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BirdLife Castlemaine District eNews December 2020

Tuesday, 24 November 2020

  • Estimated reading time 10 minutes

Welcome to Castlemaine District eNews!

Dear Supporter,

Welcome to the final eNews for 2020. What a year it has been.

The Committee is still working on the bird walks / events calendar for 2021. At this stage it is planned to hold walks on the first Saturday of each month, commencing on Saturday 2 January.  It is also hoped to hold another one of our popular “Breakfast with the Birds” events on Saturday 6 February at Warburton Bridge. Full details will be emailed to our participants, included in this eNews and advertised on our Facebook page when available.

We really look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible next year. In the meantime, read on for the latest news and updates, test your bird knowledge with our quiz, and meet our Bird of the Month!

Bird Walk Summary – Campbells Creek

Twenty-nine bird lovers, including several new people, enjoyed a walk on two private properties in Campbells Creek on Saturday 5 December.

Jane Rusden and Damian Kelly led two groups of walkers and although it was overcast and a little windy, at least fourteen species of birds were seen or heard. The most common were the Fuscous Honeyeaters who were en masse on Jane’s property. A large number of Ravens were also calling and flying. A White-winged Chough was observed leaving a characteristically bowl shaped mud nest and walkers enjoyed interacting with Jane’s rescue Cockatiels.

All agreed that it was terrific to resume bird walks after many months of inactivity due to COVID-19 restrictions. The opportunity to walk together and make observations was much appreciated.

Thanks to Jane and Damian for an enjoyable morning.

Photo of Fuscous Honeyeaters: Damian Kelly

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

Recently during Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown, record numbers of cooped up Melbournians obsessively monitored a pair of Falcons raise their three fledglings on a skyscraper ledge high above the Melbourne CBD, through the 367 Collins falcons’ webcam. What is the species of Falcon were they monitoring?

1. Brown Falcon
2. Nankeen Kestrel
3. Peregrine Falcon
4. Australian Hobby

Question 2 (Intermediate): Who am I?

• I’m a seasonal visitor to the Castlemaine district, arriving in late spring and departing north in late summer / early autumn.

• My colours consist of iridescent blue / green upperparts and cap, with off-white to buff underparts.

• For my size I have relatively long, large beak.

• I like to nest in tree hollows or in an excavated burrow on a riverbank.

• I like to inhabit a wide variety of habitats, but I’m usually seen in the Castlemaine district in dry open woodland, and along creeks and watercourses.

• I’m approximately 20 to 23cm in length.

• My diet largely consists of invertebrates, but I’ll also eat lizards and small fish.

• I have a very distinctive repetitive kek kek kek kek call.

Question 3 (Advanced): Birds’ Eyes

All four species in the images below are full time residents in the Castlemaine district. Looking at the close-up images of the birds’ eyes, what species do you think these four birds are?

Bonus Question 4 (Obscure)

One of Victoria’s faunal emblems is the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater. The Helmeted Honeyeater is actually a sub-race of what honeyeater species found commonly in the Castlemaine district?

Bird of the Month – Grey Shrike-thrush

Common with uncommonly beautiful song, the Grey Shrike-thrush is a well-known songster of the bush and sometimes gardens.

Apparently, they are another species that has enjoyed the glut of Cup Leaf moth caterpillars this year, as this photo attests to.

Click here to read more.

Photo: Jane Rusden

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 great Christmas gift! 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: Peregrine Falcon

Question 2: Sacred Kingfisher

Question 3: Clockwise from top left – Fuscous Honeyeater, Black-fronted Dotterel, New Holland Honeyeater, Little Eagle

Question 4: Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

BirdLife Australia, BirdLife Victoria Group, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053  | castlemaine@birdlife.org.au