Local bird watchers from Grenfell joined members of Birding NSW from Sydney, Wollongong and Dubbo to count all the bird species seen during 20 minutes at 26 sites around Grenfell; 10 sites are on private property and the remainder on public roads. 

We started these surveys in 2011 and we have identified 125 different species of birds around Grenfell during our surveys so far – there are certain to be more species to see. 

The twice yearly surveys are part of BirdLife Australia’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) programme. Grenfell is in the middle of the South-West Slopes IBA. Key bird species for this IBA are Superb Parrots, Swift Parrots, Painted Honeyeaters and Diamond Firetails. However there are other important woodland bird species around Grenfell.

These birds are at risk when woodlands are cleared or modified and the numbers of several species such as Brown Treecreepers and Hooded Robins are falling. 

Six new species were recorded during the recent survey weekend.

These were Great Cormorant, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Black-fronted Dotterel, Rainbow Lorikeet, Black Honeyeater and Pied Honeyeater. 

The number of species seen per site varied between two and twenty one, with an average of nine species per site.

The site where the 21 species were recorded during the twenty minute survey was a new site on private land on Adelargo Rd.

Both the Black Honeyeater and Pied Honeyeater, two of the species recorded for the first time, were seen feeding with several other honeyeater species in a clump of flowering Mugga Ironbarks (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) on the new site.

Other honeyeaters seen included 30 Brown-headed Honeyeaters, 20 Little Friarbirds and smaller numbers of Striped, Spiny-cheeked, White-eared and White-plumed Honeyeaters.

Many surveyors took the opportunity later during the weekend to return to this property to look for the Black Honeyeaters. 

The Rainbow Lorikeet, which was seen on three survey sites, is a less welcome addition to our Grenfell bird list as it indicates a western spread of this aggressive bird. 

As usual we all had a great weekend in Grenfell starting with dinner at the Railway Hotel on Friday, a barbecue at Mikla and Wayne’s place on Saturday and a Sunday morning walk at Company Dam.

I would like to thank everyone who helps to make the weekends in Grenfell such a great experience for city people.

In particular I would like to thank Mikla Lewis, who has helped us from the start. 

We will be in Grenfell again on the last weekend of September. If anyone else would like to join us for the surveys, please contact me (Elisabeth Karplus) on 9816 2285 or emhodson@exemail.com.au.