Yea wetlands walk a success

Published on 18 October 2024

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Engaging Evening at Yea Wetlands with Ron Litjens

Murrindindi Shire Council hosted a special talk and guided walk through the Yea Wetlands on Tuesday 8 October, partnering with amateur naturalist Ron Litjens to share information on local bird species and how to attract more birds to your backyard.

Attendees were taken on a guided walk, where Ron, a well-known local amateur naturalist, member of the Strath Creek and Yea River Landcare Groups and Yea Wetlands tour guide, spoke about practical tips to attract birds to backyards by providing water, encouraging insects, and shelter using plants and nestboxes.

Ron also talked about the Aussie Bird Count, an activity for all ages that involves observing and counting the birds that live near you, whether it’s your garden, the local park or your town centre.

Community members are encouraged to take part in the Aussie Bird Count, which runs from 14 - 20 October, to help BirdLife Australia collect information on common species in your area. As a citizen scientist, spending 20-30 minutes to observe and report those observations, helps to provide an understanding of the patterns of bird locations and numbers.

Murrindindi Shire is home to a rich variety of birdlife. During the guided tour, attendees saw and heard at least 17 species of birds including:

  • Little Pied Cormorant
  • Little Black Cormorant
  • Australasian Darter
  • Australian Ibis
  • White-browed Scrub Wren
  • Striated Pardalote
  • Little Raven
  • Superb Fairy Wren
  • Australian Wood Duck
  • Pacific Black Duck
  • White-faced Heron
  • Australian Magpie
  • Crimson Rosella
  • Rufous Whistler
  • Grey Fantail
  • White-throated Treecreeper
  • Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

For more information, and to register for the Aussie Bird Count visit the Aussie Bird Count Website.

Murrindindi Shire Council’s CEO, Livia Bonazzi, said, “Events such as this are a wonderful way to connect our community with the natural environment while offering simple, practical tips to help preserve it. I was fascinated to learn more about our local birds, and I encourage everyone to take part in citizen science projects like the Aussie Bird Count and upcoming FrogID Week to contribute to important environmental data collection. To find out more visit our FrogID Week event page.”

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Pictured: Presenter Ron Litjens and attendees
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Pictured: Presenter Ron Litjens

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