Something I received from Raoul Mulder who is conducting research on black swans at Albert Park. Melburnian bird watchers may be familiar with the birds with their numbered black & white neck collars. He has specifically requested any birders who see one of these birds over the Grand Prix weekend to report sightings, as they would like to know what impacts the race has on the birds. So if you see a black swan with a neck collar anywhere this weekend, please take a not of the place, time and if possible collar number, and get a message to him.
I once emailed him collar numbers for 3 birds seen at Edithvale wetlands, and received a long reply with the birds’ whole life history…
Ross Macfarlane
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Dear swan enthusiast,
I’m writing to let you know about the outcome of our swan logo competition, and to ask for your help in monitoring your local area for tagged swans during the next four days of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne.
First, the design competition. Thank you to everyone for their very generous and insightful feedback on the designs. The overwhelming favourite was Raja Boglie’s design of a flying swan, which has duly been crowned winner and which will grace the upcoming website. I’ve attached a copy of the design.
My second purpose for contacting you is to ask for your helping in monitoring the suburbs of Melbourne for tagged (collared) swans from the Albert Park population during the Grand Prix, which starts tomorrow (Thursday 24 March) and finishes on Sunday (27 March).
This year for the first time, we have been given the opportunity to conduct a research program with the aim of understanding whether and how the event affects the swans at Albert Park Lake. The Grand Prix Corporation has given us permission to access the park during the event so that we can count the birds and measure their behaviour.
Since this is the first time we have had this opportunity, we don’t have a good idea of whether the birds will leave during the event, and if they do, where they might turn up. This is where you can help. I’d be hugely grateful if you could keep an eye on your local area and get in touch with me if you see any collared swans appearing there during the next few days. It would be tremendously interesting to be able to link birds that leave the park to their destination elsewhere in Melbourne, and learn a little more about how long they stay away.
Many thanks and best wishes, Raoul ___________________________________
Raoul Mulder Associate Professor and Reader Department of Zoology University of Melbourne VIC 3010
tel. +61 3 8344 6245 email: r.mulder@unimelb.edu.au skype: raoul.roaming ===============================
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