MAPLETON BEGINNING BIRDERS WALK - PARTICIPANTS REPORT

 

Nesting Australasian Grebe

On Saturday 6^th February I woke up very early (or what experienced birders would probably call normal time) to take a drive up the coast from Brisbane to join the Beginners Bird Walk, organised by Birdlife Australia Sunshine Coast and hosted by Ken Cross.

I started birding late last year and have frequented the usual spots around Brisbane but have been looking to expand my horizons, and this was the perfect opportunity.

Noisy Miner

The walk was held at Mapleton Lily Ponds, with a group of 20 or so like-minded people. Until now, I have generally enjoyed birding on my own or with 1 or 2 others, but I found going out in a larger group was a lot of fun. I met new people and learnt so much about the different reasons they were interested in birding and how/why they got started. It also meant more eyes for spotting!

White headed Pigeon

The main benefit of joining a beginner bird walk was hearing from an expert in Ken Cross, and learning from his experience. Ken was generous with his knowledge and tips on what to look, and listen, for, where to spot different birds and of course the all-important identification skills. Perhaps helped by his background in teaching, Ken was so patient with all of us newbies, with no question too silly!

Blue faced Honeyeater

At the end of the walk, we had a debrief with a bird call and an opportunity for a final Q&A. I was surprised at the number and variety of birds we saw in such a seemingly small area…39 species, including eight lifers for me!

The beginner bird walk was such a great experience, introducing me to new people, new places and new knowledge I may not have gotten on my own.

photos and text by Gabrielle Liddle [pictured in Arizona, USA]