Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

Local bird expert and photographer, Geoff Park will be the guest speaker at this year’s FOBIF Annual General Meeting on August 12. Most of our readers will be familiar with his website, Natural Newstead which he set up in 2010. It has since become one of the top 100 birding sites in the world, a mine of information with brilliant photos and consistently astute observations.

There will be a short formal AGM at 7.30 followed by Geoff’s talk. Supper will be provided and everyone is welcome.

If you wish to nominate for the FOBIF committee the form can be found here. Lynette Amaterstein who has been the FOBIF treasurer for many years will not be standing again. So if you would like to become our next treasurer consider standing for the committee. Lynette is happy to help a new person in this role for as long as necessary. There will be also be several other committee vacancies. Feel free to contact Marie Jones (0407 977 731), Bernard Slattery (0499624160) or Lynette (0409330069) if you would like more information about being on the committee. 

The AGM will be held in the Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine (next to the library). 

In 2018, BirdLife Castlemaine – the newest regional branch of BirdLife Australia – was launched, and has subsequently held regular walks, talks, nature diary days, surveys and other activities.  The geographic extent of the branch overlaps considerably with FOBIFs area of interest – and broadly extends Dunolly to Redesdale as a north boundary, from Redesdale to Woodend in the east, from Woodend to Daylesford in the south, and Daylesford to Dunolly in the west (via Avoca).

To recognise their inaugural year, to sate his curiosity, and to keep himself out of mischief during COVID lockdowns, Chris Timewell has compiled an annotated guide to the 215 bird species documented during the 2018 calendar year from throughout this region.  Coming in at 100 pages, the book summarises relevant information for each of these species including patterns of distribution and seasonality, maximum flock sizes, breeding records, interactions with other species, feeding behaviour and other points of note.  It also has a checklist of all birds known to occur in the local area – including those species not detected during 2018.  As well as being an annual review of the incredible survey effort through this year from hundreds of birdwatchers – both casual and also those citizen scientists contributing to conservation projects – it is a guide to the health status of local birds, and an encouragement to fill in the gaps for future surveys.  Even for those that are not dedicated bird-nerds, wonderful images from local bird photographer Kerrie Jennings are interspersed throughout.

It is offered at a cost recovery price of $20, with an extra $4 for postage if required.

To order your copy, contact Chris at c_timewell@hotmail.com for details on payment and delivery.   And if you mention ‘FOBIF’ in your email, Chris will donate half of the cover price for each sale to FOBIF.