Hi Landcarers

The count-down is on! The Aussie Backyard Bird Count!

Central West Lachlan Landcare are pleased to be supporting the Lachlan Valley branch of the National Parks Association as part of National Bird Week, which takes place between 19 – 25 October.

The Aussie Backyard Bird Count is an activity for all-ages that involves observing and counting the birds that live near you – whether that’s in your garden, the local park, a beach or even your town centre.

The Aussie Backyard Bird Count is run by BirdLife Australia, who are Australia’s largest bird conservation charity.

We are fortunate to have a wealth wonderful people with amazing bird knowledge in our local area and this is your chance to learn from our locals!

On Sunday, 25 October walkers meet at the Parkes Lions Park on the Orange Road at 8.45am. Liz and Graeme McRaild will be our leaders for the walk at the South West Woodland Nature Reserve at Killonbutta.

NOTE: CHANGES TO BIRD WEEK WALK CAN BE FOUND HERE.

Walkers are reminded to bring along enough food and water for the entire day as well as suitable clothing, footwear, a hat and sunscreen.

Please contact Liz and Graeme on 0455 915 989 prior to the walk if you are intending to attend.

You may be wondering…why count birds in October? We all know how active the magpies have been…it’s spring and birds are nesting, breeding and are more active.

In preparation for the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, check out their website and download the app. The app has a handy field-guide to help you identify birds. 20 minutes a day is all it takes to contribute.

You can submit your counts through the free Aussie Bird Count app. The app is available for iPhones and Android smartphones, go to the Google Play or iTunes to download the app for free. If you have the Aussie Bird Count app from previous years don’t delete it, it should update automatically. In between event dates, the app operates as a field-guide/bird finder. You can also manually submit your records.

By participating in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, you will be helping BirdLife Australia find out about the common species that live where people live.

Next week I look forward to sharing some tips on the best spots for bird watching in the Parkes and Forbes Shires.

For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare