This year we are combining the usual lunch-time bar-b-q picnic with a camp-out on Friday 28th April, a night-time fauna survey and early morning birdwatching so – stay posted for more information coming soon!
Lunch will be at noon with our annual awards presentations at 2:00pm.
More details coming soon!
by Jane Anderson, Bushcare Officer
Black Faced Monarch with Chick in Nest photo by Carol Proberts
A glorious morning greeted twelve Mt Wilson Bushcare volunteers, Carol Probets and myself on 12th February this year. Libby Raines, Mt Wilson Bushcare Group’s community co-ordinator and former Bushcare Legend of the Year, had invited Bushcarers from past and present to attend and take pleasure in the place they’ve been looking after for many years. We were all delighted at the sun streaming through the gorgeous Mount Wilson panoramas.
As we walked through The Cathedral of Ferns we heard a lot of peeping from LBJs (little brown jobs) and saw some Fairy wrens and very chubby yellow breasted robins … but we were really out to see the elusive nesting Black Faced Monarch that Carol had spotted on a walk two weeks earlier. She was expecting the chicks to have hatched.
And we were in luck, with patience … We saw the chicks bobbing up and down – no regrets about the 7:00am start now! But, although we heard the parents calling, they remained in the upper canopy until we left.
Black Faced Monarch chick in nest, Mt Wilson. Photo by Carol Proberts
Thankfully, after we shared a very yummy morning tea, Carol went back and took the most beautiful photos, which she is generously allowing us to share with all you lovely Bushcarers! So please enjoy them here and again a huge thanks to Carol and to Libby for a super morning.
Black Faced Monarch Mt Wilson. Photo by Carol Proberts
Deanei Reserve 24th Jan2015
Early Saturday morning on the 24th January eighteen fine bushcarers and interested twitters headed to the Deanei to see if we could spot some birds. The walk was guided by Graham Turner who has many years of experience and is a great presenter with many many wow facts about local birds –and his bird calls are just amazing to listen to. Graham was surprised at how many birds we did see(January is not a particularly great time of year for bird observation) We ended up sighting or hearing the calls of 36 birds in all –a wonderful effort and what I noticed most is the wonderful & peaceful vista that lies within the Deanei.It is just so beautiful –tall graceful gums with Thornbills in the high canopy , whip birds in the distance , fire tails coming in close and as Graham pointed out the Deanei is the perfect place for Wonga pidgeons. One of the highlights was to see a Pacific Bazza which Graham explained as a Climate Change bird –it seems to be expanding its southern extreme. We look forward to another twitch very soon.
A big thank you to Frank Winternitz and Graham Turner for enabling this wonderful event to occur.
Early Saturday morning on the 24th January, eighteen fine bushcarers and interested twitters headed to the Deanei to see if we could spot some birds.
The walk was guided by Graham Turner who has many years of experience and is a great presenter, with many many wow facts about local birds — and his bird calls are just amazing to listen to.
Graham was surprised at how many birds we did see (January is not a particularly great time of year for bird observation). We ended up sighting or hearing the calls of 36 birds in all — a wonderful effort — and what I noticed most is the wonderful and peaceful vista that lies within the Deanei. It is just so beautiful: tall, graceful gums with thornbills in the high canopy, whip birds in the distance, firetails coming in close and, as Graham pointed out, the Deanei is the perfect place for Wonga pigeons.
One of the highlights was to see a Pacific Bazza, which Graham explained as a climate change bird; it seems to be expanding its southern extreme.
We look forward to another twitch very soon.
A big thank you to Frank Winternitz and Graham Turner for enabling this wonderful event to occur.
You are invited to come and enjoy a bird walk in the Deanei before our workday. Limited numbers so please RSVP to the Bushcare office.