Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2017
It’s getting very near that time of year when we venture out to see what’s flapping about…
Take part in BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count from 23 - 29 October and help Northern Beaches Council discover which birds share our local backyards and outdoor spaces.
Homeowners, renters and visitors, with and without backyards, are encouraged to become citizen scientists for the week and join BirdLife Australia in counting 1.5 million birds in seven days.
Mayor Michael Regan said this was the third time Council had taken part in the program and the data collected helped to track changes in the local bird population and composition.
“The Aussie Backyard Bird Count is a valuable chance for us to learn more about our local feathered friends and enjoy some of the Northern Beaches’ absolutely beautiful bird-watching spots,’ Mayor Regan said.
Mayor Regan with a Corella
Irrawong Reserve, Bangalley Head Reserve, Angophora Reserve, Warriewood Wetland, Long Reef, Jamieson Reserve, Deep Creek Reserve, North Head, Hanging Swamp at North Head and our lagoons are some of the best places to visit and observe local birdlife.
Residents can count anywhere they can see birds — backyards, schoolyards, parks, botanic gardens — at anytime during the week and as many times as they like.
All you need is 20 minutes, the Aussie Bird Count app or website aussiebirdcount.org.au.
Once counts have been submitted, locals will be able to see the number of birds and species being counted nearby and right across Australia, with real-time updates on the Aussie Backyard Bird Count app and website.
“It’s wonderful to have the support of Northern Beaches Council for this year’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count. After three years of counting, we are now starting to learn more about local bird populations across Australia,” said Paul Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of BirdLife Australia.
Last year more than 1.4 million birds, including the colourful Rainbow Lorikeet — which has led the national tally for three consecutive years — were spotted in backyards across the country.
_________________________
Suggestions for looking at birds around here – apart from sitting in your own backyard:
Shore Birds, for example the Oystercatcher (not sure you have to run or fly too fast to catch an oyster!)
Wetlands birds
Lagoon birds
Escarpment Birds
Heathland birds
Estuary Birds
For a background on how the first Bird Day came about (includes Attracting birds to your backyard – native plants for nectar and seeds and a bird bath, to drink or swim) – visit our 2015 Aussie Back Yard Bird Count page
Pittwater Online News Bird Stories
Australian Predators of the Sky by Penny Olsen - published by National Library of Australia
Australian Raven Australian Wood Duck Family at Newport
A Week In Pittwater Issue 128 A Week In Pittwater - June 2014 Issue 168
Baby Birds Spring 2015 - Rainbow Lorikeets in our Yard - for Children Baby Birds by Lynleigh Greig, Southern Cross Wildlife Care - what do if being chased by a nesting magpie or if you find a baby bird on the ground
Baby Kookaburras in our Backyard: Aussie Bird Count 2016 - October
Bangalley Mid-Winter Barrenjoey Birds Bird Antics This Week: December 2016
Birdland Above the Estuary - October 2012 Birds At Our Window Birds at our Window - Winter 2014 Birdland June 2016
Birdsong Is a Lovesong at This time of The Year - Brown Falcon, Little Wattle Bird, Australian Pied cormorant, Mangrove or Striated Heron, Great Egret, Grey Butcherbird, White-faced Heron
Bird Songs – poems about our birds by youngsters from yesterdays - for children Bird Week 2015: 19-25 October
Bird Songs For Spring 2016 For Children by Joanne Seve
Black Swans on Narrabeen Lagoon - April 2013 Black Swans Pictorial
Endangered Little Tern Fishing at Mona Vale Beach
‘Feather Map of Australia’: Citizen scientists can support the future of Australia's wetland birds: for Birdwatchers, school students and everyone who loves our estuarine and lagoon and wetland birds
Fledgling Common Koel Adopted by Red Wattlebird -Summer Bird fest 2013 Flegdlings of Summer - January 2012
Flocks of Colour by Penny Olsen - beautiful new Bird Book Celebrates the 'Land of the Parrots'
Friendly Goose at Palm Beach Wharf - Pittwater's Own Mother Goose
Front Page Issue 177 Front Page Issue 185 Front Page Issue 193 - Discarded Fishing Tackle killing shorebirds Front Page Issue 203 - Juvenile Brush Turkey Front Page Issue 208 - Lyrebird by Marita Macrae Front Page Issue 219 Superb Fairy Wren Female Front Page Issue 234: National Bird Week October 19-25 and the 2015 the Aussie Back Yard Bird Count: Australia's First Bird Counts - a 115 Year Legacy - with a small insight into our first zoos Front Page Issue 236: Bird Week 2015 Front Page Issue 244: watebirds Front Page Issue 260: White-face Heron at Careel Creek Front Page Issue 283: Pittwater + more birds for Bird Week/Aussie Bird Count Front Page Issue 284: Pittwater + more birds for Bird Week/Aussie Bird Count Front Page Issue 285: Bird Week 2016 Front Page Issue 331: Spring Visitor Birds Return
Glossy Black-Cockatoo Returns To Pittwater by Paul Wheeler
Grey Butcher Birds of Pittwater
INGLESIDE LAND RELEASE ON AGAIN BUT MANY CHALLENGES AHEAD by David Palmer
Issue 60 May 2012 Birdland - Smiles- Beamings -Early -Winter - Blooms
John Gould's Extinct and Endangered Mammals of Australia by Dr. Fred Ford - Between 1850 and 1950 as many mammals disappeared from the Australian continent as had disappeared from the rest of the world between 1600 and 2000! Zoologist Fred Ford provides fascinating, and often poignant, stories of European attitudes and behaviour towards Australia's native fauna and connects these to the animal's fate today in this beautiful new book - our interview with the author
July 2012 Pittwater Environment Snippets; Birds, Sea and Flowerings
Juvenile Sea Eagle at Church Point - for children
King Parrots in Our Front Yard
Kookaburra Turf Kookaburra Fledglings Summer 2013 Kookaburra Nesting Season by Ray Chappelow
Kookaburra Nest – Babies at 1.5 and 2.5 weeks old by Ray Chappelow
Kookaburra Nest – Babies at 3 and 4 weeks old by Ray Chappelow
Kookaburra Nest – Babies at 5 weeks old by Ray Chappelow
Magpie's Melodic Melodies - For Children (includes 'The Magpie's Song' by F S Williamson)
Masked Lapwing (Plover) - Reflected
May 2012 Birdland Smiles Beamings Early Winter Blooms
Nankeen Kestrel Feasting at Newport: May 2016
National Bird Week 2014 - Get Involved in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count: National Bird Week 2014 will take place between Monday 20 October and Sunday 26 October, 2014. BirdLife Australia and the Birds in Backyards team have come together to launch this year’s national Bird Week event the Aussie Backyard Bird Count! This is one the whole family can do together and become citizen scientists...
National Bird Week October 19-25 and the 2015 the Aussie Back Yard Bird Count: Australia's First Bird Counts - a 115 Year Legacy - with a small insight into our first zoos
Nature 2015 Review Earth Air Water Stone
New Family of Barking Owls Seen in Bayview - Church Point by Pittwater Council
Noisy Visitors by Marita Macrae of PNHA
Odes to Australia's Fairy-wrens by Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen and Constance Le Plastrier 1884 and 1926
Oystercatcher and Dollarbird Families - Summer visitors
Pardalote, Scrub Wren and a Thornbill of Pittwater
Pecking Order by Robyn McWilliam
Pelican Lamps at Narrabeen Pelican Dreamsong - A Legend of the Great Flood - dreamtime legend for children
Pittwater Becalmed Pittwater Waterbirds Spring 2011 Pittwater Waterbirds - A Celebration for World Oceans Day 2015
Plastic in 99 percent of seabirds by 2050 by CSIRO
Plover Appreciation Day September 16th 2015
Powerful and Precious by Lynleigh Grieg
Red Wattlebird Song - November 2012
Restoring The Diamond: every single drop. A Reason to Keep Dogs and Cats in at Night.
Sea Birds off the Pittwater Coast: Albatross, Gannet, Skau + Australian Poets 1849, 1898 and 1930, 1932
Sea Eagle Juvenile at Church Point
Seen but Not Heard: Lilian Medland's Birds - Christobel Mattingley - one of Australia's premier Ornithological illustrators was a Queenscliff lady - 53 of her previously unpublished works have now been made available through the auspices of the National Library of Australia in a beautiful new book
Shag on a North Avalon Rock - Seabirds for World Oceans Day 2012
Short-tailed Shearwaters Spring Migration 2013
South-West North-East Issue 176 Pictorial
Spring 2012 - Birds are Splashing - Bees are Buzzing
Spring Becomes Summer 2014- Royal Spoonbill Pair at Careel Creek
Summer 2013 BirdFest - Brown Thornbill Summer 2013 BirdFest- Canoodlers and getting Wet to Cool off Summer 2013 Bird Fest - Little Black Cormorant Summer 2013 BirdFest - Magpie Lark
