Pambula, 17 February 2008. Do you know your Clamorous Reed Warbler from your Australian Hobby? Well there’s plenty of birdo’s out there twitching to tell us which one is a migratory water bird and which is a raptor.
Recently 21 people joined in a bird walk we held at Panboola Wetlands. Robyn Kesby, a Ranger from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service led the walk along with Di Waldron. Both Robyn and Di are members of the Far South Coast Birdwatchers and live locally so we were lucky to share in their wealth of knowledge on local bird life.
Robyn explained various methods of bird surveying. Not all the group thought of themselves as serious ‘twitchers’ but together they were able to list 42 birds during the easy 3 hour walk.
“Knowing about birdlife on your property allows you to better understand the role of your native vegetation”, said Robyn. “On this walk we’ve seen habitat types such as fresh and saltwater wetlands, grassland and farmland. Supporting a variety of habitats on your property encourages a wider range of birds.”
“The key to good bird surveying at your place is consistency. Choose a similar time of day and the same route to do regular bird observations. Take a pen and paper and record what you see. There are some excellent books available to help identify species. After a while you might start to see patterns.”
Robyn asked that the group be on the lookout for the Indian Myna. This area is known to have very few sightings of this aggressive introduced bird. If you do see any, contact the Far South Coast Bird Birdwatchers on 6495 7390 so they can arrange to trap and remove them.
Panboola wetlands are a wonderful walking space even for those who aren’t on the lookout for birds. There are excellent walking and cycle paths, suitable for all levels of walking as well as wheelchairs and prams.
The Far South Coast Birdwatchers have produced a complete bird list for the Bega Valley Shire and surrounds as well as information on the three bird routes you can drive along. The bird route brochures give commentary on where to stop and what you should expect to see. All of these documents can be downloaded below.
Related materials
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- As always, delicious morning tea was on hand
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- The groups checks out some information about the wetlands on the way
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- What’s that bird
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- The wetland habitats provided most of the sightings
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- Happy birdos. 42 species spotted
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- An Australian Hobby was spotted attempting to take a Masked Lapwing chick
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- Panboola Wetlands is a great spot for a walk, easy access for wheel chairs and prams
