Students at Cedars Christian College in Wollongong are using BirdLife Australia's Aussie bird count to bring birdwatching into their lessons this week. Teacher Karen Jooste has woven the count into maths, writing and lessons on biodiversity and conservation, drawing on a tree-lined creek that draws many species to the school grounds. Activities include a tally sheet with identification pictures and reading outdoors among the birds. Sean Dooley of BirdLife Australia says more than 3.7 million birds have been counted so far, putting 2026 on track to beat 2025.
A free field day will be held at Racecourse Lagoon in Uralla on Tuesday, 17 November, from 10am to 2pm. Landholders, birdwatchers, families and students are invited to learn about the lagoon's wetland plants, birds and insects. The event covers the lagoon's ecological value and its ongoing restoration. Topics include local weed threats, biosecurity practices, avian influenza and cane toads. Morning tea and lunch are included, and guided field sessions and a revegetation walk follow lunch. Attendees should bring a chair, hat, sunscreen and enclosed footwear.
Clarice Christensen has turned 100 and describes her life as very hectic but full of memorable twists and turns. She recalls childhood moments from the age of 11, including when electricity reached her family home in Warrell Creek, New South Wales. After marrying her late husband Ron in 1945, she settled near Taree, where the couple ran a motor vehicle wrecking yard. Her love of birdwatching grew through a local club. For her birthday, she wished for good health, and she plans to take each day as it comes.
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Darwin calls itself the city of birds, with about 200 bush bird species and dozens of waterfowl, seabirds and shorebirds across the Top End. Charles Darwin University ornithology researcher John Woinarski says the seasonal climate and small local population make the region a safe haven for many species wiped out elsewhere. He says the region's birds are almost all native, unlike much of the rest of Australia. Photographs from across the Top End feature crimson finches, rainbow bee-eaters and an all-black blue-winged kookaburra, which Professor Woinarski describes as a genetic fluke.
Birdwatchers are invited to a guided walk at the Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre on October 23, as part of the Great Aussie Bird Count. Moreton Bay City Council says the data will help build fauna surveys run with BirdLife Australia. The area is home to about 360 bird species. Council is also tracking local ibis with the University of Sunshine Coast and has installed a new osprey nesting pole at Beachmere.
Residents are invited to join the Aussie Bird Count from Monday 19 to Sunday 25 October. Participants count and record birds they see over 20 minutes in a backyard or local park, using an app. Guided bird walks are also planned at Maranoa Botanic Gardens on Thursday 22 October. H5 bird flu is present in wild birds in Victoria but has not been detected in Boroondara. People who see sick or dead birds are asked to avoid direct contact, record the location, and report them to the Emergency Animal Disease hotline.
Port Stephens residents are being urged to take part in this year's Aussie Bird Count, running from 19 to 25 October. Participants spend 20 minutes recording birds in their backyard, a local park, bushland or along the waterfront. Last year, 680 surveys across the area recorded 188 bird species. Rainbow Lorikeets, Noisy Miners and Australian Magpies were the most frequently seen birds. BirdLife Australia says smaller garden birds are declining nationally, while larger, more adaptable species are increasing. Residents can register free at aussiebirdcount.org.au.
