Hi folks
Following on from Tim Dolby’s email about the Victorian Twitchathon, Tasmania
will also be participating in the National Twitchathon on 29/30 October
(forgive the Victorians and their horse race which has affected their twitching
dates).
In Tasmania this year we are raising money for the Wedge-tailed Eagle, the
largest bird of prey in Australia and one that is endangered at both Tasmanian
and national levels. With only 400-700 breeding adults in Tassie, Wedgies are
at risk from habitat loss, nest disturbance, shooting, collisions with
vehicles, powerlines, wind-farms and fences, and electrocution. Wedge-tailed
Eagles are extremely shy nesters, and will simply abandon nests if exposed to
too much disturbance – whether from logging, development or close approach by
humans. Any money raised from the Twitchathon will go towards a research
project that aims to test the safe distance for approaching nests, and to find
out where young birds go to forage. The aim is to raise enough to cover half
the cost of one telemetry unit to attach to a juvenile Wedgie. For more
information about the project, contact James Pay
<>
The Twitchathon is open to all comers - whether you are a die-hard 24-hour
twitchathon enthusiast, a birder in your local patch or a family wanting to
learn a bit more about birds, there is a competition for everyone. For those
who don’t already know, the aim is to see as many different species of birds as
you can, within a set time-frame and area. This year there will be the usual
24-hour race, the 12-hour race and the new Birdathon. Teams can compete in any
of these three competitions and raise sponsorship and donations to contribute
to bird conservation.
If you’d like to enter or just want more information, contact me at
<> or phone/message 0439 567
630. Updates will be posted on https://www.facebook.com/events/168138033595710/
<https://www.facebook.com/events/168138033595710/> You can also check out the
Birdlife Australia web page
http://birdlife.org.au/get-involved/whats-on/national-twitchathon
<http://birdlife.org.au/get-involved/whats-on/national-twitchathon> The
donations pages will be up and running soon.
So grab your binoculars, put a team together and join in the fun!
cheers
Mona
Tasmanian Twitchathon Coordinator
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