No. 31
City of Melville/DBCA initiatives to support the MBS; Signage Shelters; Friends of MBS' initiatives; Next Birdwatching Walk; Birds & Wellbeing event; Donations Welcome.
Hello everyone,
It’s been an extremely busy and productive few months for us since we last wrote to you. During this time, we’ve had several meetings with City of Melville (CoM) and the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). We’ve also been working on our plans for the Melville Bird Sanctuary (MBS) including our website, Less Bird Disturbance strategies including signage and a number of other MBS matters that seem to fill every single day! We had a meeting in late March with Mayor Katy Mair, CEO Gail Bowman and Director of Environment and Infrastructure Mick McCarthy to show them our website and refer several matters to them. We’re pleased to say that CoM and DBCA have begun some significant initiatives that will assist the roll-out of the MBS.
CoM/DBCA initiatives:
For the CoM’s Natural Areas Team, the months of May and June mean planting season. CoM has thousands of plants coming that will be planted across the City's reserves as they continue to work towards improving the quality of available habitat for native fauna & flora. For the Melville Bird Sanctuary, there are many plants coming this year. The Attadale Bush Conservation Reserve (west end of Attadale Dog Reserve) will have an additional 20,000 plants planted in the removed shared path area.
Melville Bird Sanctuary supporters will have the opportunity to help in the plantings at the Djinang Djidimya (Look a Place of Many Birds) site. There will be a community event on Tuesday 21 May, 8am-12 noon, held in partnership with DBCA and SERAG. Details of the event can be found here: https://www.melvillecity.com.au/things-to-do/events/whats-on/djinang-djidimya-community-planting-day Please, if you can, register for this important event.
CoM has kicked started its Foreshore Restoration Strategy review and the Melville community is invited to let them know what you value in the Melville foreshore! Here is a link to the survey: https://www.melvillecity.com.au/our-city/connect-with-us/melville-talks/community-engagements/foreshore-strategy The survey will close, 4pm Thursday, 9th of May.
CoM will provide FoMBS with Signage Shelters in the Alfred Cove and Blackwall Reach areas
These roofed structures are designed to hold double-sided display cases that will feature informational material including photos of birdlife, notices and events for FoMBS , CoM, DBCA, SERAG and BEAG (Bicton Environmental Action Group). FoMBS/CoM/DBCA will provide material which will be periodically updated. We need volunteers to assist with keeping these signage shelters up to date.
FoMBS’ initiatives:
Our new FoMBS Website has been an all-consuming and challenging project. But we’re almost at the end of it now and eager to share it with you in the near future. In addition to informational and educational sections, the website also has beautiful photos of MBS birds taken by some excellent photographers who follow our page and have generously shared their work. We’re very grateful to these photographers and also to our talented website designer Madeleine McGowan.
Our next Birdwatching Walk will be on Saturday 11 May starting at 7.30am from the Bird Viewing Platform opp 194 Burke Drive, Attadale. 11 May is one of 2 World Migratory Bird Days celebrated in 2024. (The other is on 12 October 2024 when we officially welcome the trans-equatorial migratory birds to the MBS!). We’ll have a short preliminary talk about these birds, their characteristics and how privileged we are that they visit us each year from the Northern Hemisphere during October to April. Dr Claire Greenwell will lead this Walk. Please be on site about 7.15am to register your details. Do wear a hat, closed walking shoes and bring a pair of birdwatching binoculars, sunscreen and a bottle of water. We’ll have a few spare pairs of binoculars available.
Our Walks not only provide the opportunity to birdwatch but also to relax and appreciate the beautiful surroundings of Alfred Cove and the company of other walkers.
Our 1st Birds and Wellbeing event is on Sunday 9 June between 10am – 11..30am in the Binjar Room at Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre . Our speaker is Dr Rochelle Stevens, Lecturer at Murdoch University and past Deputy Convenor, Birdlife WA. She’ll give a 30 minutes talk on how spending time with birds in nature is beneficial for our health and wellbeing and that watching and appreciating birds is one of the most effective ways of connecting with nature. There will be time for questions/discussion. Stay for morning tea afterwards. Booking details are at this link https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/birds-and-wellbeing-tickets-877198683877?aff=oddtdtcreator&lang=en-au&locale=en_AU&status=30&view=listing
Donations
Please consider supporting our MBS initiatives with your donations no matter how small. They will assist our efforts to develop, acquire and disseminate material to further our local and wider communities’ awareness of birdlife, and to protect and conserve them for future generations.
Our Westpac bank details are as follows:
Account Name: Friends of Melville Bird Sanctuary
BSB No: 036084
Account No: 494777
As always, we look forward to keeping in touch and to your continued support.
All the best,
Jenny Christenson & Tom Lubin
Friends of Melville Bird Sanctuary
Photos of Black-shouldered Kite & Willie Wagtail by Gareth Evans titled "David & Goliath - David won!