Month: August 2025

Rufous Owls

Hi all
Am in the Darwin area for a little while longer but would love to see a Rufous Owl again
I looked online and saw one recently sighted but in a strange area…
Anyone had any luck anywhere lately as EBird wasn’t bringing many recent sightings

Also was hoping to get Chestnut Rail at Buffalo Creek again…it’s been many years since my last sighting…anyone know of a recent sighting?
Will have to check tides and go again
Thanks
Kirri ☺️
Sent from my iPhone

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Vale David Stewart

It is with a very heavy heart that I convey the news that David Stewart passed away last Thursday evening.

Dave was a mentor and dear friend, and one of the greatest birders this country has seen. His incredible knowledge of birds and their calls enabled him to record a vast library of birdsong, published in various forms in his lifetime. He contributed all the sound recordings for the Morcombe & Stewart Guide to the Birds of Australia app. Later, Dave published his own app, the first definitive collection of Australian birdsong presented by subspecies. He also published a comprehensive app on the frog calls of Australia.

We have lost an amazing man, someone who throughout his life encouraged greater awareness of our birds, championed their survival and shared his vast knowledge so willingly.

Our thoughts go out to his son Alistair and other family members.

Russell Woodford
Birding-Aus Owner

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Vacancy on Kangaroo Island tour (advertisement)

Hi all,
A vacancy for 1 or 2 persons has arisen
on our 4-day "Kangaroo Island Birding & Wildlife Tour",
commencing in Adelaide on 22 September. Featuring Glossy Black Cockatoo, Fairy Penguin, Western Whipbird, Beautiful Firetail and many other great birds, along with beautiful scenery and the habitat has recovered remarkably in the last 5 years. Many more good birds and mammals are on offer during this short tour, during which we also visit the Coorong NP and Murray estuary.
Please enquire by return email. 
Best regards,
Peter
———
Peter Waanders
Bellbird Birding, Wildlife & Photo Tours / Australian Birding Store
———
t:1800-BIRDING (free from landlines in Australia)  or +61 402 738 855
(our
office is staffed most, but not all, weekdays. If your phone call is
urgent please phone Peter Waanders on +61 409 763 172)
a: PO Box 2008
BERRI SA 5343

Sound recording workshops

Last December I attended a sound recording workshop in Brisbane. Run over 2 and a half days, it took us through the basics of how to record bird song, prepare and upload audio for eBird checklists, and gave us plenty of time in the field. We had several staff from Cornell University, all of them eBird icons, plus a couple of notable Aussie birders to guide us. These workshops changed the way I think about birding! I’ve learned a lot of new  skills and when I’m birding I’m listening more – and recording where I can. 

We need many more recordings of Australian species, even for many common birds. One objective is to get enough recordings to populate Merlin sound ID app so it works fully in Australia – it is a stunningly good tool when birding in Europe and North America. But in Australia it’s limited by the small number of species included in the app. If we get more birders recording more birds, this will change! 
If you’re interested in attending a workshop, they’re running again, this time in Perth and Adelaide. Details below. 
Try to get to a workshop if you’re in Perth or Adelaide. It will enhance your birding, and you’ll be making a real contribution to our knowledge of Australian birds, as well as helping to improve the Merlin app!