April Bird Walk – Saturday 5 April – Glenlyon Community Dam and Biolink Walk, Glenlyon

Our April bird walk will be held on Saturday 5 April at the Glenlyon Community Dam and Biolink Walk, Glenlyon. Recent sightings in the area include Collared Sparrowhawk, Australian Reed Warbler, Dusky Woodswallow, Red-browed Finch, White-throated Needletail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and Black Kite, along with several species of Honeyeater, Thornbills and other common local species. In recent years, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Musk Lorikeet and Square-tailed Kite have also been seen in the vicinity.

Our walk leaders are Nina Tsilikas and Giles Daubeney.

ALL WELCOME!

Toilets are available at the nearby Glenlyon Recreation Reserve.

Where: We will meet at the Glenlyon Community Dam. From Castlemaine take the Midland Highway (A300) (Barker St) toward Daylesford. Drive approx. 34KM and turn left onto the Daylesford-Malmsbury Rd. Drive approx. 8.4KM where you will be entering Glenlyon and turn right onto Dysart St. In approx. 700mtrs you will see the Glenlyon Community Dam on the right.

GPS: -37.299590, 144.250840. Google Maps link here.

When: Meet at Glenlyon Community Dam at 9:00am.

Bring / wear: Water, snacks, binoculars, sunscreen, hat, long trousers, sturdy closed-in shoes.

More info: Jane Rusden 0448 900 896, Bob Dawson 0417 621 691

https://www.goldfieldsguide.com.au/explore-location/523/biolink-track/

https://www.goldfieldsguide.com.au/explore-location/515/glenlyon-community-dam/

Acknowledgment of Country

BirdLife Castlemaine acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands we will walk, the Dja Dja Wurrung people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We recognise and are grateful for the immense contribution of Indigenous people to the knowledge and conservation of Australia’s birds.

Important Information Regarding Weather

Please note that walks will be cancelled if severe weather warnings are in place, persistent rain is forecast, the temperature is forecast to be 35C or above during the walk period, a Total Fire Ban is declared, or some other safety issue is identified. Please check our Facebook page or email castlemaine@birdlife.org.au the day before the event in case there is a cancellation.

Nature Journaling with BirdLife Castlemaine District

Nature journaling for April is taking place at Herons Reef, Fryerstown, exploring nature and recording what you observe. Led by artist and bird nut, Jane Rusden. No experience is necessary and beginners are very welcome.

What to bring / wear:

– Wear long trousers, long sleeve shirt and sturdy shoes, for sun and snake protection, and a sunhat. Please note we will be on rough bush tracks, occasionally off track and will walk up to a few hundred meters, possibly carrying your art materials.

– A small selection of art materials such as paints, pencils, pens, coloured pencils, pastels, paper, water container if applicable, camera or phone and binoculars if you have them. A bag to put it all in.

– Something to sit on, such as a camp chair or rug.

– Water and snacks.

– Your sense of curiosity.

When and where: Sunday 6 April from 9:30am – 11:30am. Herons Reef, South of Spring Gully Rd, on the east side of Vaughan-Chewton Rd, Fryerstown.

GPS: -37.1204532, 144.2533080

Scarlet Robin male watercolour, by Jane Rusden.

March Walk Wrap-up

Our March bird walk took place at Cobblers Gully, Fryerstown, on a beautiful autumn morning.

Thirty-three species were identified; the full list of birds seen or heard can be found here.

Many thanks to Jane Rusden for leading the walk.

Remembering Ron Wescott

It is with great sadness that BirdLife Castlemaine District would like to acknowledge the passing of Ron Wescott, and extend our heartfelt condolences to Cheryl.

Ron and Cheryl have been fixtures as walk leaders on our events calendar, right from the beginning of BirdLife Castlemaine District. Ron has always supported us and we are very grateful for his knowledge and commitment to BCD.

Special Events Coming in May – Save the Date!

Nature Journaling Campout

Our 2025 Nature Journaling Weekend Campout will be held from 23 to 25 May, at a private property in Wedderburn. More details will follow in the May eNews.

Pride Bird Walk

We are very excited to have teamed up with Castlemaine Pride and Connecting Country to hold our very first Pride Bird Walk on Saturday 17 May, from 9:00am for around 2 hours.

We’ll start at Lewis Drive and walk along the Campbells Creek Trail, looking for birds and enjoying the incredible mature revegetation, planted and maintained by Campbells Creek Landcare. Morning tea will be provided by Stak’s Cafe. More details will follow in the May eNews.

Rainbow Bee-eater pair, Newstead. Photo by Jane Rusden.

Know Your Birds Quiz

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

Question 1 (Easy): Multiple Choice

What species of Australian bird appears on the Australian ten dollar note (latest edition)?

1. Eastern Rosella
2. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
3. Emu
4. Superb Fairy-wren
5. Common Lyrebird
6. Wedge-tailed Eagle

Question 2 (Intermediate): Spot the Feathers

All four bird species pictured below are found in the Castlemaine district; what do you think these four birds are?

Question 3 (Advanced): Who Am I?

• I’m a small bird, approximately 14 to 17 centimetres in length.
• I’m found in every Australian state and territory.
• My diet consists mostly of flying insects, which I catch by hawking them from the edge of foliage.
• I’m found across a variety of habitat types, including forests, dry woodlands, scrublands, and suburban parks and gardens.
• I like to build my nest in a thin tree fork. It’s made of fine grass bound together with large amounts of spider web. The bottom of the nest is drawn out into a long stem, resembling that of a wine glass.
• I’m a conspicuous and vocal bird as well as being quite inquisitive, and I’ve been known to closely approach observers.
• Both sexes are similar in appearance: Charcoal grey upperparts with white underparts, a prominent white eyebrow, with white throat and tail edges, and a slight buff tinge on my breast.
• I’m a highly energetic bird with a large conspicuous constantly fanned tail.

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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: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Question 2: Clockwise from top left – Grey Fantail, Dusky Woodswallow (Juvenile plumage), White Plumed Honeyeater, Horsfield’s Bushlark.

Question 3: Grey Fantail.