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BirdLife Castlemaine District eNews November 2021

Tuesday, 26 October 2021

  • Estimated reading time 10 minutes

Welcome to Castlemaine District eNews!

Dear Supporter,

Welcome to our November 2021 eNews.

We are so excited to be able to resume bird walks! Read on to learn about our upcoming November walk and nature journaling session, and test your bird knowledge with the quiz.

November Bird Walk – Saturday 6 November – Tullaroop Reservoir, Majorca

We are delighted to announce that the next BirdLife Castlemaine District Branch bird walk will be held on Saturday 6 November at the Tullaroop Reservoir, Majorca. The Tullaroop Reservoir dams the Tullaroop Creek, a tributary of the Loddon River and part of the Goulburn – Murray Water system. Over 100 bird species have been seen at the reservoir. Recent sightings include Musk Duck, Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow-billed Spoonbill and Black Kite. We will start at the main car park near the dam wall and scan for water birds using scopes. After this we will drive a short distance to an area that will be more conducive for bush birds. Our walk leaders will be Jenny Rolland and Euan Moore.

Note there are toilets available at the first area (main car park) but not at the second.

To discover more about Tullaroop Reservoir click here.

PLEASE NOTE – AS PER THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT COVID-19 DIRECTIVES, ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED (2 JABS) ARE PERMITTED TO ATTEND FUNCTIONS. TO COMPLY WITH THIS, WE WILL ONLY BE ALLOWING PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO SHOW A VALID PAPER OR ELECTRONIC VACCINATION CERTIFICATE TO ACCOMPANY US, UNLESS YOU ARE AGED 16 OR UNDER OR HAVE A VALID MEDICAL EXEMPTION ISSUED BY A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER. WE WILL BE CHECKING CERTIFICATES AT SIGN IN.

Where: The Tullaroop Reservoir is located on Rodborough Road, Majorca. From Castlemaine, take the Pyrenees Hwy (B180) to Newstead. Continue on the Pyrenees Hwy through Newstead for just over 5KM and turn left at Rodborough Rd. After about 14KM the road will cross the Tullaroop Reservoir Dam Wall. Just past this on the left there is a car park and a toilet block. We meet in the car park there. GPS: -37.09286, 143.86243.

When: Meet at the Tullaroop Reservoir car park at 9:00am.

Bring: Water, snacks, binoculars, sunscreen, hat, sturdy shoes. As it is now snake season, we also strongly recommend that you wear long trousers and closed-in shoes.

More info: Jane Rusden, 0448 900 896, Judy Hopley 0425 768 559 or Bob Dawson 0417 621 691.

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, and/or a Total Fire Ban is declared. Please check your email and our Facebook page the day before the event in case there is a cancellation.

Nature Journaling with BirdLife Castlemaine District

Join some nature loving creatives and aspiring creatives and explore the natural world through your chosen medium … which can be what ever you want.

When and where: Saturday 6 November, at Tullaroop Reservoir from 11:30am to 1:30pm following the monthly bird walk. See item above for location details.

What to bring: Something to sit on, your lunch, drinks, sunscreen, etc. Bring clothing to protect from rain, sun and wind, shoes suitable for uneven ground and binoculars if you need or have them, and most importantly, your creative materials – pen, paper, pencils, paint, camera, or what ever you need to get creative in nature. Guide books could be helpful to identify plants and animals.

Watercolour and ink of Little Corella by Jane Rusden

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

In the recent Guardian Australia, Australian Bird of the Year poll, which of the four species listed below was voted the most popular?

1. Gang-gang Cockatoo
2. Tawny Frogmouth
3. Super Fairy-wren
4. Australian Magpie

Question 2 (Intermediate): Who am I?

• I’m a year-round resident in the Castlemaine district.

• I’m a small bird approx. 11 centimetres in length.

• I like to inhabit partially treed open woodlands and grasslands, but I’m quite often found in suburban parks and gardens.

•My colours are olive green upperparts with grey head and underparts, and a black tail.

• My diet consists of seeds and small insects.

• I’m often seen foraging in small flocks sometimes with other small birds. I’ll quickly fly for cover when disturbed.

• My nest consists of a small dome-like structure made from twigs and grass stems, with a side entrance.

• I have a quite prominent scarlet beak, eyebrow, and rump.

Question 3 (Advanced): Image Puzzle

The bird photograph below has been scrambled. Using your bird identification skills attempt to unpuzzle the image and identify the species. The unpuzzled image will be available with the solutions at the bottom of this eNews.

Bonus Question 4 (Obscure)

In September, a 30-year old recording of an Australian duck mimicking human speech, by saying “you bloody fool” was uncovered by a researcher in the Netherlands. What species of duck was recorded? Choose from the four options listed below.

1. Pacific Black Duck
2. Musk Duck
3. Australian Wood Duck
4. Pink-eared Duck

Bird of the Month – Feeding Birds

To provide food and water for birds, or not, has long been a contentious issue. Done in the wrong way it can be potentially harmful; however science tells us there are safe ways to provide resources for birds and Damian Kelly writes a balanced article on the topic. To read more, click here.

Photo of Sacred Kingfisher and Eastern Rosella: 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 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 Superb Fairy-wren was voted Australia’s most popular bird, accumulating 13,999 votes.

Question 2: Red-browed Finch.

Question 3: Varied Sittella (see image below).

Question 4: Ripper, a male Musk Duck reared in captivity at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, southwest of Canberra, was recorded vocalising the sound of doors slamming shut as well as the phrase “you bloody fool” Recorded by retired researcher Dr Peter Fullagar more than 30 years ago.

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