To help threatened birds most effectively, we need to know where they are! Yet few of us are lucky enough to see elusive species such as the Australasian bittern and the far eastern curlew. It can be much easier to detect their calls... Photos: Left - Far eastern curlew (Peter Simple); right - Australasian bittern (Helen Cunningham)

Join us for a fascinating February afternoon near the edge of the Mersey: learn about some elusive wildlife, and have a go with some incredible gadgets that can help us detect them. Let's start exploring the hidden world of nocturnal wildlife sounds! Can we map and monitor the changing presence of these species?

Curious about the wildlife in action around your neighbourhood at night? From the ultrasonic chirps of 9 elusive bat species to the booms of the rare and mysterious Australasian bittern, many captivating creatures make sounds around us at night, yet go unnoticed. We're inviting you to embark on a journey of exploration through the CallTrackers project: your gateway to the wonderland of nocturnal wildlife calls 🌿🎵 Every September to March, Tasmanians get the chance to borrow state-of-the-art recorders from libraries across the state. These fantastic gadgets enable us to unravel the secrets of different animals' calls, and to help track changes in their numbers and habitats over time. As a signed-up CallTracker, you can receive species identification suggestions the moment you upload your recordings to the cutting-edge Acoustic Pipeline website. It's like having your own hidden-wildlife guide 🎙️🌳

Urban Waterways and Catchments Program - Mersey Estuary Over the coming years, Cradle Coast NRM will be restoring the Mersey Estuary between Victoria Bridge and Latrobe; you can be part of a focused CallTrackers effort to see if we can detect the threatened Australasian Bittern and Eastern Curlew within the estuary. As a bonus, you'll also be gathering a heap of information about the local bats.

Cradle Coast Authority and the Bookend Trust are inviting as many interested locals as possible to get involved! Whether you're a professional scientist or simply someone with a bit of curiosity, come and learn all about it in a highly supportive environment – where you can gently navigate the brilliant technology behind the world of acoustic wildlife monitoring, and share ideas and experiences.

What to expect

We'll send you some background information to explore at your leisure. At the workshop, here's what you can expect from the Bookend Trust and Cradle Coast team:

🪶 Learn what we know so far about the ecology and conservation needs of two very special threatened birds in Tasmania - the Australasian Bittern and the Eastern Curlew - and about the Mersey Estuary restoration plans

🎙️ With the expert advice of CallTrackers coordinator Dr Jim Lovell, and other experienced users, master the art of deploying a recorder – capture the diverse sounds of our nocturnal world!

🔍 Discover how to interpret your recordings, to help figure out whether these species are currently using the region, and to detect any changes over the coming years' restoration efforts

We'll be outside so that we can practise setting up the recorders, so bring some comfortable footwear and suitable clothing, but we won't be doing anything intrepid — there will be tables, chairs, snacks and nearby facilities.

Don't miss this special, hands-on chance to get connected with a different side of nature!

Let the wonders of nature at night captivate your soul. We can't wait for you to join us in this fascinating world of acoustic wildlife monitoring. See you there! 🌿🎙️

Dr Jim Lovell setting up an acoustic monitoring recorder

Location details & parking

The workshop will be held between the main oval and Figure of Eight Creek. There's parking near the BMX track and if that's full then there's parking available to the north of the main oval near the netball club. Public toilets will be available along Bay Rd on the north side of the oval (about 150-200 m away) from the workshop. Bring clothes and footwear that will be comfortable for the outdoors.