Our end of year outing on 9 November was to Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve, on Old Euroa Rd, south west of Violet Town. It is a grassland reserve with patches of old eucalypts and casuarinas, a good shrub understorey in places and some depressions which fill with water after good rains. We started along a water-filled channel near the southern boundary and were pleased to see two Nankeen Night-Herons there. The heavily streaked juvenile bird landed in a red gum, where Andi got a couple of photos of it. 

​A good start to our wanderings.

We recorded 22 bird species. Here is a link to the eBird list.  https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S155008375

​On the way home we stopped at the Violet Town for a welcome coffee and a chat at the Museum Cafe.


​Kathy Costello

​On 12th October the group visited private property west of Benalla in the Upotipotpon area. We visited ‘Girral’ in 2018, and were very pleased that the owners were able to lead us again on a walk around the property. This time we walked an area with a lot of native shrubs underneath mainly Grey Box and Red Box eucalypts. We had good views of Rufous Songlarks which were calling loudly as they flew overhead, before landing in a tree. They are spring migrants from northern Australia. Some people got a glimpse of a pair of Yellow Robins and an Eastern Shrike-tit, and along the roadside was a pair of Jacky Winters. We heard Peaceful Doves calling a number of times. Mike said they used to be occasional visitors, but are now resident on the property. They are uncommon birds in our area.  Ann told us they had Grey Shrikethrushes nesting in the carport.

Helen Repacholi took this photo of a Brown Treecreeper, one of several we saw during the morning.

We recorded 23 species during our visit. Many thanks to our hosts for allowing us to visit their property.
​
Here is the link to the eBird checklist of the birds we recorded on the property
https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S153015092
 
Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve
 
Our next outing on Thursday 9th November will be to Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve, an area of grassland with wooded areas. The reserve is a few kilometres south west of Violet Town, has an impressive bird list and is a new location for our group. Please meet at 9.30am in the carpark behind the Seniors Building, bringing water and any food you need for the morning. Bring binoculars if you have them.
 
Kathy Costello

We enjoyed a fine sunny morning on 14 September, when seven of us travelled to Killawarra Forest, in the northern section of the Warby Ovens National Park. The forest has large stands of ironbark eucalypts, so is quite different from the Warby Ranges to the south.

We didn’t have to walk far to see a good variety of birds. A Shining Bronze-Cuckoo was hunting caterpillars in a Golden Wattle. It is an attractive small cuckoo, with an iridescent green back. We had good views of a pair of Jacky Winters flying overhead and perching close by. They are active grey and white flycatchers. Eastern and Crimson Rosellas and a King Parrot were also recorded. Honeyeaters present included Brown-headed and White-plumed Honeyeaters and a Noisy Friarbird. We found Wood Duck and Black Duck at a small dam on the edge of the forest, and enjoyed a display of orchids nearby.

It wasn’t until later that I identified one bird that made a number of loud calls when we first arrived at Killawarra. It was a Pacific Koel. Quite a surprise to hear it in native forest, as it has become better known as a regular summer migrant to urban areas and towns in Victoria, including Benalla. On our way back to Benalla we stopped for a very welcome late morning tea the Mokoan Café.

Spring is nearly here and the wattles are looking wonderful. It’s a lovely time for birdwatching.

We start our program for semester 2 on 14th September with a visit to Killawarra forest northwest of Wangaratta.Because of the travel involved, I would like us to meet at 9am, instead of 9.30am, at the carpark at the back of the Seniors Building.

Please bring the usual things for outdoor activities – a hat, water, binoculars if you have them and wear sturdy footwear. You may want to bring a sandwich or snack in case we do not get back to Benalla by lunchtime.

​If you are a passenger, please bring a small amount of money to pay your driver.
 
Kathy Costello
Mob 0447 625 755

The plan to run an extra outing in June unfortunately came to nothing because of wet weather. But six of the group enjoyed a get together at the gallery café instead. A very pleasant morning.
​
The birdwatching group will resume activities on Thursday 14th September. More details later. Meanwhile, keep a look out for Eastern Spinebills visiting flowering correas and camellias in winter.
 
Kathy Costello

Next outing is to Shadforth Reserve, Violet Town on Thursday 8th June
 
Shadforth Reserve is on the northern outskirts Violet Town, and supports an interesting variety of birdlife. One reason is that it contains a nice mix of grassland, some very old Grey Box and River Red Gums, a planted Community Forest and a few dams. In a past life it has been a racecourse and a golf course. One bird I am especially looking for is the Grey-crowned Babbler, a known resident of the reserve.

Please meet in the car park behind the Seniors Building at 9.30am on Thursday 8th June, for the drive to Violet Town. Wear sturdy shoes, and bring water and any food you need for the morning. I am hoping we will also have time for a coffee in Violet Town after the walk.

I was unable to run our May outing as I was enjoying a birdwatching trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Thanks Andi Stevenson for hosting an informal bird walk May during my absence.

This June trip to Shadforth Reserve is an extra in our program, as promised during our visit to Reef Hills in April.

​
Kathy Costello

Andi Stevenson

The Birdwatching group made the short drive to Reef Hills State Park on the southern edge of Benalla for their April outing on the 13th. This 2400 hectare park hosts a large variety of birds and is well worth a visit.

​Some Grey Box is flowering heavily at present, drawing a number of honeyeaters to feed. We spent our time birding along Wattle Road, and after a quiet start saw a good number of small birds. Many were attracted to puddles in the road.

We had great views of 2 pairs of Scarlet Robins. The males were chasing each other, perhaps in a territorial dispute.  Thanks Jim Burnell for the lovely photo of one of the Scarlet Robins.

​There were a lot of Grey Fantails, with pardalotes and thornbills often heard but difficult to see. Fuscous and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were feeding in the Grey Box blossom and a flock of Red Wattlebirds flew overhead.

​Here is the link to our list on eBird
https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S134920973
 
Please note there will be no outing in May, as I will be away on a birding trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Instead there will be an outing on Thursday 8th June. Details to be advised.
​
Kathy Costello

Fourteen people attended our first outing for 2023 on 9th March on a mild, sunny morning. We drove to the base of Mt Samaria, then walked around the Samaria Well campground area and the along Brown Rd. A King Parrot flew past our group, then Jim found a few honeyeaters and a small flock of Varied Sittellas in a flowering eucalypt in the campground. The rest of the bush was initially quiet apart from a few calling White-throated Treecreepers. We finally started to see groups of birds on our return walk. Three Gang Gang Cockatoos and a flock of Crimson Rosellas landed nearby. Striated Thornbills and Grey Fantails were feeding in a low wattle, and an Eastern Spinebill found some nectar in a flowering mistletoe hanging low over the road. As we drove out of the campground some of us saw a Jacky Winter and Willie Wagtail on the fence of the adjacent paddock.

​Altogether 23 species were recorded. Here is the link to the bird list for the morning. https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S131254908
 
Next outing to Reef Hills State Park on Thursday 13 April.

We will meet in the car park behind the Seniors Building at our usual meeting time of 9.30am. Reef Hills is on the outskirts of Benalla and supports a variety of birdlife. The Grey Box is starting to flower and should attract a number of nectar-feeding honeyeaters and lorikeets.

Remember to wear sturdy footwear, and bring any food and drink you require for the morning.


​Kathy Costello

The U3A Birdwatching group will kick off for 2023 on Thursday 9th March with a visit to Mt Samaria.

We will drive to Mt Samaria and look for birds around the Samaria Wells campground at the base of the mountain and along the adjacent roadside. The area has a lovely mixed forest, with the chance of finding some cooler country birds we don’t see in the Benalla area.

Meet in the car park at the rear of the Seniors building at 9.00am.  Note this is half an hour earlier than our usual meeting time. It’s worth making the most of the cooler mornings at this time of year.

Please wear sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle and any food you need for the morning. If you have binoculars, they will add greatly to your birdwatching experience.


Kathy Costello 
Mobile 0447 625755

Nine people were able to attend our extra outing in December, with a bird walk at Winton Wetlands on Thursday 1 December, followed by lunch at the Mokoan Hub café. We spent a warm sunny morning birding around the boat ramp area not far from the café. A few people were surprised to see water part way up the boat ramp. There is certainly a lot of water at the wetlands at present.

I did not expect to see many waterbirds, telling the group that the birds have half of Australia to choose from at present so could be anywhere.

To my surprise we actually did quite well with waterbird sightings. We had excellent views of groups of White-necked Herons and Australian White Ibis, plus two White-faced Herons and a Yellow-billed Spoonbill, all close to shore. There were a few ducks; Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck and a pair of Hardhead, plus 2 different cormorants. And we saw one Black Swan. Brown Quail were calling loudly in the long grass near the boat ramp, but they stayed well hidden, as did the calling Little Grassbird. We had good views of Sacred Kingfishers and Red-rumped Parrots.

​​We recorded 28 bird species on our walk. Here is a link to the eBird list:              
https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S123583827

​Other animals seen were Grey Kangaroos and a Black Wallaby. We were surprised to see a large Eastern Bearded Dragon in the middle of the walking track. This reptile is listed as Vulnerable in Victoria, so we were lucky to see one.

We had an excellent birdwatching outing to Nason Springs, on Taminick Gap Road in the southern Warbys, on 10 November. In the first 15 minutes we had views of four raptors: pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles, a Whistling Kite, a Little Eagle and a Brown Falcon. This is a great area to view raptors as they fly above the hills. When they had all disappeared from view, the woodland birds appeared along the track beside the gully. It was a day for black and white birds. In addition to Australian Magpies, Magpie-larks and Willie Wagtails, we had lovely views of 2 of our rarer black and white woodland birds: Restless Flycatcher and a male Hooded Robin. Then a beautiful small finch, the Diamond Firetail, landed nearby. We walked a little way up the hill for eye-level views of a tiny female Mistletoebird. Attached photo by Andie Stevenson. Other birds of note included Rainbow Bee-eater, Brown Treecreeper, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and Red-rumped Parrot. All up we recorded 26 bird species for the morning.

Here is the link to the bird list on the eBird website: https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S122324294


Kathy Costello

​Unfortunately our October outing to the northern part of the Warby Ranges was cancelled due to wet weather. It’s hard to plan outdoor activities with any confidence during our soggy spring!  Let’s hope we have some fine weather for our last activity for this year. 

​In October, we will travel to the northern part of the Warby Ranges for a forest walk. After plenty of rain, the forest in springtime is looking a picture, with lots of wildflowers and plentiful birdlife.

Meet as usual in the carpark behind the Seniors building at 9.30am. Bring any food and drink you require for the morning, wear sturdy shoes and a hat. Binoculars if you have them will add to your ability to identify birds in the field.
 
Kathy Costello

After wet weather caused the cancellation of this outing in May and again in September, we arranged a later date in September which six people were able to attend.  It was overcast on Wednesday 21 September but we stayed dry, and enjoyed a stroll along a quiet bush road, enjoying the birdlife and a good variety of native roadside plants in flower.

We recorded 21 bird species, the highlight being a Diamond Firetail which perched on an overhead wire. This beautiful small finch is not common in our area, so we were lucky to see one.

The dull light made bird identification difficult in the roadside trees, but we did see several White-browed Treecreepers, Grey Fantails, Kookaburras, Eastern Rosellas, a Striated Pardalote and a few too many Noisy Miners.  

​Here is the direct link to the eBird list - https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S119435911

Have you noticed the Sacred Kingfishers have arrived back at Lake Benalla. They are summer breeding migrants to southern Australia, and start arriving in our area in late September. Listen for their loud kek kek kek kek calls, as they look for a partner and a suitable tree hollow for nesting.

Kathy Costello

Following a rainy day on Thursday 8th September and my request for suggestions for a replacement birdwatching outing in September, the date that suits most people is Wednesday 21 September.  Apologies to those of you who cannot attend that day.
 
We’ll try again to get to the Moorngag area for a morning walk. Meet at the Seniors building carpark at 9.30am. As usual, wear sturdy walking shoes, carry water and bring any food you require for the morning. Binoculars will add greatly to your ability to view and identify birds.
 
Here’s hoping for a fine day on the 21st.


Kathy 

U3A Birdwatching group will resume for springtime birding on Thursday 8 September. We will visit the Moorngag area for a birding stroll along a quiet country lane which has good areas of native vegetation. This outing was planned for May this year, but was cancelled because of wet weather.
​
Please meet at the car park behind the Seniors building at 9.30am on Thursday 8 September. As usual, wear sturdy footwear and a hat, bring any food and drink you need for the morning, and binoculars if you have them.
 
Kathy Costello

Wet weather caused the cancellation of our May outing. We had intended to do some roadside birding in the Moorngag district. Instead, eight of us gathered at a café in town and enjoyed morning tea and a chat.

After a winter recess, the Birdwatching group will resume activities in September.

​Kathy Costello

Eight people attended this outing to the Seven Creeks walking track in Euroa. This is an attractive area to look for birds with its mix of huge red gums, silver wattles, reed beds and managed parkland.

​We walked the southern section of the track. Because it was the day before Easter the Euroa caravan park was already very busy, so at first we saw larger birds that are used to people - magpies, magpie-larks, cockatoos and wood ducks. We had excellent views of Blue-faced Honeyeaters and Crimson Rosellas in several places.

As we continued to a quieter part of the track, we started to see and hear some of the smaller birds. We found good numbers of Red-browed Finches and Superb Fairy-wrens in the long grass near the creek. The two highlights were Golden Whistler and Crested Shrike-tit. Thanks Andi Stevenson for the photos:

Our April outing will take place on Thursday 14th when we will visit Euroa for a morning walk along the Seven Creeks track. We will leave from the car park behind the Seniors Building at 9.30am. Please bring the usual – sturdy footwear, water and any food you need for the morning, and binoculars if you have them. The walk is about 3.5 km.
​
If you would prefer to meet the group at Euroa, we will be parking in Foy St, which is the last street on the left before the bridge. There is a good parking area there, just opposite the Seven Creeks Hotel.

Kathy Costello

The first activity for 2022 for U3A Birdwatching group will be held on Thursday 10 March. We will make a morning visit to Loombah Reservoir on Upper Ryans Creek Road, birdwatching in the tall forest surrounding the area. We expect to see some birds not found around Benalla. Please meet at the carpark behind the Seniors Building at 9.30, and bring any food and drink you need for the morning. Wear sturdy shoes, and bring binoculars if you have a pair. Please note that we may do a little walking off track.

One option is to join the group enroute, at the corner of Kilfeera Road and Tatong Road, where there is a fire station. You will need to be there by 9.50am. Please email or ring me if you plan to do this.
​
Look forward to seeing you.
 
Kathy Costello
Ph 0447 625755 or landline 5762 5755

A reminder that Birdwatching is held in March, April and May each year.  We meet in the Seniors Car Park at 9:30 am.  Our first session will be held on Thursday 10 March 2022.  More information will be sent by emails and included in the March Newsletter.  

​​The group visited Reef Hills for a morning walk along Centre Road on the southern boundary of the park. It was good to finally have an outing, as the 2 previous walks were cancelled. A southerly wind off the paddocks was bracing, but eased to a mild morning as we progressed. Several Common Bronzewings flew off as we approached, but later we had a good look at a female bronzewing  at the side of the road. It is good to see these large pigeons in the park. They are particularly fond of wattle seeds, and there are good stands of the prickly Hedge Wattle (Acacia paradoxa) in this area.

We heard the Olive-backed Oriole calling nearby, and had good views of a Jacky Winter and several Dusky Woodswallows. A pair of White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes were heard then seen briefly before they flew. Some of us had a good look at a Crested Shrike-tit, a striking bird with a yellow breast, and black and white striped head. It can sometimes be heard before it as seen, as it tears strips of bark from branches, searching for insects underneath. We saw both Crimson and Eastern Rosellas, plus several Superb Fairy-wrens, Willie Wagtails and White-plumed Honeyeaters. Our last sighting for the morning was a White-throated Treecreeper that landed close by on a tree trunk as we returned to our cars.
​
We recorded 18 birds for the morning walk. Here is the link for the eBird list. https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S97906323
 
Thanks to U3A members who have attended during the year. The birding program will resume in March 2022.
 
Kathy Costello