Bird watching and eBird mapping at Brown's Lake Reserve, Bedford with Rachel & Mike Green.

This is the first in a series of three guided bird walks and will focus on parkland birds. It will centre on Brown’s Lake Reserve in Bedford which is a small, pleasant park with a lake, island, trees, lawn and play area. The park is a perfect start to the series, as there is only a short distance to walk and most birds are easy to see and identify here.

So far around 25 species have been recorded, including the Australian Shelduck, Australasian Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Grey Teal and Brown Goshawk.

At the end of the walk there will be a unique opportunity to learn how to use eBird and add the list of birds seen. Participants will be encouraged to become part of a free Citizen Science project which maps the birds in Bayswater so people can find out which birds can be found and where. Using eBird requires little effort or cost and is free for all to access. It provides invaluable information for locals and tourists alike. The park is a recent addition to eBird and needs more bird observations added.

Leading this exciting exploration of the birds at Brown’s Lake Reserve and introducing you to eBird are our popular and passionate bird ID experts and presenters, Rachel and Mike Green.

At the start of the walk you will be given a list of birds that have previously been seen in the park to help you identify them, and Rachel and Mike will help people find and identify them too. After the bird walk, the group will be guided step-by-step through the mapping of the birds on eBird. Visual displays of the key steps and a take-home handout of them will be provided.

This is the first in a series of bird walks with Rachel and Mike. The second will be held on May 23 at Clarkson Reserve Maylands and the third will be held at Arbor Park on June 20.

Important Information About This Session

Time: Start at 9am. Finish at 11am at the latest.

Meet at: In the park adjacent to Bayswater Street. Parking: On the grass verge on Bayswater Street, Bedford (at the Coode Street end).

Facilities: No toilets or facilities on site. Nearest toilets are at Lower Hillcrest Reserve.

Seating: Occasional seats are scattered through the park. Please bring your own chair.

What to bring: Binoculars. Chair, water, pen and paper. If you wish to log directly into eBird at the park bring an iPad or smart phone with internet connection. This is an outdoor event so please note the weather conditions and bring a hat and other appropriate items.

Preparation: Download eBird onto your phone or iPad if you wish to log directly into it in the park. However, it is fine to wait and do it at home once you know how.

Level of difficulty and accessibility: We will be walking on grass. There is no firm path available. However, it is relatively flat. Most of the birds are on the lake in the middle of the park but birds can still be seen by sitting on one of the park benches, so people can choose what best suits their level of physical mobility.

Ideal for: Those relatively new to bird-watching or wanting to polish up their bird identification skills or wanting to get to know the park better. Suitable for ages 12 and above. (All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.)

This workshop is proudly brought to you by Enviro House and the City of Bayswater

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