Spring is a time for getting outdoors and enjoying what the Bellarine has to offer. Justin Flynn spoke with Ocean Grove’s Jennifer Carr about her love of birds and nature.
When did you first start getting into birds and birdwatching?
I’ve loved birds since I can remember. I think I’ve spent most of my life looking up at trees or at the sky. In suburban Melbourne I remember seeing a barn owl in the park behind my house when I was about 10 and I was fascinated. My dad was a very keen bushwalker and we always went on family holidays to Wilsons Promontory, Port Fairy or Phillip Island, where there were many birds and other animals to observe.
Did your love of birds snowball from there?
I love going to remote places where I can escape into nature and inevitably there are birds to spot as well.
Birds are beautiful, they come in many different colours, shapes, sizes; they construct amazing nests, some species can be commonly seen and others terribly elusive, they have such a range of songs, and can live in such a variety of habitats. Birds can be sedentary and stay in the same place all year around, and other species are migratory and fly thousands of kilometres every year to different habitats. Some species live in the remotest deserts, and others in the Antarctic, and they adapt their behaviour and physiology to enable survival.
I don’t like all birds. Common starlings, seagulls, ravens, common mynas are becoming more plentiful and upsetting the balance for smaller species. Some of these species compete with native species for nesting hollows and food. I wouldn’t be averse to culling some species, which is something I never thought I would say. When seagulls kill hooded plovers on the beach, I want to cull the gulls myself.
What has been your most memorable birding experience?
I was amazed to spot an American kestrel and a woodpecker in Hollywood, USA. Instead of going to Disneyland I walked around the local neighbourhood and saw an Allen’s hummingbird and a mockingbird. I must be the only person ever to go to Anaheim and consciously not go to Disneyland in favour of birdwatching.
Any tips for novice twitchers?
Joining a local bird group is essential when starting out, as you can learn so much from the experienced twitchers. Local knowledge in these groups is shared freely, which is very helpful. I think the ‘Australian Bird Guide’ book is a wonderful resource. I also think it’s important to put the welfare of the birds first. It’s important not to scare and disturb birds especially if they are nesting.
What birds are still on your bucket list?
There are approximately 898 species of birds in Australia, and I’ve seen around 490, so there are 400 species still on my bucket list. I would love to see a palm cockatoo, sooty owl, Pacific baza and a cassowary, so another trip to Far North Queensland is definitely required.
What makes the Bellarine special in terms of bird-watching?
There are lakes, beaches, farmlands, some remnant bushlands, so a variety of birds can be seen. Having said that the new housing estates around Connewarre, Curlewis and Banks Rd, Mannerim are a worry due to loss of habitat, and the increased human activity on beaches has certainly affected the variety of birdlife that can be observed around these parts. There is just so much environmental destruction happening in Australia for short term gain.
What are your favourite places to see birds? Not necessarily on the Bellarine.
If I have a day off work and no commitments (if Covid allows), I usually go to Western Treatment Plant, Anakie Gorge, Stoney Creek Picnic Area in the Brisbane Ranges, Lake Murdeduke or Anglesea Heath.
If I only have half a day free, I go to the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Blue Waters Lake, Lake Victoria, Connewarre or Curlewis.
