on your own, or from the comfort of your own property – there is a place for you in our bird program! Please do not hesitate to get in touch either by email (tanya@connectingcountry.org.au) or calling the Connecting Country Office on 5472 1594.

Owlet-nightjar paparazzi at the Christmas break-up. A lot of fun!

Fine food and owlet-nightjar magic at our December bird walk

Posted on 7 December, 2016 by Tanya Loos

Our last bird outing of 2016 was a little bit different – 17 of us met at Jane Rusden’s bush block at Campbells Creek. After a fairly humid walk, we returned to Jane’s home where she had prepared a incredibly delicious festive morning tea! But let’s talk about birds first – and, in particular, our thrilling sighting of a owlet-nightjar.

Jane and Martin’s property is 40 acres of heathy dry/ valley grassy forest that runs along a gully line. Their property was included in our 2016 Connecting Landscapes on ground works program, with weed and rabbit control, some planting and the erection of a number of exclosures to keep out hungry browsing wallabies. The property is a hotspot for woodland birds such as Australian Owlet-nightjar, Speckled Warbler and Painted Button-quail. In fact, on Monday Jane excitedly contacted us reporting an adult Painted Button-quail with three large chicks!

Our walk on the 4th December 2016 was rather quiet, with only 18 bird species observed over a couple of hours. We travelled up Hawkins Rd into the surrounding Castlemaine National Heritage Diggings Park, and then looped around to walk up the gully on Jane’s block. The highlight was when Greg Waddell called out to our group –  an owlet-nightjar had been disturbed by our presence!

After being flushed-out, the owlet-nightjar returned to its cosy hollow in a broken off tree stag. Pic by Peter Turner.

The Australian Owlet-nightjar is a surprisingly small bird, and so special it is in a bird family all on its own! There is just the one species in Australia, and six species in Papua New Guinea. For many of us (including me!) it was the first time we had laid eyes on this enchanting bird.

The owlet-nightjar is considered to be a good indicator of ecosystem health – their penchant for using many small hollows tells us that there are plenty of hollows in that part of the bush.

Despite the forest being reasonably quiet we all had a chance to brush up on our bird calls – with many learning the calls of the Spotted Pardalote and the White-throated Treecreeper for the first time.

As we headed into the gully, some of us observed a Yellow-footed Antechinus – a quick glimpse of this small charismatic native mammal.

After our walk we returned to Jane’s. I was a little late as I had to get some feathered five maps from the car, and as I went up the stairs all I could hear was ecstatic ‘oohs and ahs’ at the food Jane had so kindly prepared!

The feast was our way to thank everyone for their participation on the monthly bird walks, and for sending in their bird sightings.  The dairy-free Mango Celebration Cake, Lime Macadamia Balls and Fruit Cake were highlights and those who subscribe to the Bird Survey Enews will get the amazing cake recipe as requested!

Huge thanks to Jane for the feast and inviting us into her home, Greg Waddell for spotting the owlet-nightjar, and Peter Turner for photographing it! Thanks also to the Helen MacPherson Smith Trust who support our Stewards for Woodland Bird program.

Our monthly bird walks will continue in 2017 on the first Sunday of the month. Contact Tanya Loos for more information: tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or phone 5472 1594.

Connecting Country’s monthly bird walks – Metcalfe, Sunday 6 November 2016

Posted on 2 November, 2016 by Connecting Country

Hedge wattle (acacia paradoxa), perfect habitat for Thornbills. Photo by Geoff Park

Connecting Country’s Habitat for Bush Birds Project Officer, Tanya Loos is running free monthly bird walks.  These walks are for those folk interested in practicing and improving their birding skills, regardless of skill level. The next walk is at Metcalfe Nature Conservation Reserve “The Common” on Sunday 6th November 2016

Local landcarer Debbie Farmer will be on hand to co-lead. Debbie is the secretary of Metcalfe Landcare. Beginner birdwatchers are most welcome!

This bird walk will conclude at the Metcalfe Shire hall with a presentation on the birds of the Metcalfe area. Bring your lunch and have a bite to eat while Tanya takes you through the local birds, their habitat use and calls. The presentation will take an hour including questions.

How to get there:

• If you are from Castlemaine and surrounds – meet at 8:20 am outside the Continuing Ed building, Templeton Street, to car pool to the site. If the event needs to be cancelled, someone will be there at 8:20am to let you know.
• Metcalfe and Taradale locals – meet at the Metcalfe Shire Hall at 8.50 and then car pool to the Reserve.

There is no need to book for these walks, but let Tanya know if you would like to borrow some Connecting Country binoculars. If you would like to subscribe to Tanya’s email list for these walks please contact her tanya@connectingcountry.org.au.

Celebrate Bird Week and the Aussie Backyard Bird Count

Posted on 18 October, 2016 by Tanya Loos

From 17-23 October 2016, thousands of people from across the country are heading out into their backyards, local parks or favourite open spaces to take part in the third annual Aussie Backyard Bird Count!    

On Saturday, October 15 2016, Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Project Coordinator Tanya Loos and BirdLife Australia’s  Sean Dooley kicked off Bird Week and the Aussie Backyard Bird Count  with a joint presentation in the Macedon Ranges .

Sean spoke passionately about growing up with birds in the Melbourne suburbs of Seaford, and his love for imperiled woodland birds such as the Grey-crowned babbler. He showed us how simple bird surveys conducted by citizen scientists all over Australia have enabled some alarming trends to be picked up – such as the decline of Laughing Kookaburras which are down some 40% in recent years.

Tanya then followed with an overview of the extensive on ground works program of Connecting Country, and how this work will help woodland birds and in particular the feathered five. She shared some exciting graphics which show the results of the citizen science program in the area – in particular for the Diamond Firetail and Brown Treecreeper. (Coming soon!)

Sean then took us outside and we used the Aussie Backyard Bird Count app to do a simple twenty minute survey, the highlight of which was a Sacred Kingfisher sitting on a little gate above a dam next to the Newham Mechanics Institute. The app is so easy to use! For those without a smart phone – the website is also very simple and really aesthetically pleasing.

To get involved all you need is 20 minutes, your ‘green patch’ of choice, and some keen eyesight (or binoculars!) And it doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or an expert—we’ll be there to help you out along the way! Simply record the birds you know and look up those you don’t on our ‘Aussie Bird Count’ app or the website. 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 not just across your neighbourhood but 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.  Check out the results from the 2015 Aussie Backyard Bird Count here.

Any questions about the Aussie Backyard Bird Count? Get in touch with Tanya at the Connecting Country office at tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

The Rainbow Lorikeet was the most commonly recorded bird in 2015. By Andrew Silcocks.

15 October 2016: Tanya heads south to talk birds

Posted on 13 October, 2016 by Connecting Country

Connecting Country supporters from ‘down south’ will be thrilled to hear that Tanya is presenting in Newham from 2 to 3.30 pm on Saturday the 15th of October 2016. She will be speaking alongside Sean Dooley from Birdlife Australia about the challenges faced by local woodland birds. More information in the flyer below.

Maldon Open Landcare Day: Boneseed and birds

Posted on 19 September, 2016 by Tanya Loos

On the look out for birds. Photo by Jane Mitchell

As part of the  Landcare Open Day events on 11 September 2016, the Nuggetty Land Protection Group and Maldon Urban Landcare Group (MULGA) joined with Connecting Country for a woodland bird walk and boneseed pull.

Despite the grey and glary day, we were treated to views of some thirty bird species as we walked from the Maldon Cemetery to the rock covered hillside known as The Common. We had some very experienced birdwatchers in attendance who spotted for the group some usually hard-to-see birds such as the Fan-tailed Cuckoo and the Shining Bronze-cuckoo. Small birds such as Striated Pardalotes, Thornbills and Grey Fantails were in great numbers, and the Scarlet Robin pairs we saw gave everyone great views, with or without binoculars. A Little Eagle soaring overhead went into a dramatic hunting dive at one point! Whilst walking the Common, many young Boneseed plants were located and pulled out, as were small Wheel Cactus. Luckily, staff from Parks Victoria have recently pulled out many of the larger Boneseed plants, as the flowering period has begun.

Small Boneseed plants were pulled along the way. Prevention is better than cure! Photo: Jane Mitchell

Jane Mitchell from Nuggetty Landcare shared some of the history of the Common, and Ian Grenda from MULGA gave a short talk on the weed known as Boneseed, and how to recognise its distinctive leaf. Ian also provided some samples of Bridal Creeper with a biological control known as ‘rust’ to take home for any home infestations.

Tanya, the Woodland Bird Project Coordinator from Connecting Country, explained that weeds such as Boneseed and Bridal Creeper grow prolifically and smother the leaf litter and branches where small birds such as Hooded Robins and Painted Button-quails nest and feed. This is one of the reasons why weed control is so very important for protecting Woodland Birds.

Tanya talks about why weed control is important. Photo: Jane Mitchell

After our walk we were treated to a fantastic barbecue and sandwiches – thanks to Ian and Bev for cooking! Tanya then distributed a short survey about the values and threats of the bird habitats in the region. These surveys will be used to generate some project ideas for future funding opportunities in the region.

Thirty-five people attended, and many of these people had not previously been to a Landcare event. Many thanks to all those that helped organise this enjoyable and informative event!