Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Dear Supporter,
Welcome to the September 2020 eNews. We hope you are all staying safe and well during this ongoing challenging time and enjoying some springy weather.
Read on for the latest news and updates, test your bird knowledge with our NEW quiz, and meet our Bird of the Month!
Committee Update – We Want to Hear From You!
As our much-loved monthly bird walks will be on hold for a while longer, the Committee has been thinking about other ways we can continue to celebrate our amazing local bird life and engage with our members until we are able to get together again in the great outdoors.
So, we would love to hear from you – whether you’ve spotted something unusual, or managed to take a great photo or have found new ways to enjoy birds during lockdown – let us know! We’d also love to hear about how and why you became interested in birdwatching, and about your favourite birds. If you have children who have drawn birds, you can send us those drawings too and we’ll publish as many as possible in the eNews.
You can contact us via email, and if sending photos they need to be at least 1MB in size, JPEG format, and clearly labelled with the photographers name, date and location, and the name of the bird (if you know it). If the photo has been taken by someone else, please ensure you have their permission for us to use it in the eNews.
We’re really excited to launch the inaugural BirdLife Castlemaine District Know Your Birds Quiz! Test your bird knowledge with the four questions below, then check the answers at the end of this eNews. Big thanks to Ash Vigus for putting the quiz together.
Question 1 (Beginner): Who am I?
• I’m a predominantly black bird with some white features. • I’m approximately 43 to 47cm in length. • Common names I’ve previously been known as are “Black Jay” and “Black Magpie”. • I have a thin black downcurved bill and red eyes. • I like to spend most of my day foraging on the forest floor. • I’m a social bird, usually flocking with five to 12 family members. • I build a large durable bowl-shaped nest out of mud.
Question 2 (Intermediate): Spot the Feathers
All four species shown in the photos below are either full time or seasonal residents in the Castlemaine district. What do you think these four birds are?
Question 3 (Advanced)
Rosellas are a common sight in many regions of Australia. Consisting of six species and 19 subspecies, we have two species resident in the Castlemaine district. Which region of Sydney is the word “Rosella” derived from?
Bonus Question 4: (Super-obscure)
We have three species of Frogmouth in Australia; the Papuan, the Marbled and the much-loved Tawny Frogmouth. They belong to the genus “Podargus”. This word is derived from a Greek term that references both a part of the human body, as well as a speed of movement. Name the part of the body and the speed that is being referred to.
Tricky Birds Webinar
If you missed the recent Tricky Birds webinar delivered by highly regarded experts Geoff Park and Chris Tzaros, you can download the presentations here. 500 people attended via Zoom! Geoff covered the topic of identifying raptors and Chris focused on identifying thornbills of central Victoria.
Update on Twitchathon and Challenge Bird Counts
We have been advised by BirdLife Australia that the 2020 Twitchathon and Challenge Bird Count events are unable to be supported this year due to insurance and OH&S complexities as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
You can, however, continue to be involved in surveying by taking part in the Birds in Backyards program.
Become a Citizen Science Superhero
BirdLife Western Australia are hosting a virtual seminar on Wednesday 9 September on how to use Birdata for recording observations. The seminar is open to all – more details here.
As we mentioned at the start of this eNews, we are keen to know how you have been enjoying birds in lockdown.
Our very own Jane Rusden is keeping a nature journal, and spotted this gorgeous Common Bronzewing in her garden.
Photo: Jane Rusden
During lockdown and with beautiful spring weather to enjoy, many of us are spending more time than usual in our gardens and noticing the birds there. (It’s a thing; birdwatching has really taken off during COVID.)
The gorgeous and rather cute Red-browed Finch is a relatively common visitor to many gardens, but can be confusing to identify as they are mostly brown and very quick, making it hard to get a good look. However, they can also be bold, as this photo by Martin Tatton testifies. It was taken on his phone! Click here to read more.
Photo: Martin Tatton
There are some great resources available for download on the BirdLife website, covering a range of topics including how to choose binoculars, birdwatching tips, nest boxes and lots more. Simply visit the website and click on the ‘Info Sheets’ dropdown list near the bottom right corner of the homepage.
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. 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: White-winged Chough.
Question 2: Clockwise from top left – Brown Treecreeper, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Golden Whistler, Black Kite.
Question 3: Rose Hill. Early European settlers encountered the Eastern Rosella at Rose Hill, NSW. Initially called the Rose Hill Parakeet, over time this became “Rosehiller” and eventually “Rosella”.
Question 4: Podargus means slow or lazy footed. Derived from the Greek word for foot “Pous” and the ancient Greek term “Argos” meaning lazy, idle or slow.
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