Cowra Survey Photo Galleries

[Kevin Vang <>]

Dear Aus-Birders

Many of you will be aware of the Quarterly Weekend Bird Surveys that are part of the Cowra Woodland Bird Program (CWBP).  We have included some introductory information about these surveys below for those who may not be familiar.  Wojciech and I have participated in many of the surveys since 2002 and have started a series of Photo Galleries of the Birds of Cowra Shire.  We have just posted these Galleries, so we thought we’d pass them along.  If you like surveying in the countryside, Cowra is a great way to spend a weekend!!

To see the Cowra Photo Galleries go to:

http://www.birdquest.net/
Then click on Highlights and Breaking News
Then click on NEW PHOTOS: Birds of Cowra Shire, New South Wales, September 2004

Cowra Woodland Bird Program (CWBP)
Since early 2002, Volunteers for the Program have surveyed around 70 sites in Cowra region. The surveys are conducted 4 times a year, spring, summer, autumn and winter. They take place on a variety of sites, most of them remnant woodland sites on farms. To date, 164 bird species have been observed in Cowra area. The surveyors come from both the local area and from Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, Bathurst, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains. The weekend is a great weekend of birding and socialising.  The project began with an honours student, Cressida Wilson, looking at the value of remnants sites to woodland birds. She investigated the influence of certain site attributes on bird species richness and community composition. She found that remnant size, tree association and the presence of mid storey, leaf litter, logs and rockiness all had a positive significant influence on woodland bird species richness and/or community composition. So increasing the heterogeneity of remnants is a positive step that landholders can take to manage their remnant woodland sites for conservation.  Jack Baker is the Convenor of the Cowra Woodland Birds Program Steering Committee.  To participate in surveys or for more information, please contact Sue Proust at the following email address: <> .

Thanks
Kevin and Wojciech