Do you have plans for the Labor Day public holiday? Wondering what you might do?
You could join the BirdLife East Gippsland (BLEG) at one of its regular weekly outings. You will get the chance to see and hear birds and learn more about them.
On Monday, March 11, BirdLife East Gippsland will be hosting a free birdwatching walk at Wattle Point/Blond Bay. This free event is part of the annual birdwatching program for BLEG and is open to the public. BirdLife members will act as guides for visitors. You only need a low level of fitness, as members only amble along with frequent stops to look and listen for birds.
Starting at 9am and ending around 12.30pm, the morning will be broken up into first and second sessions with morning tea around 10.15am and the option to stay for lunch around noon.
Recent visits have turned up a wide variety of water birds – ducks, coots, terns, herons, grebes, cormorants, waders, etc. You never know what you will see. A visit in July turned up 53 bird species including an extraordinary 9000 Eurasian Coot, but that number is not likely to be repeated.
At every weekly walk, members record the bird species seen at each site and upload results to Birddata, the BirdLife Australia database which has built up over the years to be the basis of Australian bird distribution maps, helping gain insight into local birds and protect them into the future.
If you would like to participate in this event, meet members at Wattle Point Road Picnic Area Car Park, Wattle Point Boat Ramp and Jetty, Williamson Road, Forge Creek.
Take a hat, sensible walking shoes, water, sunscreen, insect repellent and camera/binoculars if you have them. Also take your own supplies – snack, tea, coffee, hot water, chair etc. – for a mid-morning tea break and lunch.
