I have obtained copies of the 2020 calendar just published by the Broken Boosey Catchment Management Network. Because the 2019 calendar was well received, I have again obtained a supply and have put them in the RedB4 bookshop for U3A Birdwatching participants. If you would like a copy, just ask at the bookshop.
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Each year local people are encouraged to submit their photos of native plants, birds and other interesting animals for possible publication, and the best of them are published in this calendar.
 
For those who would like to see a list of the birds observed at our outings in September, October and November this year, I have attached the lists entered in the eBird database.
Kathy Costello
 
Mt Meg Nature Conservation Reserve, Chesneyvale Road Block
https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S60882378
 
Killawarra Forest
https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S60882270
 
Broken River Natural Features Reserve

​Kathy Costello

Our final birdwatching outing for the year was to the Broken River Natural Features Reserve on Thursday 14 November. Ten of us made the short trip from Benalla, and enjoyed visiting what was a new spot for many. There were a lot of birds in this reserve, with its mix of Grey Box and Red Gum trees. We had close views of a flock of Buff-rumped Thornbills on a large stump, and above them a group of Varied Sittellas working their way along the branches of an adjacent tree. A pair of Leaden Flycatchers were taking turns sitting on their nest in a large Grey Box, while several male White-winged Trillers were seen by most in our group. We then headed to the river bank for morning tea, while finding some different birds in this area. Someone noticed 2 Rainbow Bee-eaters on the embankment across the river. Stunning birds in the sunshine.  A pair of Australian Reed-warblers perched on a dead branch in front of us, while a Sacred Kingfisher dived for fish in the river. We eventually located the Dollarbird that was calling from a tall perch.

It was a lovely morning with 30 bird species recorded. The list can be viewed on eBird at https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S61697061
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Kathy Costello

Greetings

We will finish our birdwatching program for 2019 at the Broken River Natural Features Reserve on Farrell Road just south of Benalla. I have visited this reserve several times recently and have been impressed by the number of birds present. A few are currently nesting.

Please meet at the Seniors Building car park at 9.30am on Thursday 14 November and bring water and any food you need for the morning. Sturdy shoes, a hat and binoculars are recommended. I hope we have time to sit by the river for morning tea, so if you have a folding chair, bring that also.

The entrance to Farrell Road is on the Midland Highway opposite Reef Hills State Park. The turnoff is on the left about a kilometre past the freeway entrance.

Kathy

Nine people attended our trip to the Mt Meg Nature Conservation Reserve on Chesney Vale Road on 9 October 2019. The reserve is located in the Chesney hills overlooking Winton Wetlands. It was a lovely spring morning, and we enjoyed watching the bird activity all around us, as well as the spring wildflowers.

​Three Rufous Whistlers constantly called and chased each other. We observed 2 pairs of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, several Grey Fantails and later a Striated Pardalote, all feeding on insects in the canopy. A colourful male Mistletoebird perched in the sun and was admired by everyone. We did well to find a pair of Western Gerygones, small grey warblers with a beautiful song. It was also good to see several spring migrants from northern Australia; 2 male White-winged Trillers and a pair of Sacred Kingfishers.

Photographs - Andrea Stevenson

We will make a morning visit to a small bushland reserve on Chesney Vale Road near Winton Wetlands, next Thursday 10 October. Please meet at the car park behind the Seniors building at 9.30am. You will need water, sunscreen, a hat, sturdy shoes and binoculars if you have them.

Would you like to go to the Winton Hub Café for a coffee afterwards, or maybe lunch?? Please let me know if you are interested.

 Kathy Costello
 0447 625755

Eight members of our bird watching group made an enjoyable visit to Killawarra Forest at the northern end of the Warby Ranges on 12 September. Instead of our usual morning outing, this time we each brought lunch to make the most of a lovely place for spring bird watching. As we approached the forest, a magnificent Wedge-tailed Eagle flew up from the roadside, carrying a small rabbit. It flew across the road in front of us, then dropped its prey as it was pursued by a magpie.
 
Our best sighting in the forest was a pair of Hooded Robins flying around Irishtown Track. This is a declining woodland bird that is disappearing from places it has been found in the past. We had good looks at a Pallid Cuckoo calling from high in a dead tree, and were surprised to see a pelican flying over the forest. Some of the other birds we saw included Jacky Winter, Grey Fantail, Rufous Whistler, Dusky Woodswallow and a flock of 18 White-winged Choughs. There were also good numbers of honeyeaters and thornbills which are always a challenge to observe. We also saw a few Leopard Orchids, Pink Fingers and Blue Fingers while walking at the old oval. At one point we were looking for babblers, and someone (was it Bev?) described us as a group of Grey-crowned Babblers. Much laughter.

​Report of visit by Goulburn Valley U3A Bird-watching group to Reef Hills State Park on Wednesday 21 August 2019.

Six members of our Benalla Bird-watching group joined the visitors from the GV U3A, on a visit to Reef Hills. We spent a mild, sunny morning in the south west corner of the park. There was a lot of bird activity here, as a number of White Box trees were flowering, attracting a number of honeyeaters and lorikeets. As we walked along the track we came across a number of smaller bush birds, such as wrens, thornbills, treecreepers and sittellas. Most people headed off about lunch time, but some of us also visited a drier part of the park in Wattle Road, finding a few more birds in that area. It was good to have a chance to chat with another group like ours. Perhaps we can arrange another joint activity sometime in the future.

Here is the link to the bird list for the day, compiled by GV group leader Don Roberts. 31 bird species were recorded.       https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S59168734
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Kathy Costello

​On Thursday 12 September 2019, we will visit Killawarra Forest, a box ironbark forest in the northern section of the Warby-Ovens National Park.

Please meet at 9.30am in the car park behind the Seniors building. Killawarra is a great place to visit in springtime, with lots of bird activity and a lovely display of wattles and other native shrubs. For this reason, we will stay and have lunch in the forest, so bring your lunch and a folding chair if you have one.

​Kathy Costello

Goulburn Valley U3A Birdwatching Group, based in Shepparton, will visit Benalla on Wednesday 21 August 2019. They will spend most of the day at Reef Hills State Park on the southern edge of Benalla. Our Benalla U3A Bird-watching group has been invited to join them for the morning, and to stay on for lunch and beyond if interested. I will accompany the group for their visit, and bring my own lunch and a chair. If you would like to join our GV visitors, please meet at the Rose Gardens near Weary Dunlop at 10am.

Our own bird-watching program resumes on Thursday 12 September, with two more outings in October and November. Details will be provided in the September newsletter.
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Kathy Costello

Our trip in 9th May to Reef Hills on the southern outskirts of Benalla was the final outing for our group this semester. Eight of us, rugged up on a cold, cloudy day, headed to the south west area of the park around Baines and Centre Roads. Red Wattlebirds were present in large numbers, feeding in a few flowering eucalypts and keeping smaller honeyeaters at bay. We had good views of two groups of White-browed Babblers as they crossed the road in front of us. It was much easier than craning our necks looking for small birds in the tree tops in poor light. We finally left the Wattlebirds behind, locating several Yellow-tufted and White-naped Honeyeaters in the canopy, as well as two beautiful male Golden Whistlers. Thanks to those who brought some home-made slices for an enjoyable morning tea to finish the outing.

Details of the 13 bird species recorded at Reef Hills can be viewed on the eBird web site at https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S56645504

10 of our group made the trip to Euroa on a mild autumn morning. As we looked into the Euroa Water Treatment ponds, we saw good numbers of ducks, including Australasian Shoveler, a threatened species in Victoria, and Pink-eared Duck which has a lovely striped body. Also seen were several Hoary-headed Grebe, a pair of Chestnut Teal, and a few Black Duck and Grey Teal. An adjacent pond had 17 Black-fronted Plover on the mudflats. Details of birds recorded at the plant can be viewed on the eBird web site at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55195784

We then headed to the Euroa Arboretum just across the road, where the very dry conditions meant few birds were seen. A White-faced Heron was seen well beside the dam, and a few Red Wattlebirds, Eastern and Crimson Rosellas flew past us. A Grey Fantail was also seen well. Some of us then bought a few plants from the Arboretum nursery. The Arboretum bird list can be viewed on eBird at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55195449

Fourteen participants attended our outing on 14 March, enjoying a leisurely walk around the southern half of Lake Benalla. The lake has been a drought refuge for birds over our very hot and dry summer, and we were pleased to record 32 different species for the morning.  There were a lot of small bush birds around the bridge on to Jaycee Island, including Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, Red-browed Finches, White-browed Scrubwren, White-browed Treecreeper and a good number of Superb Fairy-wrens. And there was the beautiful Azure Kingfisher which flashed past under the bridge and quickly disappeared downstream. 

​Thanks Margaret Walshe for the photos. For a complete list of the birds recorded, please see our eBird list at https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S54160519

Next outing Thursday 11 April 2019 to Euroa. 

Please note we will not be able to do the planned walk along Holland’s Creek via Willis Little Drive. Instead we make a morning visit Euroa, looking over the fence for water birds at the water treatment plant, then going to the nearby Euroa arboretum.

We will meet as usual in the car park behind the Seniors Building in Benalla at 9.30am on Thursday 11 April. Please wear comfortable footwear and bring binoculars and any food and drink you require. The arboretum will be open for native plant sales when we visit.

​Kathy Costello

Our first activity for 2019 will be on Thursday 14 March. I only recently found out I had written the wrong date on the hand out on U3A enrolment day, so 7 March is wrong. Apologies for the confusion. Our walks will be on the second Thursday in March, April and May.
 
Please meet in the car park behind the Seniors Building at 9.30am, for a morning walk around the southern section of Lake Benalla, which includes Jaycee Island. The lake track provides an excellent introduction to the birds of our region, because it supports a good variety of water birds and bush birds. Please bring a water bottle and any food you require. You will enjoy the walk more if you have binoculars and comfortable shoes.
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Please note that the walk will be automatically cancelled if it is a day of Total Fire Ban.
 
Kathy Costello
Mobile 0447 625755

​Visit to Glenrowan West Thursday 8 November 2018
 
Our final activity for the year was a visit to Pauline and Brent’s property at Glenrowan West, on a cool but sunny morning. Pauline led us to the bushland area of the property on a steep hillside, then to a dam with mature eucalypts and wattles providing shelter for birds coming in to drink and bathe, before we returned to the house to admire the views and enjoy a shared outdoor lunch.
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Honeyeaters were a feature of the visit, with 8 species recorded. The best of them was a male Black Honeyeater feeding near the dam. This tiny bird is a rare visitor from inland Australia, perhaps driven south by drought conditions there. Others included Fuscous, Yellow-tufted, Yellow-faced, Brown-headed and White-plumed Honeyeaters. Of interest also were White-winged Trillers and White-browed and Masked Woodswallows feeding on the ground in a paddock and perched along a fence. We had good views of a pair of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes and an Echidna. Smaller bush birds such as Weebills, Buff-rumped Thornbills and White-throated Gerygones were more difficult to observe. There were also plenty of birds around the house with bottlebrushes and grevilleas in flower.

Thanks to our hosts for a most enjoyable morning.  An impressive 39 bird species were recorded. Thanks to Andrea Stevenson for providing the photos!

Kathy Costello

​A small but enthusiastic group headed to Reef Hills State Park for some springtime birding on 11 October. Despite the dry conditions, there were plenty of birds to be seen. A group of White-winged Choughs was drinking at a roadside puddle, and further down the road we had good views of three Dusky Woodswallows. A pair of White-browed Woodswallows and a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike were difficult to see as they flew ahead of us, but a Wedge-tailed Eagle and a Little Eagle were spotted soaring overhead. We found an area in the south west of the park which had lots of bird song and good numbers of small bush birds, including Red-capped Robin, Western Gerygone, Varied Sittellas, Fuscous Honeyeaters, Grey Fantails, White-throated Treecreeper, a few thornbills and best of all a Turquoise Parrot.

Although we didn’t walk very far, from a birding point of view it was a very successful morning as we recorded 32 species. For details, please see eBird checklist:
https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S49409368

​Our final outing for 2018 will be held on Thursday 8 November, when we will visit Pauline’s property at Glenrowan West. Please meet at the Seniors building car park at 9.30 am. Following our bird walk around the property, we are invited to stay on for a picnic lunch while enjoying the superb views from the property, so please bring a plate to share. As usual, also come with a hat, water and binoculars, and wear sturdy shoes. It promises to be a most enjoyable way to finish the year.
 
Kathy Costello

Our group was fortunate to visit private property in the Upotipotpon district on Thursday 13 September. We had a warm sunny spring morning to enjoy a guided walk around the bushland, looking for birds as well as identifying a few waxlip and leopard orchids among the shrub cover.

Highlight was a pair of resident Tawny Frogmouths roosting close to the house. We also found a pair of Eastern Yellow Robins, and had close views of a party of White-browed Babblers feeding on the ground. A Collared Sparrowhawk landed high in a tree. There were lots of fresh scratchings of Painted Button-quail, but these shy birds remained elusive. Owner Mike said one bird walked across the driveway as soon as we left the property. We saw a number of Brown Treecreepers, White-plumed Honeyeaters and Superb Fairy-wrens. The locally rare Gilbert’s Whistler was heard calling from over the road, but did not show itself.

Thanks to owners Ann and Mike. It was a pleasure look for birds on a bush block that retains much of the original native vegetation of the area.

22 bird species recorded. eBird list https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S48712603

"U3A Birdwatching resumes next month on Thursday 13 September, when we will visit private property in the Upotipotpon district, about 35 minutes west of Benalla. The property has a mix of eucalypt woodland and open grassland.

We will meet in the car park behind the Seniors building, ready to leave by 9.30am. Please bring anything you want to eat or drink for the morning, a sun hat and binoculars if you have them, and wear sturdy footwear. We plan to head back to Benalla about midday.
 
For your diary, our following outing is on Thursday 11 October when we will visit private property in the Lurg district. The last outing for the year is on Thursday 8 November, destination to be advised.
 
Look forward to seeing you in some Spring sunshine!"
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Kathy Costello

​U3A Bird watching group finally made it to Euroa on Thursday 31 May, after our planned outing earlier in May was cancelled due to bad weather.

The Euroa Arboretum is located south of the town, between the freeway and the old Hume Highway. Although we had fine weather, there was a cold southerly wind, so our group of seven headed for the Arboretum nursery to check out the plants for sale. They have an impressive range of local native plants propagated mainly from seed collected in the area. After we loaded our purchases into our vehicles, we then went looking for birds. Good numbers of Superb Fairy-wrens live in the grounds and were easy to see. Not so the other little birds. We had a fleeting glimpse of 2 Weebills, Australia’s smallest bird, and heard a Grey Shrike-thrush. Several Red Wattlebirds and White-plumed Honeyeaters were also seen, but it was a good day for bush birds to shelter from the wind.

Our next stop was at the Seven Creeks walking track. We started our walk near the Euroa caravan park, and headed south towards the freeway, enjoying the sunny, sheltered conditions. Best birds here were a male Golden Whistler, a Crimson Rosella and good views of a flock of Striated Thornbills feeding at eye level beside the track. They are usually in the tree tops. In the bird field guide, we compared Weebills and Striated Thornbills, and came away with a better knowledge of two of our smallest bush birds.

We then headed to Seven Creeks Hotel for a welcome hot meal in front of a warm fire, and so ended U3A Bird watching activities for Semester 1.

U3A Bird watching resumes on Thursday 13 September 2018.
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Kathy Costello

The Birdwatching group's planned trip to Euroa on 10 May was cancelled because of a forecast for wet and windy conditions.
 
Several people expressed an interest in an alternative date later this month and after receiving feedback, Thursday 31st May was decided upon.

The group will meet at the Seniors’ Centre car park a 9.30am, drive to Euroa to visit the Euroa Arboretum, then walk along part of the Seven Creeks track in town, followed by a 12.15pm lunch at Seven Creeks Hotel in Euroa.  Here’s hoping for a fine and sunny day

There will be a report of the Euroa trip in the next newsletter.
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Kathy Costello

Thanks for the feedback re the better date for our late May trip to Euroa. It will be held on Thursday 31 May. The other option was for Thursday 24 May, but it impacts a few in our group who attend U3A Garden Appreciation on that day.

We will meet at the Seniors Centre car park at 9.30am, then drive to Euroa, to visit the Euroa Arboretum, then walk along part of the Seven Creeks track in town, followed by a 12.15pm lunch at Seven Creeks Hotel in Euroa. 

Here’s hoping for a fine and sunny day.

​Kathy

Our planned trip to Euroa on 10 May was cancelled because of a forecast for wet and windy conditions. That morning in Benalla was actually cold but fine, so maybe Euroa would have been OK too.

Several people have expressed an interest in an alternative date later this month. Could you please advise me if you would like to attend a birding outing to Euroa on either Thursday 24 May or Thursday 31 May. We would meet at the Seniors Centre car park at 9.30am as usual, then drive to Euroa, to visit the Euroa Arboretum, then walk along part of the Seven Creeks track in town, followed by a 12.15pm lunch at Seven Creeks Hotel in Euroa.

I already have preferences from a few people, evenly split between the 2 dates, so please ignore this message if we’ve already discussed it.

Please let me know Yes/No, and what date/s suit by this Friday 18 May. It would help to know also if you’d like to attend lunch at the hotel. I’ll then let everyone know what’s been decided.
​
Kathy 

Coming up on Thursday 10 May - Bird Watching at Euroa 

Please meet at the car park behind the Seniors Building at 9.30am, where we car pool for a trip to Euroa. We will go birding in the morning, followed by lunch at 12.15pm at Seven Creeks Hotel in Euroa. We will do a short walk along Seven Creeks in the town, then visit the Euroa Arboretum on the old Hume Highway south of the town centre. If time permits, we will look through the fence at the adjacent water treatment plant to look for waterbirds on the ponds. As usual, please wear sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle and binoculars if you have them.

If you are interested in coming to lunch in Euroa, please ring or email me by Tuesday 8 May, so I can confirm numbers with the hotel. Ph 5762 5755 or coskoy@bigpond.com

Please note that our birding program will be in recess over winter. Our first outing for semester 2 will be on Thursday 13 September 2018.

​Kathy Costello

Our group of 14 birdwatchers walked around the southern part of Lake Benalla on Thursday 8 March. It was a pleasant morning that became hot by lunchtime.

The water level in the lake was very low, as water authorities work to kill off the last of the aquatic weed Cabomba. Despite this, we had a very successful session of bird watching. Yellow Spoonbills were still nesting, and a total of 8 birds seen. We were close enough to admire the beautiful plumage of male and female Wood Ducks as they walked past our group. We also had close views of Australasian Swamphen and several Darters. It was interesting to watch a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo feeding a noisy begging youngster in a nearby tree. Robyn did well to find the White-throated Gerygone calling nearby, and most people had a good view of this beautiful but tiny songster with its bright yellow breast. Another yellow breasted bird we were lucky to find is the Crested Shrike-tit, although it did not show well in the foliage. Other birds seen included Superb Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Striated Thornbill, White-throated Treecreeper, Sacred Kingfisher and Kookaburra.

​A total of 42 species was recorded. The eBird list can be viewed at

https://ebird.org/australia/view/checklist/S43609753
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Kathy Costello

Lake Benalla Thursday 8 March 2018

Our first activity for 2018 will be a gentle stroll around part of the lake, looking for water birds and bush birds. Please meet at 9.30am in the car park behind the Seniors building. We plan to finish around 12 o’clock.

Even if the water level in the lake remains very low, we will still see plenty of waterbirds and bush birds.  Binoculars make bird watching much more enjoyable, so if you have a pair please bring them. Feel free to ask me if you would like help on how to adjust the focus for your eyes, so you get a clear picture. Also, you can pick my brains as we walk, and I'll do my best to find and identify as many birds as I can.

You may want to carry a water bottle, a snack and a sun hat. Comfortable walking shoes are advisable.
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Kathy Costello
Mobile 0447 625755