The first walk of the year as usual includes Breakfast with the Birds and will be held on Saturday 7 February at the Malmsbury Reservoir.

Please bring your own food, drinks, cutlery, table, chairs, etc. Breakfast can begin from 8:00am, with the walk following from around 9:00am. There is a picnic area with great facilities including tables, chairs, toilets and electric BBQs.

There are a number of areas to walk and we will decide once there where and how far we go. Many species have been seen there, with recent sightings including White-necked Heron, Caspian Tern, Great Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Australian Pelican, Mistletoebird, Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and a number of waterbird species.

Your walk leader is Bob Dawson.

ALL WELCOME!

Where: Malmsbury Reservoir Picnic Ground is located off Evans St, Malmsbury. From the Forest St roundabout in Castlemaine, travel east on the Pyrenees Hwy (B180) for about 12KM, then turn right onto the Calder Hwy (C794). Drive for another 12KM and turn right onto Daylesford Rd (C316). Drive for approx. 400 metres and turn left onto Evans St. About 200 metres down Evans St you will see the entrance to the Malmsbury Reservoir on the left. Drive down to the picnic area car park.

GPS: -37.19439, 144.37597. Google Maps Link is here. 

When: Meet at Malmsbury Reservoir Picnic Ground at 8:00am for breakfast, walk from approx. 9:00am.

Bring / wear: Breakfast, water, snacks, binoculars, sunscreen, hat, long trousers and sturdy closed-in shoes (for snake protection).

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

You can discover more about Malmsbury Reservoir via the following links:

https://coliban.com.au/about-us/our-reservoirs/malmsbury-reservoir

https://www.goldfieldsguide.com.au/explore-location/730/malmsbury-reservoir/

https://www.visitmacedonranges.com/tourism-listing/malmsbury-reservoir/

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 Cancellation of Walks

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

February nature journaling will be at Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. 

Nature journaling is a combination of science, art and mindfulness. Enjoy a quiet time with nature, observing the ebb and flow of our local birds, other wildlife and native plants, as we explore with our curiosity and record observations in a sketchbook. Guided by Jane Rusden, artist, birder and environmentalist.

No experience necessary, all welcome.

We leave no trace, be kind and thoughtful of wildlife and their habitat … sit beside plants to draw them or take a photo. We don’t pick plants or flowers. Keep a respectful distance from wildlife, so we don’t disturb them or make them nervous. Use binoculars or telescopes to get a closer look. Enjoy those special moments when we find a unique bloom or wildlife chooses to come closer to us, as we sit quietly.

What to bring / wear:

– Wear suitable clothing and sturdy shoes (for sun and snake protection). Note we may be on rough ground 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.

– A hat and sunscreen.

– Water and snacks.

– Your sense of curiosity.

When and where: Sunday 1 February from 9:30am – 11:30am. Meet at the southern car park, near the rotunda and old tea rooms, Downes Road, Castlemaine.

Toilets are available at the Gardens.

GPS: -37.0534451, 144.2163230

Painting is of items observed while wandering the beach. Watercolour on paper, by Jane Rusden.

Visit to Castlemaine from BirdLife CEO – Friday 13 February

Kate Millar, CEO of BirdLife Australia, will be making a heartfelt trip to Castlemaine on Friday 13 February, extending BirdLife’s support to everyone in our community, especially those affected by the Harcourt bushfires. She understands the impact as she has close family in Castlemaine.

All welcome to catch up with Kate and do some bird watching at the amazing new bird hide installed by Coliban Water.

Join us from 10:00am at the Coliban Water Treatment Plant Bird Hide, 11-13 Langslow St, Castlemaine. Access via the Pioneer Cemetery.

Australian White Ibis, 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

Kookaburras are large Kingfishers of the genus Dacelo, of which there are five species. Which two species of Kookaburra are found on the Australian continent? Choose from the list below.

1. Spangled Kookaburra
2. Blue-winged Kookaburra
3. Shovel-billed Kookaburra
4. Rufous-bellied Kookaburra
5. Laughing Kookaburra

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 very small bird, approximately 9 to 10 centimetres in length.
• My range extends along the eastern Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and the south-east corner of South Australia.
• My diet consists mostly of insects, but I will sometimes eat seeds.
• Often seen in pairs or small parties, I can sometimes be found in mixed flocks with other closely related species, where I can be found leaf gleaning in the foliage.
• My preferred habitats include open forests, woodlands and shrublands which have casuarinas, acacias, or paperbarks.
• The female builds a rounded domed nest, with a narrow, hooded entrance near the top constructed from grasses, bark, and other materials, lined with feathers, fur or soft plant down. The nest is usually in twigs of upper tree branches.
• My colours consist of greenish-olive on the back, with bold white streaking on the cheeks and ears, and pale to bright yellow underparts.
• I have a slight ochre wash on my chin and throat, a greyish-brown eye, and a small thorn-like bill.

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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: Laughing Kookaburra and Blue-winged Kookaburra

Question 2: Clockwise from top left – White-browed Woodswallow, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australasian Grebe, Peregrine Falcon

Question 3: Yellow Thornbill