News and Events

A birdbath is a great way of providing drinking and bathing water for birds, especially in the hotter, drier months. Once filled with fresh water and placed under a tree or near a shrub, a birdbath will act as a magnet for birds.

When positioned near a window, a busy birdbath will provide many hours of entertainment and learning for the bird observer. Rough concrete ones are best so small birds can easily get out. Over 400 Australian native animals are dependent on tree hollows for nesting, breeding and shelter.

Due to habitat clearing many old hollow-bearing trees have disappeared from the landscape, causing the decline of many wildlife species. Nest boxes for birds and mammals can provide a substitute for tree hollows and these days can be purchased online, either in kit form or ready to hang. For those keen on DIY there are books available on nest box construction.

To identify birds at the birdbath or nest box the observer will require a bird field guide. There are four currently available to choose from and all provide clear colour drawings and written descriptions of appearance, voice, breeding and habitat, plus lots of other general information. CDs and DVDs can provide an aural as well as visual experience to assist with identification and enjoyment of birds.

Binoculars are an essential accompaniment to a bird field guide, enabling a close-up view of identifying features and behaviour. They’re also great for observing snakes at a safe distance!

Native reptile and mammal field guides are available to enhance the wildlife watcher’s experience, and for those who appreciate the smaller things in life, butterflies, spiders and insects are also catered for in a number of publications. The night-time chorus of croaking frogs provides the best means of identification of frog species and a number of cassette tapes and CDs of frog calls are available. Check out online sources for all of these potential presents or good book shops.

On another big picture note, the fourth national assessment of the state of Australia’s environment was launched this week by the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, the Hon Tony Burke MP.

For the first time in national environmental reporting, Australia State of the Environment 2011 includes graded ‘report-card’ style assessments of environment condition and trends, pressures and management effectiveness.

Written by an independent committee of experts, the report covers nine aspects of the Australian environment – atmosphere, inland water, land, marine environment, Antarctic environment, biodiversity, heritage, built environment and coasts.

Australia State of the Environment 2011 is available online, along with a range of additional material, at http://www.environment.gov.au/soe. It’s a fascinating read for anyone interested in the Australian Environment.

Finally this week a big hello to the kindy kids from Holy Family School, who enjoyed an excursion this week with the Lachlan CMA and Landcare volunteers looking at special places in the environment.

Until next week, check us out on Facebook, Twitter and the webpage and happy Landcaring.