U3A Benalla and District Inc.
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Birdwatching in July -  a section of the bike track to Winton Wetlands, starting on Sydney Road

29/6/2020

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After a successful outing in June, there will be another birdwatching activity on Thursday morning 9 July.

Due to the latest COVID19 restrictions, the group will be limited to 10 participants. We will walk a section of the bike track to Winton Wetlands, starting on Sydney Road where runs beside the old inlet channel about 4km out of town, and before the Yarrawonga Road turnoff.

​We will meet at 10am in the car park on the left, opposite Price Road. This section of the bike track has well established native shrubs along the channel so it provides habitat for a number of native birds, and the adjacent paddocks can be a good area to see raptors.

As usual bring any food and water you need for the morning, and binoculars if you have them.
Please book with me by 6pm on Wednesday 8 July if you would like to attend.

Kathy Costello
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A surprisingly good morning of birding after weeks of lockdown

22/6/2020

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Picture
Seven people attended our outing to Winton Wetlands on Thursday 11 June 2020. We were lucky to have a mild sunny morning for our walk along part of the dam wall, near the outlet channel.

The birding was surprisingly good, even though waterbirds were few - just some Black Swans and Black Duck on one of the ponds. We saw quite a few birds in the red gum saplings below the dam wall: Eastern Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Superb Fairywren, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-rumped Thornbill and White-plumed Honeyeater.

The most surprising find was a covey of nine Brown Quail sunning themselves on the rocks of the dam wall, until we disturbed them and they flew down into the long grass below. Another good sighting was a Golden-headed Cisticola, a bird that lives in long grass or reeds in wetland areas. It is a tiny bird, about the size of a fairywren. We also recorded several Zebra Finches and 3 Black Wallabies.
​Altogether 21 bird species made it into our eBird list for the morning. 
https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S70372923
It was good to enjoy a morning walk with friends after weeks of COVID19 lockdown. Five of us went on to have lunch at the recently reopened Mokoan Hub café.
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Kathy Costello
Photographs:  Birding along the old dam wall at Winton Wetlands. Andrea Stevenson
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Reactivating our mothballed program--Winton Wetlands,11 June

1/6/2020

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U3A Birdwatching rescheduled to Thursday 11 June 2020.  Visit to Winton Wetlands dam wall and outlet channel.

Now that the Victorian government is allowing groups of up to 20 to gather outdoors from 1 June, it is a good opportunity to reactivate our mothballed U3A Birdwatching program.
We will travel to Winton Wetlands to look for birds around the dam wall area off Lake Mokoan Road. Because of social distancing requirements, we will not be car pooling. If you know how to get there, I suggest you drive in time to meet the group there at 9.45am. It will be a morning walk, so bring binoculars if you have them, any food and water you need for the morning, and wear sturdy shoes. Some parts of the walking track could be a little muddy.

Because the group is limited to 19 (plus leader), please book in with me by 6pm on Wednesday 10 June.

How to get there -  Drive north east through Benalla for a few kilometres and turn left into Yarrawonga Rd. Drive a few kilometres, passing Link Rd and Thales on your left. Take the right turn to Winton Wetlands, along Lake Mokoan Road. You can see the long low old dam wall across the paddocks on your right. Turn right at the first Winton Wetlands sign and wait for the group in the parking area near the road. We will then drive in convoy about a kilometre to the outlet channel, where there is parking for quite a few cars.

For those who would prefer to travel in convoy from Benalla, I will meet you at the carpark behind the Seniors building at 9.30am.

Looking forward to seeing you again, and here’s hoping for a mild sunny day.

Kathy Costello
Ph 0447 625755, email coskoy@bigpond.com
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    Birdwatching

    If you would like to know more about birds in the Benalla district and would appreciate help in identifying birds, this group could be for you.  The program involves mainly morning walks in local habitats rich in a range of bird life such as Reef Hills, Winton Wetland and Benalla Lake.  There may also be an all day outing to a more distant location.  Bring along a pair of binoculars to gain more value and enjoyment from this activity.  ​

    Convenor and contact details

    Picture
    Kathy Costello 5762 5755 Mobile 0447625755
    coskoy@bigpond.com
    Photographs -  Andi Stevenson

    Meeting Times

    Six meetings:
    Semester 1 - March, April and May.  
    Semester 2 - September, October, November.

    2nd Thursday 9.30am to 12 noon

    Meet at the car park behind the Benalla Senior Citizens Community Centre. Check newsletter for times and details. 

    Please note that outing arrangements may be altered if pandemic regulations change and are automatically cancelled on days of total fire ban.

    New members

    If you are new to the birdwatching group, check out Birdwatching - Notes for Participants - you will also find a video link in the notes which may assist you to adjust your binoculars

    Outings etc....

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    Baddaginnie
    Benalla Golf Course
    Birds Of Benalla
    Broken River
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    Christmas Break Ups
    Course Description
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    How To Use Binoculars
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    Mokoan Hub Cafe
    Molyullah
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    Mt Meg Reserve
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    Notes For Participants
    Pangarang Track
    Private Property Visits
    Rare Sightings
    Reef Hills
    Reef Hills State Park
    Sam's Creek Valley
    Seven Creeks
    Upotipotpon
    Violet Town
    Warby Ranges
    Winton Wetlands

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We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
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​Photographs - U3A members; Benalla Art Gallery website; ​Weebly 'Free' images;Travel Victoria and State Library of Victoria