General News
20 December, 2024
Barry's Corner
Once harvest finishers for the season, there might be a chance to take a break for a day or so and this could be used by getting to know the birds. No big equipment is needed to make this happen just a bit of time, bird book and a set of binoculars.
Birds are fairly well everywhere and it might seem as if the same old species are seen day after day, like magpies, ravens, sparrows, corellas and plovers.
Fairly often there will be others coming through on their way to a breeding ground or wetland somewhere. The first thing to notice will be the unusual calls made by the strangers. Such as rainbow bird, rufous whistler, wood swallow and a thrush or two. Then the fun of identifying them can begin. It is common to work out the identity by the calls.
Using calls to identify can make it easier to work with because birds can feed around in the high foliage and not see as much.
Bird books can be easier to assist with visual sightings and could become a Christmas gift for someone in the family.
It might be made more interesting by gathering a group of new and emerging watchers together to be able to learn from each other. There would be plenty of sites around any district where bird watchers can put a list of sightings together. Such a list need not be used anywhere it could become a district investment for local information.
Of course, there are other things besides birds in any district and an interest could be taken in vegetation, trees and grasses and that is another big learning program. Starting with parrots, or hawks and falcons. How many eucalypt varieties are growing alongside a roadway? How many goannas are surviving in a patch of bush? There are many questions that require answers it can be hard to know where to make a start.
Trying not to learn everything in one visit can make it a bit more palatable and there is a requirement to have a good time and a bit of fun.
The folk who work outside can pick up a lot of information just by being out in the open.
Make sure that no cats are given as presents this year. They all play a big role in the extinction of the reptiles and birds.