Owlet Nightjar (Murray Chambers)

• The Echuca and District BOCA website is no more, although the home page will mirror this page. If you wish to bookmark BirdLife Echuca, please click on home and bookmark that page, not this page.

• The November issue of Echuca and District BOCA's newsletter, Plains-wanderer, is still on line and can be downloaded by clicking on the Latest newsletter rectangle.

• Outings and camps planned for 2012 are listed on this page (below right). Camping sites and accommodation are available near the base of our May outings in the Grampians area.

• All pages have been revised, updated and redesigned and posted on line during January 2012. In particular, the bird photo gallery is completely new. There is a new page on birding in Terrick Terrick National Park.

• The site map has been moved from this page to a separate page

• An all-new article appears on the first of the articles pages.

Grey-crowned Babbler (David Ong)

Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo (Murray Chambers)

Becoming a BirdLife Australia member gives you access to the new BirdLife Australia (www.birdlife.org.au) and enables you to receive a quarterly magazine, email updates and information about BirdLife outings, camps and meetings in various parts of Australia.

As a result of a merger between BOCA and Birds Australia, financial members of BOCA and Birds Australia become/became members of BirdLife Australia when it is/was officially launched at the start of 2012.

By joining BirdLife Australia, you are assisting in the conservation of Australia's birds and bushland.

 

Announcements

Bird Observation & Conservation Australia has merged with Birds Australia (RAOU). From January 2012, the merged organisation will be known as BirdLife Australia (the official launch is to be sometime after mid January). The web site of BirdLife Australia will soon be online (it may mirror the Birds Australia web site until some time in January 2012).

This cross-border branch aims to serve BirdLife Australia members who reside in Barham, Deniliquin, Mathoura, Womboota, Moama (NSW), Echuca, Rochester, Elmore, Bendigo, Lockington, Gunbower, Cohuna, Mitiamo, Tongala, Nanneella and surrounding districts.

Our first outing is to the Corop Wetlands on Sunday 15th January (details are outlined below).

A new web site has been established. In particular, much work has been put into preparing a photo gallery of the birds of our region. Click the birdgallery buttons above to enter the gallery..

BirdLife Echuca District committee
At an advertised meeting in December 2011, Peter Allan was elected President. Peter is a life member of Birds Australia and a winner of BOCA's Distinguished Service Award.

Ian Mayo was elected Vice-President and Keith Stockwell was elected Secretary. Ian and Keith are members of both Birds Australia and BOCA.

Annie Mayo was elected as Assistant Secretary. Both Ian and Annie recently moved to Bendigo from south-western Western Australia.

Michele Dixon was elected as Treasurer. Murray Chambers was elected as Surveys Co-ordinator. An independent auditor was appointed.

There remains a vacancy for Conservation Officer.

The first BirdLife Echuca District newsletter is nearing completion and will downloadable from this site sometime in late January or early February. Meanwhile, the final Echuca BOCA Branch newsletter is still online.

If you wish to attend any Murray Goulburn Branch outings over the next few months, contact our Secretary for details..

As the first BirdLife Australia magazine is not likely to be mailed to members until May, please note that that there is to be a camp in March. The first Echuca District camp is to be in early May (see Coming Events list below). Details of the Mount Buangor camp are as follows:

March Camp: Mount Buangor
The March 2012 camp will be held at the Middle Creek campground of the Mount Buangor State Park. It is a delightful spot with large level areas for caravans, a picnic shelter suitable for meetings, toilets and picnic tables all within a woodland setting. The picnic shelter has a large open fire to warm you at bird-call.

A 15km network of walking tracks through woodland will give good birding and 130 species have been recorded in the park.
Bring all your water and take your rubbish home with you. No pets, please. Camp fees: $6.00 per person per night. (non-members add $10). Leaders are John and Catriona Young (0412 327 798) and the camp organiser is David Ap-Thomas. Please book with John, Catriona or David before coming. Bring all your own water. No pets. You may have to pay camp fees upon arrival.

Regional bird sightings email tree
Because some members like to learn of unusual sightings in our region, it has been decided to have an email sightings tree. If you are prepared to email interesting sightings to other members, or if you wish to receive emails reporting unusual sightings, in our region please contact Secretary Keith. The email tree is strictly on an opt-in basis.The email tree is for reporting local ~ southern NSW[Riverina]/northern Victoria~ interesting sightings only. Contact Secretary Keith (or Murray Chambers) if you wish to be a member of our regional email tree.

Duck killing season
Victoria's Agriculture Minister, Peter Walsh, has announced an expanded duck and quail shooting season for 2012. Shooters are to be allowed to kill up to 10 ducks a day for 87 days. The season is to be from 17th March 2012 to 11th June 2012. A special agency within DPI is to be created to promote and oversee duck killing. Not all duck species may be killed and some wetlands will remain closed to shooters.

Web site revamp
During the Christmas holiday season, the webmeister has taken the opportunity to revise and revamp most of the pages on this site. Further work may be necessary if and when BirdLife Australia makes a universal template available.

 

Our next outings

Once announced, we try to run all outings, but, in case of last minute changes, please check here (or phone the leader) for meeting places and dates a few days beforehand and before travelling a long distance. Please try to arrive about 10 minutes prior to the advertised time, e.g. 8.50am for a 9am departure. If you are running late, try ringing the mobile phone number listed in the latest newsletter (Plains-wanderer). The latest newsletter can be downloaded by clicking the newsletter button at the top of this page.

Sunday 15th January 2012
Early morning in the Corop Wetlands (Victoria)
Leader: Peter Allan
There is a report of this outing on the outing reports page.

Saturday 18th February 2012
Early morning in the Moama Wetlands (NSW)
Leader: Peter Allan
Meet 8am on the elevated wooden boardwalk in Horseshoe Lagoon Bicentennial Park (Moama Wetlands), VicRoads Map 596 J5. This wetland area is alongside the Echuca-Moama Bridge. Bring morning tea. We’ll call it quits when it starts to get hot. Enquiries: Peter 03 5484 1576. 

Tuesday 28th February 2012
Quarterly surveys alongside Gunbower Creek (Torrumbarry and Gunbower).
Leaders: Murray Chambers and Keith Stockwell. Meet 8am outside the Torrumbarry Hall, Murray Valley Highway TORRUMBARRY (corner of Headworks Road. Bring lunch. Six reaches are surveyed each quarter to meet conditions of a Caring for Country Grant (Gunbower Creek Restoration Project). Enquiries: Keith (03) 5480 9254 or email stocky at echuca dot net.au

Autumn Camp: Mount Buangor. Organiser: David Ap-Thomas (details in the announcement above).

Sunday 25th March 2012
Perricoota State Forest (NSW)
Leader: Keith Stockwell. Meet 8.30 alongside Moama Lions Park, Boundary Road off Cobb Highway MOAMA. Bring Lunch. Perricoota Forest lies downstream of Moama and is accessible only in dry weather. Perricoota forest is part of the second-largest River Red Gum wetland in Australia. If forest roads are wet (as they have been on the last two occasions when we planned to visit the forest), we will visit some reserves alongside Perricoota Road. Enquiries: Keith

Easter Camp: Murchison. Organisers: David Ap-Thomas and Anne Finlay. (Contact Secretary Keith or David for details).

Saturday 21st April
Whipstick Forest, Greater Bendigo National Park (Victoria)
Leader: Murray Chambers. Meet 9am outside Epsom Primary School, Howard Street EPSOM. Bring Lunch. The Bendigo Whipstick is renowned for its honeyeaters and bush birds. There’s a good chance that we will be able to visit the Epsom waste water treatment facility. Enquiries: Murray Chambers

Sunday 6th May to Tuesday 8th May
Three consecutive day outings
The base for three consecutive day outings is a private property in the Black Range (Grampians area). It is possible to camp on the property (from Saturday 5th May). There is a small cottage (available for renting) on the property. There is a public holiday (caravan) park very close by. There are motels and hotels in both Stawell and Great Western. There is to be a dinner on the Monday (?) evening. Bookings are essential. A small fee may be levied to cover costs. To book, contact Secretary Keith (contact details on front page of the newsletter).

Saturday 19h May
Torrumbarry area
Leaders: Murray Chambers and Keith Stockwell. Meet 9am outside the Torrumbarry Hall, Murray Valley Highway TORRUMBARRY (corner of Headworks Road). Bring lunch. We’ll do some surveys in the morning and, after lunch, visit Torrumbarry Weir an/or some terrific wetland forest in the area. Enquiries: Keith

Saturday 16th June 2012
Echuca area reserves
Leader: David Ong. Meet 9am in Echuca Lions Park, Campaspe Esplanade (off B400 near Campaspe River bridge). We are to visit some bushland reserves in the Echuca area. Which reserves we visit will depend on which reserves seem to have the most birds. Bring lunch. Enquiries: Secretary

Sunday 22nd July
Cohuna
Leader: to be announced. Meet 9.30am in the car park of Apex Park, Cohuna Island Road (just over the creek from the roundabout along the B400). The birding around Cohuna is always terrific. Enquiries: Secretary

Wednesday 8th August
Quarterly surveys alongside Gunbower Creek
Leader: Murray Chambers. Meet at 9am outside the Torrumbarry Hall, Murray Valley Highway Torrumbarry

Saturday 18th August
Gulpa Island, Murray Valley National Park NSW
Leader: Keith Stockwell. Meet 9.30 in the car park of Mathoura Rural Transaction Centre (Information Centre), Cobb Highway Mathoura. Bring lunch. During this outing, we will drive Sages Track in search of emus and bush birds, and visit the Reed Beds Waterbird Hide. Enquiries: Keith

Sunday 16th September
Kamarooka Forest, Greater Bendigo National Park
Leader: Marlene Lyell Meet 9am at the corner of Bendigo-Tennyson Road and Elmore-Raywood Road. Kamarooka. Bring lunch. Kamarooka Forest is renowned for its honeyeaters and bush birds. Enquiries: Marlene 0438 984445

Saturday 13th October
Big day out: Lake Boga to Goschen
Leaders: Maureen and Ken Dredge. Meet 9.30am in the park between the Murray Valley Highway (B400) and Lake Boga, Lake Boga town. Places to be visited may include Tresco West Bushland Reserve and Goschen Reserve. Good chance of seeing such inland birds as Blue Bonnet, Budgerigar, Cockatiel and Mallee Ringneck. There is a caravan park in Lake Boga town. Enquiries: Secretary 5480 9254

Sunday 11th November
Gunbower Creek, Torrumbarry
Leaders: Murray Chambers and Keith Stockwell. Meet 9am outside the Torrumbarry Hall, Murray Valley Highway Torrumbarry. Bring lunch.

Saturday 24th November
Cruise aboard MV Kingfisher, Barmah-Millewa Forest
Leader: Peter Allan. This flat-bottomed boat departs from the day visitor area, Barmah Lake (Victoria). In flood times, the vessel is not necessarily limited to the Murray River. There is a limited number of seats on the boat. BOOKINGS must be made with Peter Allan on 5484 1576 after 1st July.

 

Earlier news items

Birds of the Mid-Murray
With funding assistance from Lake Boga and District Landcare Group, Mid Murray Field Naturalists Inc. has published a booklet of 20 pages (including the glossy cover pages) on birding sites between Kerang and Robinvale. The booklet contains a detailed bird list as well as coloured bird photos, a regional map and notes on various birding sites. Copies are available from information centres in Swan Hill, Lake Boga and nearby towns.

Committee elected
At the final annual general meeting of the Echuca and District Branch of Bird Observation & Conservation Australia, an interim committee was elected for BirdLife Echuca District. All but one of the committee members has been a member of both Birds Australia and BOCA.

If you reside in the region and were not advised of the meeting, the Branch Secretary may be unaware of your email address or mail address. So please consider providing your preferred email address to Secretary Keith.

The following office bearers were elected:

President: Peter Allan (Life member of Birds Australia and winner of BOCA Distinguished Service Award)
Vice President: Ian Mayo
Secretary: Keith Stockwell
Assistant Secretary: Annie Mayo
Survey Co-ordinator: Murray Chambers
Treasurer: Michele Dixon
Conservation Officer: no nomination was received

Pam and John Land agreed to attend meetings of Combined Environment Groups of Bendigo. An independent auditor was elected.

Unfortunately there was no nomination for Conservation Officer and the Branch is keen to fill this position. Any interested member is asked to contact the secretary.

Thirteen members attended the AGM and 16 formal apologies were recorded. The meeting was preceded by bird watching on the property of the hosts and followed by a luncheon. Later, after lunch, a general meeting was convened to plan outings for 2012. The committee thanks all members who submitted ideas for outings.

President Peter Allan stressed that it was important to make all BirdLife members in are area to feel part of the group and to make them feel welcome at outings and other functions.

Members may obtain an emailed draft of the Minutes and/or notes on forthcoming outings by contacting the Branch Secretary.

Grenfell: Bird Trails of the Weddin Shire
The tourism officer of Weddin Shire Council has mailed multiple copies of a revised brochure entitled "Grenfell: bird trails of the Weddin Shire". Many of the copies have already been distributed to interested Branch members (at our Christmas function). Contact Secretary Keith (or Weddin Shire Tourism) if you would like a copy of the brochure.

The Gypsy Twitchers have their own web site
Elinor and Albert Wright, The Gypsy Twitchers, now have their own web site http://www.gypsytwitchers.com/

So there's no need to wait for the latest Plains-wanderer to read of their continuing and exciting adventures. One bird they sighted recently was a Hoopoe! They made a special trip to the Murchison Roadhouse south of Broome in the hope of observing the rarity.

The web site features many of their outstanding bird photographs.

Merger implementation
Annie and Ian Mayo represented our Branch at a meeting of Branch delegates in Melbourne on 4th November. The meeting was called to brief Branches on the progress of the merger between Birds Australia (RAOU) and BOCA.

Each Branch has now been issued with a publication style guide. Templates are to be distributed on CD in mid January. Therefore, this web site will need a major revamp to accord with corporate colours, style rules and so on.

Four days of birding: 148 species and 41 participants
On the last Saturday of April, our Branch conducted its quarterly bird surveys along six reaches of Gunbower Creek. There were enough observers to enable us to complete all six surveys by lunchtime. After lunch, went birding on the Patho Plains. One of the spots visited was Timms Lake (north of Terrick Terrick National Park) which contains water for the first time in over twenty years. We observed lots of Avocets on two smaller ephemeral lakes nearby. Several Black-winged Kites were observed in trees alongside Kow Swamp.

The following three days were spent in the Kerang area. On Sunday 1st May we were shown parts of Trust for Nature's Wanderers Plain Reserve by its manager, Eris O'Brien. Over 100 species were observed.

On the Monday, a Kerang member led us to Reedy lake near Kerang where we observed about 49 species before continuing along the Murray Valley Highway to Lake Boga. Two local field naturalist club members led us to some good birding spots at Tresco West and alongside Lake Boga. After lunch we travelled to Goschen Reserve where we were met by two locals, both of whom were also members of the Swan Hill based field naturalists club. Over 100 bird species were observed on the Monday.

The final day of birding, Tuesday 3rd May, was at Kerang Weir and in the Koorangie Nature Conservation Reserve. The Victorian government has just purchased land between Koorangie and Wanderer's Plain, thereby creating a very large area of reserved grassland, woodland and wetlands. At the end of the day, our total stood at 148 bird species for the four days.

41 people attended one or more of the four days. All participants apart from four leaders were BOCA members. Some birders travelled from as far afield as Gippsland and Phillip Island to attend the outings. May 2011.

See outings page for reports on other outings of recent years.

 

Lower Goulburn River CMN formed
27 people attended a meeting in the Wyuna Hall on Monday 16th May from 7pm to discuss the possible formation of a Lower Goulburn Conservation Management Network to better manage public and private land along the lower reaches of the Goulburn River. The proposed network is likely to comprise representatives of DPI, DSE, Parks, Landcare groups, private landholders, local government and conservation groups. Individuals wishing to attend a follow-up meeting (no date has yet been set) should contact Lanie Pearce on 0408 103066. May 2011.

 

Victoria's northern plains
The Northern Plain s Conservation Management Network is a group which aims to promote sustainable land use of Victoria's northern plains. Members include government agencies and private landholders. The group has a brand new web site www.northernplainscmn.com.au which has information relating to the grasslands and grassy woodlands of the Patho and Avoca plains. There is information about flora and fauna, news items, pest control information and a photo gallery which contains photos not only of flora and fauna but of cultural history. The group produces a quarterly email newsletter to which you can subscribe if you have an interest in the area.

Terrick Terrick National Park is an area of remnant vegetation on the Patho Plain. Visitors are advised that tracks have recently been graded and repaired, so 2WD vehicles can once again access the cemetery, picnic ground and Mitiamo Rock.

Because grassland conditions are not to its liking, Plains-wanderers are unlikely to be observed.

 

Bird guide 'app' for iPod
Michael Morcombe and David Stewart have produced an iPod app which features bird calls and information. Branch members who have purchased a copy of the app report that it is very useful and very informative. March 2011.

 

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Bush Stone Curlew (K Stockwell)

See our 'Featured Bird' page for notes about Curlews

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Interesting and unusual sightings

There has been a delay listing interesting sightings in the Branch newsletter or on this site. By the time local members learn of an interesting local sighting, the subject may no longer be around. To facilitate rapid reporting of interesting bird sightings in our region, it has been decided to form an email tree. Each member of the tree agrees to share their email address with other members of the email tree. Each member of the email tree is provided with the email addresses of other members of the tree. To be eligible to enter the group you must be a financial member of BirdLife Australia, you must reside in (or be a frequent visitor to) the district (northern Victoria and southern [Riverina] NSW and must keep the email addresses confidential. The tree is for bird sightings and related matters only. The tree has yet to become operative, but now is the time to join it. If you are interested in joining the email tree, please advise the Secretary.

See the web sites of Birdline Victoria and Birding-Aus archives for more interesting sightings.

Hoopoe
Early in December, El and Albert Wright and Tom Wheller observed a Eurasian Hoopoe at Murchison Roadhouse in Western Australia. El and Al have posted pictures of this unusual bird on their www.gypsytwitchers.com web site

Lots of Pelicans and Brolgas at Hird Swamp
Early in December 2011, about 400 Pelicans were observed on Hird Swamp (Macorna North). Six Brolga flew above the observers (Betty Waterson et al). The swamp was alive with waterbirds but it is losing water quickly.

McDonald Swamp
On several occasions during December, about 70 cockatiels have been observed feeding alongside McDonald Swamp. There were some young so they must have breed here.

Goschen
During November, a group of observers from Melbourne observed Pied Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, Black- eared Cuckoo and many inland birds at Goschen.

Kow Swamp
In November, Betty Waterson observed Black Falcon, Peregrine & Hobby at Kow Swamp as well as crakes, rails, a sea eagle, 40 Nankeen Night Heron and Dollar Bird were observed in the area.

Bush Stone Curlews
On 18th November, owners of a property adjacent to the Kanyapella Wildlife Area report that there are several Bush Stone curlews living on their property.

Early in December 2011 ,Betty Waterson observed a pair of curlews nesting opposite the Gannawarra church where they have nested in the past.

Black Falcons nesting
On 1st October 2011, a group of birders who were attending the annual Terrick Terrick national Park open weekend observed three Black Falcons from Kow Swamp Road. The birds had a nest in a box tree in a paddock. Other birds observed over the weekend included Hooded robin, Stubble Quail, Skylark, Australasian Pipit, Crested Shrike-tit, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Red-capped Robin and Dusky Woodswallow.

Plains-wanderers in Echuca
Early in October, an Echuca resident who was slashing grass around their house disturbed at least four Plains-wanderers.The property includes several hectares of grassland alongside the Campaspe river. A new housing estate abuts one boundary of the property.  A member who lives a few hundred metres upstream found a dead Plains-wanderer on their drive-way a few years ago.

White-winged Triller nesting
On 12th October, amongst the birds The Melbourne Birder (Steven Davidson) observed along Camp Road in Kamarooka Forest were White-winged Trillers nesting, a Black Falcon and several White-eared Honeyeaters. (Per Birdline Victoria)

Glossy Ibis
On 13th October, Malcolm Cousland observed a flock of Glossy Ibis flying in V formation south over Lake Bael Bael. (Per Birdline Victoria)  

Rainbow Bee-eater and Dollarbird
On 15th October, Marlene Lyell observed two Rainbow Bee-eaters and a Dollarbird alongside the Campaspe River 5kim north of Axedale.

Hundreds of Woodswallows
Amongst the 65 bird species seen during the Terricks outing on 16th October were hundreds and hundreds of White-browed Woodswallows. Other birds observed that day included three Budgerigars, a pair of Black Falcons along Kow Swamp Road (see above), Hooded Robin and four Painted Button-quail.

Varied Sittellas nesting
During an outing on 16th October, some members observed eight Varied Sittellas in the forested area of Terrick Terrick National Park alongside the Echuca-Moama Road. The Sittellas appeared to be nesting.

 

Golden Whistler (photo: Chris Kiely)

 

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This site was established during 1996. Latest version: January 2012.