Update on September Bird Walk and Nature Journaling

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in place which limit numbers at outdoor gatherings, unfortunately we’ll be unable to hold the September bird walk and Nature Journaling session which were scheduled for this coming Saturday, 4 September. We are keeping our fingers crossed for October….

Budding Bird Artist!

We were thrilled to be contacted recently by Joel from Chewton, who sent us a picture of drawings done by Tavish, his 11-year old son.

Tavish is a very keen young bird’o. He surprises his parents with his knowledge and recently identified an Olive-backed Oriole in his backyard. We think his bird drawings are terrific, and are pleased that Tavish has agreed to us sharing them. His father Joel has signed up for our eNews and we are also very excited to announce that Tavish has become a member of BirdLife Australia! We look forward to them joining us on future bird walks.

Drawings by Tavish

Weekend Mallee Camp Update

At this stage it does not look as if the Hattah-Kulkyne camp scheduled for 11 and 12 September will go ahead. We are however going to wait until the government announcement on (or before) 2 September to make a final decision on cancellation. If it is announced at that stage that the restrictions are lifted to allow social gatherings of 50 then we will go ahead; if this is not the case then it will cancelled. All interested parties will be notified by email either way.

Know Your Birds Quiz

Test your bird knowledge in this month’s quiz with the four questions below, then check the answers at the end of this eNews. Big thanks as always to quizmaster Ash Vigus.

Question 1 (Beginner): Multiple Choice

From the four bird species listed below, which species is not an emblem of an Australian State or Territory?

1. Gang-gang Cockatoo
2. Laughing Kookaburra
3. Australian Raven
4. Black Swan

Question 2 (Intermediate): Who am I?

• I’m a medium-sized (approx. 35 to 38 centimetres) ground-dwelling bird with an upright stance very similar to a wader.

• My colours are a brown buff upper, with a white neck, breast, and belly. I also have a black crown, black primary feathers, and a black stripe down each side of my neck.

• I’m a well-known bird who’s adapted well to human habitation, I can often be seen on ovals, school grounds, roadside verges, paddocks, and grasslands.

• My diet consists of insects, larvae, and earthworms, usually taken from below the soil surface.

• My nest consists of a simple scrape in the ground, sometimes in inappropriate locations like school grounds, or adjacent to car parks.

• I’m a vocal bird with a very loud metallic “kekekekeke” alarm call, sometimes heard at night.

• I’m notorious for the defence of my nesting site, I’ve even been known to dive on intruders who get too close.

• I have prominent triangular yellow lobes of skin on each side of my face, and prominent thorny spurs protruding from my wings.

Question 3 (Advanced): Spot the Feathers

All four species pictured below are found in the Castlemaine district. What do you think these four birds are?

Bonus Question 4 (Obscure)

Australia has a great many species of Cuckoo, many of whom are residents in Victoria. From the list of Cuckoos below, which species is not a brood parasite?

1. Shining-bronze Cuckoo
2. Fan-tailed Cuckoo
3. Eastern Koel
4. Pallid Cuckoo
5. Pheasant Coucal
6. Black-eared Cuckoo

Bird of the Month – Fan-tailed Cuckoo

The Fan-tailed Cuckoo is a secretive bird with a soft pretty call, which is usually how we know they are around. Masters of melting into the shrubbery, they throw up more questions than answers. To read more, click here.

Photo of Fan-tailed Cuckoo by Ash Vigus

Follow us on Facebook

We have a BirdLife Castlemaine District Facebook page. Follow us for all the latest bird news and events.

Become a Member

Membership of BirdLife Australia is a great way to support a bright future for Australia’s birds – and it would also make a perfect gift for a bird-lover! Learn more about membership or other ways to get involved here.

Kind regards,

The BirdLife Castlemaine Committee

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Quiz Answers

Question 1: The Australian Raven is not a faunal emblem of any Australian State or Territory.
Gang-gang Cockatoo – faunal emblem of the ACT.
Laughing Kookaburra – faunal emblem of New South Wales.
Black Swan – faunal emblem of Western Australia.

Question 2: Masked Lapwing.

Question 3: Clockwise from top left – Scarlet Robin, White-fronted Chat, White-naped Honeyeater, Dusky Woodswallow.

Question 4: The Pheasant Coucal, a large, long-tailed, pheasant-like Cuckoo which occurs in northern and eastern Australia. It’s Australia’s only Cuckoo who builds and maintains its own nest and raises its own young.