Bellbird Park wetland

Attempts are generally made to maintain a positive ambience to these posts, but every now and then …

A recent bird survey at Drouin’s Bellbird Park wetland (the bit behind the lake) resulted in a ‘good score’ of 36 native species plus 4 introduced. Some of the sightings we thought worthy of highlighting include: Australian Hobby, plenty of Superb Fairy-wrens, White-browed Scrubwrens,  Eastern Yellow Robins, and others.

Always a pleasure to find a White-browed Scrubwren in urban Drouin

The piece of bushland behind the lake however has become seriously invaded with weed species that do very little for supporting native fauna and are having a significant effect on the survival of native flora.

Bellbird Park wetland weed invasion

In the above image, the following were quickly identified: Blackberry, Arum Lily, Kikyu, Dock Weed, English Ivy, Sweet Pittosporum, Tree Tobacco, Wild Radish, Thistle sp, Buttercup, Fog Grass, Cleavers, Wild Carrot, and Nasturtium. This without doubt would be an incomplete list. Dieback in the crowns of the eucalypts is also clearly visible.

This precious bit of remnant native bush in our town is being seriously threatened.

Whilst the area is contained within a proposed Landscape Plan (above) begun at least as long ago as 2020, not a lot has been achieved to date. One (of two proposed) viewing platforms has been built and a small section of the track through the fern gully has been resurfaced.

The plan states:

            “Gradual/incremental eradication of weeds …”

            “Clear the existing drainage channels …”

            “Plant additional trees, shrubs, grasses …”

            “Create two habitat islands within the wetland”

            “Provide boardwalks …”

            “Provide interpretive signage…”

I doubt I will be around to see much of this at the rate the plan is progressing!

Spring bird surveys

The FoDT bird survey team have been monitoring bird populations at seven core sites in and around Drouin for a number of years now. Each site is checked twice each autumn and spring. Several additional supplementary sites in and around Drouin are also checked. Results are uploaded to the Birds Australia Birdata website.

Part of the team 'at work' at Thomas Maddock Reserve

The presence or absence of birds is often a good bioindicator – a measure of the health of an ecosystem. The Birdata website and other atlases are frequently referred to by officers from the Baw Baw Shire, consultants and others when work is proposed in a nearby area.

Crossing controller needed on Two Towns Trail at Thomas Maddock

The core sites checked twice each season are: Picnic Point and Thornell’s Reserve, Old Princes Highway; Golden Whistler Reserve, McGlone Rd; McNeilly Park wetland, Jackson Dr; Thomas Maddock Reserve, Hopetoun Rd; Drouin Waste Water Treatment Plant, Settlement Rd; Bellbird Park wetland, Settlement Rd; and Amberly Estate Bushland Reserve, Billabong Cl.

King Parrot watching her nesting hollow at Picnic Point

Non-core sites surveyed ad hoc include Alex Goudie Park, Roberts Ct Bush Reserve, Railway reserve in Balfour Rd, Civic Park and some more remote from Drouin – Rokeby Rail Trail, Brooker Park, Warragul, Bandicoot Walk in Longwarry, et al.

Superb Fairy-wren declaring her territory at Thomas Maddock Reserve

Just for convenience and to have some kind of established pattern, surveys are conducted on Tuesday and Thursday mornings each week. Really, the surveys are just a reason to go bird watching! If you would like more information, or would like to report an interesting sighting, please email Peter – drouinwaresATgmailDOTcom.

 

Bird 'watching' - then and now

In 1602, Shakespeare wrote in The Merry Wives of Windsor, "She laments sir... her husband goes this morning a-birding”, which probably meant he went hunting or trapping birds, or gathering their eggs. The term ‘birding’ is still used today in some places, mainly though for the peaceful pursuit of just watching birds.

John Gould named the Gouldian Finch, Chloebia gouldiae, in honour of his wife

In 1838, John Gould and his wife Elizabeth arrived in Australia and began to document the birds of this continent – mainly Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia. Gould, who was formerly a taxidermist, ‘collected’ fresh specimens for Elizabeth to draw. According to his own accounts, Gould seldom turned down the chance to taste the flesh of his specimens.

Reed Warbler specimen - part of the Hume collection in the Natural History Museum

In 1885, British ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume, donated a collection of more than 60,000 bird skins and 20,000 bird eggs to the Natural History Museum in London. Hume’s collection was amassed while he was a civil servant on the Indian subcontinent.

In the 1950’s in the UK, the term ‘twitcher’ was used to describe a serious birdwatcher prepared to travel long distances to catch a glimpse of a rare bird. Twitchers are often dedicated list-makers. The term ‘twitcher’ has an interesting origin: a serious birdwatcher, Howard Medhurst, would arrive at a destination on the back of a friend’s motorbike and he was so cold and shivering his friends described him as twitching.

Ornithologists today are a little more commiserative.

The term ‘bird watching’, now interchangeable with ‘birdwatching’ apparently, first appeared in North America in 1901. The pursuit of birdwatching became increasingly popular as optical quality of telescopes improved and with the emergence of readily available field guides. Today, with the development of binoculars, phone cameras and apps, the average age of birdwatchers has plummeted.

Whether birding, birdwatching or twitching, observing and learning about birds is a mindful pastime, accessible to everyone. Birdwatching can be done in your own backyard, or as some do, you can fly overseas just to see birds. Birdwatching connects you to nature, lowers your stress and improves your well-being.