Connecting Country Woodland Bird Monitoring
Posted on 12 August, 2011 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country’s Project Officer, Bryan McMullan, has written the following report on the progress of the Woodland Bird Monitoring project:
“Connecting Country’s monitoring focus has recently shifted from nest boxes to woodland birds as the winter bird community puts on a wonderful display of recovery following favourable environmental conditions. This focus allows the use of woodland bird community diversity and numbers as an indicator of landscape change, especially as a result of beneficial land management strategies that have been funded and facilitated by Connecting Country.
A total of 50 bird survey sites have been selected across the Mt Alexander Shire region in consultation with landholders, members of the management committee and other environmental agencies/stakeholders. To generate a meaningful dataset that will tell the story of landscape change over time, site categories were developed such as reference sites (intact vegetation and geomorphology), restoration sites (where land rehabilitation will occur/has occurred) and sites of conventional use (under grazing &/or cropping regimes). All sites were to receive an ‘am’ and ‘pm’ survey to ensure a comprehensive snapshot was achieved for each location/site condition.
Flora and fauna consultants Garry and Brenda Cheers were engaged to perform the bird surveys within a timeframe that suited the sampling plan developed in partnership with Deakin University. Recently I have had the pleasure of discussing with Garry some of the exciting aspects of observations made during the survey work undertaken. After completing more than 70 surveys Garry reported the following notable observations: large groups of Striated Pardalote’s around the Yandoit area, Speckled Warblers observed in the Maldon Historic Reserve (Nuggetty aspect), a significant increase in the numbers and range of Flame Robins and Superb Fairy-wrens and an early appearance of spring migrants such as the Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Rufous Songlarks.
In general it appears that the numbers and diversity of small foraging birds are on the increase and that appearances this season of certain species and in these numbers may be quite unique in the landscape. This presents a wonderful opportunity for community groups and individuals alike to get out there and make some of their own observations and enjoy the festivity of calls and colours of our regions birdlife. For further information regarding this or other Connecting Country projects please contact the office on 5472 1594 or visit our website – www.connectingcountry.org.au “
Superb Fairy-wren (Geoff Park); Striated Pardalote (Patrick Kavanagh); Flame Robin (Geoff Park)
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