Birding each other's Back Yards

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Alex Rogers
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Birding each other's Back Yards

30 Apr 2020 - edited to make this a general BIBY meetup thread :-)

From looking at all the wonderful birds you are all seeing, I got to thinking that it would be fun to share some of our experience with our local areas. So I wanted to put out a general invitation to the Big Year group - if any of you are planning to be in Sydney over the next year and would like company, I'd be happy to show you some of my favourite birding spots around here. 

And a more specific invitation for those of you here (Sue and Karen I think) - if you'd to explore a different place, I'd be very happy to show you around one of two of my local urban birding spots. My own "back-yard" place is the Landing Lights Wetland in Kogarah, right next to the airport. It is a humble but pretty little wetland with reed beds, with a canal and shallow pond, a couple of tiny woodland patches (casuarina, gum), a little grove of mangroves, some open grassed fields, and extensive hedges and lantana. So in the space of about 1km2 there are multiple different habitats, and lots of different birds, and it makes a great place to explore for a couple of hours. On top of the very common urban birds, you are almost guaranteed to see stilts, chestnut teal, herons, egrets, cormorants, cisticolas, bulbuls, thornbills and NH honeyeaters. I quite often see both koels and channel bills (both hard to photograph though), nankeen kestrels nest in the area, and on the right day the lantana is literally alive with fairywrens, finches including red-browed, scaly munia and double-barred, honeyeaters including brown, yellow-faced, NH and Lewins. Sometimes the migratory shorebirds stop over and I see sandpipers and the like, and dotterels and plover quite often show up on the wetland. Its variable - I've never had a BAD walk there (is there such a thing?) and normally see 30-40 species on an outing. 

Just after dawn is by far the best, the light is lovely on the water, and with some stealth you can get quite close to the birds. I'll probably go this Saturday, you are welcome to join me then, or just let me know if another time works and I'll happily show you around :-) 

sue818
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Would love to join you, Alex. I'll SMS you closer to the day as we can check weather and decide meeting place.

Alex Rogers
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Excellent :-) I suggest 7am meet, park at the entrance to the Barton Park Driving Range https://goo.gl/maps/QHdNnTo8AhZzVSxR7 and we can confirm closer to the time re weather etc

Karen, if you'd like to join, please do, and if you PM me I'll send you my cellphone number

karentwemlow
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Hi Alex, sorry I only just noticed this post today! I was thinking something similar yesterday when I did a bushwalk to the Vale of Avoca Lookout near Grose Vale not far from my place. I only picked up two new species but there were so many birds and bird calls around, I'm sure I could have picked up more if I'd stayed a decent length of time. Plus it was a beautiful walk (and a good workout climbing up the side of the mountain at the end, though could go back up the pathway as a 'safer' option). If you haven't been, would be happy to take you out there one day too.

sue818
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We must get together sometime as three sets of eyes should make spotting much easier! Seems we are lining up some great places to visit.

Devster
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I'm Jealous. Just lonely me up here in QLD

sue818
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Recruit a companion, Dev, another is always welcome. Will let you know if I make it to Brisbane... O'Reillys is beckoning as I have a big birthday this year.

Devster
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Don't worry Sue. I have been asking people to join.

Alex Rogers
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Sue & Karen - pity that one was washed out - shall we try to line up another? I'm free next Sat & Sun mornings, if you guys are available / keen. 

Karen - I've love to come on a walk out your way - lets set it up with Sue too :-) 

Dev & Sue - I was on my way to O'Reilly's last year then - covid - but I have the flight credits and the accommodation budget stashed away. I'm going to go this year anyway, and it might be fun to do in company, if you feel the same way :-) 

sue818
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All of that sounds wonderful. I am free next Saturday but not Sunday. Would love to walk with you and Karen if we can organise it. 
O'Reillys is definitely on my radar but not sure when that will occur and company would be fun.

looking forward to catching up wit( some of you.

karentwemlow
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I could do an early morning trip on Sunday 28th. But I have things on the other days. Alex I sent you my phone number via message. 

karentwemlow
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I did O'Reillys back in the 90's. What a great spot, enjoy! My covid disrupted holiday from last October is hopefully happening at Easter. Up to Thala in North Queensland for a week. 

sue818
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I will keep 28th in mind as I am freer now that hubbie's cataract surgeries are done; just all the follow-up checks to factor in. June looks promising for longer trips. Enjoy that belated holiday, Karen.

karentwemlow
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Thanks Sue.
 

Sunday 21st could be ok for me too I think. Need to be back home shortly after lunch that's all. 

Devster
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Let me know when any of you decide to do O'Reillys, I'd be happy to meet you there if I'm available

Alex Rogers
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Well, lets try for the 28th then, I can do that too.I've put it into the diary, lets talk closer to the time and lock it in :-) 

Alex Rogers
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I just edited this thread to make this not all about me and a more general meetup thread - please feel free to let anyone know you are travelling or available for hosting BIBY people  :-) 

And then swiftly back to me (lol) - I'm going to be in Melbourne Monday 10th May. I'll probably come down a day early and spend the Sunday birding in the area. Keen to visit WTP, probably needs to be through a guide as they are not issuing visitor passes to casual visitors at the moment. If that doesn't work out, then I'll rent a car and do a day trip to Serendip and the You Yangs instead. Any of you keen to join for either of those options, or suggest something else? 

dannyka6
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Alex, I'm waiting to hear from melbourne water about my permit for WTP - I've done all the safety stuff online and just need them to process my application so if it comes through by 10th (or hopefully before) I could help you out with that but if not Serendip is definitely worthwhile as are the You Yangs, but I'm dying to get into WTP myself!! I might not be the best guide as I've only been there a few times, but I can get you in the gates which is the essential point really :) permit pending

Devster
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Wow needing permits now, things are getting serious down there. lol

Alex Rogers
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That would be great Danika.  As it turns out my trip has been delayed, and I'll probably only come down for a day trip midweek. But I'll be coming down occasionally, and will try to wangle a trip where I can stay on a bit. So I'll post up and see if you are available, it would be great fun to do something together :-) 

Re the permit - their website says that they are not issuing new permits at all at the moment - https://www.melbournewater.com.au/water-data-and-education/get-involved/... but they are hopefully going to get a new online booking system open soon - we will see. I'm actually going to be supplying a solar farm for them to power their Eastern Treatment Plant - I'll have to pursuade them to build one for the WTP too so I can visit regularly :-) 

Dev, I think the Victorians are generally allowed to bird without permits ;-) but this site is owned by Melbourne Water, and they have long required permits to access the site for safety reasons. Its a huge water treatment facility, truly amazing birding, and we are very lucky to be able to access it at all as its so easy for government facilities just to say NO.

dannyka6
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Ah too bad Alex, but another time we'll organise something. It would be fun to have some new company to do some birdwatching.

I had a permit application in process when Covid-19 hit, so I've already been contacted by Melb Water to say that they are now processing my application - they will process those that were in process already, but not new applications yet. I've done the safety module online, just waiting for them to contact me so I can pay my fee and get my key! No need to mention that I can't wait!!

Dev, as Alex said, the permit only applies to Melbourne Water, and specifically to this site at the Western Treatment Plant. Having total novices unaccompanied driving on 220km of unsealed roads surrounded by deep poo ponds makes some administrations nervous (go figure right lol) so a permit system has always been in place I think, certainly for as long as I know about. This way every individual has to have a safety induction and understand the risk of going on site. Covid-19 put a pause on permits being processed as they feared the spread of covid-19 into sewerage treatment plants as well as by people coming on site. Hopefully we're past all that!

Alex Rogers
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Did you ever get your permit, Danika? I'm coming down to Melbourne Thurs-Sat - while ZI'll be working Thurs & Fri I should have time to get to Serendip (I'm going to stay in Geelong and flying in/out of Avalon to make the most of the opportunity) leaving Saturday open for WTP if I can ride on someone's permit or possibly the You Yangs if not. 

Any of the rest of the Melbourne BIBY mob want to go birding on Sat? :-) 

TommyGee
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Alex Rogers wrote:

Any of the rest of the Melbourne BIBY mob want to go birding on Sat? :-) 

Tempting! But I already have plans for this weekend. Never mind, there will be other times.

I've just submitted my WTP application, it's a birthday present from the wife... she endorses this hobby of mine :) of course the plant is about an hour and a half from home, so trips will need to be planned well in advance!

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