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BirdLife Castlemaine District eNews July 2024

Wednesday, 26 June 2024

  • Estimated reading time 10 minutes

Welcome to Castlemaine District eNews!

Dear Supporter,

Welcome to our July 2024 eNews!

This month’s issue includes details of our upcoming July walks and nature journaling. There’s a wrap-up of our late May and June walks, and some advance information on our October weekend camp. We’ve also got Bird of the Month, and as always, don’t forget to test your bird knowledge with the Quiz!

July Bird Walk – Saturday 6 July – Malmsbury Botanic Gardens and Viaduct Walk

We are delighted to announce that our next BirdLife Castlemaine District Branch bird walk will be held on Saturday 6 July at the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens and Viaduct Walk.

The habitat is varied with old established native and exotic trees in the park, and riparian and reedy areas along the Viaduct Walk. We will also check out the Malmsbury Common Reserve where there has been a lot of native planting and habitat restoration over the last few years. Species seen in the area include Darter, Great Crested Grebe, Whistling Kite, Black-shouldered Kite, Little Eagle, Red-browed Finch, plus various Honeyeaters, Thornbills and Silvereye, etc.

Our walk leader will be Bob Dawson.

Please note there are toilets at Malmsbury Botanic Gardens.

Where: Malmsbury Botanic Gardens, Ellesmere Place, Malmsbury. From Castlemaine, travel approx. 12KM east along the Pyrenees Highway (B180) toward Melbourne then turn right onto the Calder Highway (C794), then travel 12.6KM at which time you will be in Malmsbury. Turn right into Ellesmere Place, just over the Coliban River bridge. We will be at the end of Ellesmere Place, approx. 300 metres from the main road. If coming from Melbourne or Bendigo, take the Malmsbury exit from the Calder Freeway (M79), travel approx. 2KM and turn left into Ellesmere Place.

GPS -37.19114, 144.382068.

When: Meet at the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens at 9:00am.

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

More info: Jane Rusden 0448 900 896, or Bob Dawson 0419 621 691.

To discover more about the area, click here:

Malmsbury Botanic Gardens

Walking Trail

Malmsbury Common

July Midweek Bird Walk – Wednesday 17 July – Forest Creek Trail, Happy Valley, Castlemaine

Following the successful May midweek walk, we have decided to try another in July. This time we will walk along the Forest Creek Trail, Happy Valley. This track is a section of the Leanganook Track which is also known variously as the Happy Valley Walking Trail and the Goldfields Track, depending on the information source. The track is mostly flat providing easy walking.

Habitat is varied with much regeneration work also having been done by the Castlemaine Landcare Group and others. Possible sightings include various Thornbills and Honeyeaters, Pardalotes, Pied Currawong, Musk Lorikeet, Silvereye, Grey Fantail, etc. We may also come across some waterbirds in the creek.

Our walk leader will be Bob Dawson.

Where: The Trail starts at Happy Valley Rd. From the Hargraves and Forest Sts. roundabout, Happy Valley Rd is approx. 800 metres east toward Melbourne off the Pyrenees Hwy (B180). (Note: the beginning of Happy Valley Rd is marked as Burke St on Google Maps, etc., but the street sign says Happy Valley Rd). Turn left into Happy Valley Rd, then the start of the Trail is about 250 metres on the right.

GPS – 37.06874, 144.22776.

When: Meet at the Forest Creek Trail at 9:00am.

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

More info: Jane Rusden 0448 900 896, or Bob Dawson 0419 621 691.

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.

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

July nature journaling takes place at Kalimna Park Tourist Walking Track, Castlemaine. Views from a ridge top in pretty bush, close to Castlemaine and warm cafes which might be very inviting after a morning sketching. Painted Button-quail have been heard from this spot. No experience necessary. ALL WELCOME!

What to bring / wear:

– Wear long sleeve shirt and long trousers, sunhat, sturdy shoes for uneven ground, and snake protection. Rug up well and prepare for cold wintery conditions. Please note, we will be on rough tracks and uneven ground.

– 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, hot drink and snacks.

– Your sense of curiosity.

When and where: Sunday 7 July from 9:30am – 11:30am. Kalimna Park Tourist Walking Track, Kalimna Park Tourist Drive, Castlemaine.

GPS -37.0545681, 144.2362253.

Watercolour of White-plumed Honeyeater in evening sunlight, by Jane Rusden. If you’d like to see how to paint the White-plumed Honeyeater, and paint along with the video, go to Birds Meet with Annie and Jane.

Expressions of Interest – Weekend Bird Camp, 18-20 October

We have decided to have our 2024 Bird Camp at the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park in northern Victoria. For those of you who do not know the Park, it is one of Victoria’s premier birding spots with over 200 species listed as having been seen in the area, including endangered and threatened species such as Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot, Turquoise Parrot and Square-tailed Kite. At this time of year, many species of birds arrive at the Park or pass through on their way south.

At this stage the final details have not been worked out but we will probably spend most of our time on the Chiltern side of the freeway and intend on holding walks at Battery Hill Rd, Ryans Rd, Chiltern No.2 Dam and Bartley’s Block, plus Honeyeater Picnic Ground on the Mt Pilot side of the freeway. This may change once a scouting trip has taken place to check the areas.

There are some camping areas in the Park, but facilities are very limited so we will maybe look to base ourselves at the caravan park in Chiltern (Lake Anderson Caravan Park) which has powered and unpowered sites plus various different types of cabins. You will of course be able to stay wherever you like as we will meet at the specific locations each morning; details will be supplied before the event. There are a number of accommodation types offered in the area.

As usual we suggest driving up on the Friday to get settled in if you can. There will be walks organised for Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and afternoon and Sunday morning. If enough people are interested, we may look at doing a night walk on Saturday night. A communal dinner will also be arranged for the Friday night at a hotel or restaurant in Chiltern.

For more information regarding the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, click here:
https://vnpa.org.au/parks/chiltern-mt-pilot-national-park/
https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/Chiltern-Mt-Pilot-National-Park

For those interested in the camp, please advise Bob Dawson, preferably by email at bobadawson@hotmail.com or if unable to email, by phone/text 0417 621 691, so that you can be given the details as they become available.

Photo of Turquoise Parrot at Chiltern, by Bob Dawson.

Walks Wrap-up

On a beautiful clear morning our first winter bird walk for 2024 was around the Old Distillery Dam area at Kamarooka north of Bendigo. Led by Jenny Rolland and Euan Moore, 26 keen birders saw or heard 35 species of birds. Nine different species of Honeyeaters were observed enjoying the nectar and lerp provided by the three species of Mallee Gum that grow in the area. A Shy Heathwren was heard by our expert young birder, Tav and we enjoyed a close-up view of two Whistling Kites flying low over the dam.  The list of birds seen or heard is here. A big thank you to Jenny and Euan for leading the walk.

At the end of May, Gary and Judy Smith led the CHIRP bird walk along the Muckleford Rail Trail. Despite the windy and overcast weather, 20 species were seen or heard, including Swift Parrots! The list is here. A big thank you also to Gary and Judy for leading the walk.

Bird of the Month – Australasian Grebe

Meet Bird of the Month, the Australasian Grebe. Read about these cuties here.

 

Photo of Australasian Grebe, by Jane Rusden.

Update on Proposed Western Treatment Plant Visit

In the June eNews, the newly published Walks Calendar listed a limited numbers trip to the Western Treatment Plant for 18 September.

Unfortunately, this may not now be able to go ahead as it was not realised at that time that we will need a WTP permit holder in each separate vehicle. As we were going to look at possibly 20 people, that would mean we would need at least four permit holders. If you are a permit holder and can commit to that day, please let Bob Dawson know via email to bobadawson@hotmail.com. Otherwise, we will be unable to run the trip. We will advise in a later eNews and on Facebook if the trip can go ahead.

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 is Australia’s largest species of corvid? Choose from the list of five below.

1. Little Raven
2. Torresian Crow
3. Forest Raven
4. Australian Raven
5. Little Crow

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 larger bird, approximately 45 to 55 centimetres in length, with a wingspan up to 120 centimetres.
• My preferred habitats are woodlands and open forest extending into dry and arid open country.
• My diet consists of rabbits, small mammals, reptiles, as well as small birds and sometimes insects..
• I can be seen searching for prey on the wing or from a high exposed perch, taking prey from the ground, the shrub layer, or the canopy.
• My nest is an open bowl of twigs and branches, lined with green leaves. But I will also refurbish existing nests of small raptors or corvids.
• I’m a powerful stocky bird, with a short broad head and moderately long tail, square-cut at the tip when closed. When perched, a short crest is visible.
• I occur in both a light and dark colour form, with my plumage varying from light to dark brown. The most common is the light form which is dark brown occurring on the back and wings with black streaks on the head and neck, and a sandy to pale under body. The dark form of is similar except the head and under body is usually darker brown or rich rufous.
• I have a prominent “M” pattern on my upper wing, and fully feathered (booted) legs.

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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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Walks Calendar June – December 2024 (please note this now includes some additional Wednesday walks)

Saturday 1 June
Leaders:
Jenny Rolland and Euan Moore
Location: KamarookaSaturday 6 July
Leader:
Bob Dawson
Location: Malmsbury Botanic Gardens and Viaduct WalkWednesday 17 July
Leader:
Bob Dawson
Location: Forest Creek Trail, Happy Valley
Saturday 3 August
Leader:
Bill Sampson
Location: Cave Gully Walk, Guildford

Saturday 7 September
Leader:
Jane Rusden
Location: Rise & Shine + Feathered 5 + morning tea

Saturday 5 October
Leaders:
Gary and Judy Smith
Location: Castlemaine – Maldon Railway Trail, Walmer18-20 October – Birding Weekend
Location: Chiltern-Mt Pilot National ParkSaturday 2 November
Leaders: Nina Tsilikas and Giles Daubeney
Location: Shepherds FlatWednesday 20 November
Leader: TBA
Location: TBA

Saturday 7 December
Leaders: Rosemary and Peter Turner
Location: Harcourt Reservoir – followed by end-of-year morning tea

Quiz Answers

Question 1: Australian Raven.

Question 2: Clockwise from top left – White-faced Heron, Brown Treecreeper, Australasian Grebe, Eastern Yellow Robin.

Question 3: Australian Little Eagle.

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