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 james.pay@utas.edu.au
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 moomin.mona@gmail.com
So grab your binoculars, put a team together and join in the fun!
cheers
Mona
Tasmanian Twitchathon Coordinator
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