Our birdwatching visit on Thursday 13 August to the southern section of the Warby Ranges off Taminick Gap Road, just north of Glenrowan, has been cancelled due to the introduction of Stage 3 Covid-19 restrictions.  The walk, which was to start at the track to the communication towers known as the Ridge Track, will be rescheduled after current restrictions are lifted and it is possible again to have groups of 10 participants.  Hopefully, spring wildflowers will still be in bloom and we can see Turquoise Parrots in this area.

Keep an eye on emails, the next newsletter and the website for updates.  Kathy Costello 5762 5755, Mobile 0447 625755, email coskoy@bigpond.com.
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Kathy Costello

​Nine people attended our walk along the bike track to Winton Wetlands 4km out of Benalla, on Thursday 11 June 2020. The weather was mild and sunny which made for a pleasant morning stroll.

There have been extensive plantings of native shrubs along the channel, and quite a few birds are making good use of this habitat – among them Superb Fairy-wrens, Grey Shrike-thrush, Red-browed Finches and Yellow-rumped Thornbills. We saw 2 Whistling Kites fly overhead, and several Australian Ravens and Little Ravens.

​And her a photo of a Welcome Swallow allowed us to identify the Tree Martin perched near it.

Rupe explained that concrete structures along the inlet channel lower the water level as it gets closer to the Winton Wetlands. We looked at one structure which allows Kennedy Creek to flow unimpeded above the channel as it heads west towards the railway line. It was flowing strongly after good autumn rains. We walked 2.6km and recorded 25 bird species for the morning. Details on eBird list https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S71771259

​Kathy Costello

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

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.

Kathy Costello

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

24 people attended our birdwatching outing on Thursday 12 March 2020. The group enjoyed a morning stroll around the southern section of Lake Benalla. We set out from the library towards Jaycee Island and returned via the main bridge in town. We saw several Australasian Darters on our walk, and it was interesting to compare these waterbirds with the Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants which were also present on the lake. Andi Stevenson took a lovely photo of a darter drying its wings.

The group also had good views of the two treecreepers found in the woodland area, the White-throated and the Brown Treecreeper. A number of Grey Fantails were seen well as they flitted above our heads, catching insects among the wattles and red gums. The Western Gerygone remained hidden from view, although its beautiful song was oh so close.   

​Our lake continues to be a treasure for birdwatching. We recorded 32 bird species for the morning. Details can be viewed on this link to our list on the eBird website  https://ebird.org/australia/checklist/S66153812

Although U3A activities have ceased until further notice, birdwatching is an enjoyable pursuit which I hope some in the group will be able to continue, without an organised outing.

Kathy Costello

Binoculars make birdwatching much more enjoyable, helping us to see the smaller birds along the track.  

​Here is a link to a help sheet put out by Nikon on how to adjust and focus binoculars. I hope you find it helpful.
https://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/sportoptics/how_to/guide/binoculars/using/using_01.htm

If you have any questions about using binoculars, I’m happy to assist at our outings.
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Kathy Costello

The birdwatching group will meet for 3 outings in semester 1, 2020. These will run on Thursdays March 12, April 9 and May 14.

Our first birdwatching outing will be a gentle stroll around part of Lake Benalla on Thursday 12 March 2020.   The lake at Benalla provides an excellent introduction to the waterbirds and bush birds of the area.

For most of our outings we meet at the car park behind the Seniors Community Building, but for this one please meet at the edge of the lake behind the library, at 9.30am.

Locations for April and May will be advised nearer the time and advertised in the monthly U3A Newsletter.  Possible places include Reef Hills State Park, Winton Wetlands or other reserves or private properties near Benalla.  
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What to bring?  Binoculars make birdwatching much more enjoyable.  If you have binoculars please bring them. You should also wear sturdy walking shoes and a hat.  Bring a water bottle and any food you require for the morning.

Please note that if it is a day of Total Fire Ban, the activity will automatically be cancelled.

Kathy Costello

The birdwatching group will meet for three outings in Semester 1, 2020. These will run in March, April and May.

Our first birdwatching outing will be a morning walk at Lake Benalla on Thursday 12 March 2020. For most of our outings we meet at the car park behind the Seniors Community Building, but for this one please meet at the edge of the lake behind the library, at 9.30am.

If you have binoculars please bring them. You should also wear sturdy walking shoes and a hat. Bring a water bottle and any food you require for the morning.

Please note that if it is a day of Total Fire Ban, the activity will automatically be cancelled.
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Convenor:   Kathy Costello

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