The makings of a MFN group in Wagga Wagga

Long time MFN member from Griffith, Melanie Baulch has put forward the proposition for forming an affiliated group in Wagga Wagga.  After moving there a few years ago she hasn’t found a group that fits with the way she likes to see nature so wants to rectify that and become part of MFN.  Field naturalist groups are quite unique.  It is proposed to have a sub-committee with a vice president and other positions to organise events around Wagga. Current members will be encouraged to participate in these activities.  This will be a similar setup to when Griffith held meetings and organised outings.

Melanie with some other wildlife enthusiasts organised a breakfast at the Murrumbidgee Wetlands for World Wetlands Day on 2 February.  They spent a couple of hours there and saw about 37 bird species. A highlight was the Black-shouldered Kite which they watched diving for a mouse which it ate perched on a tree branch.  The event featured coverage by The Daily Advertiser.

Melanie also reports that she heard via Facebook of three Glossy Black Cockatoo sightings at Pomingalarna Reserve in mid-February. No doubt the fires and drought played a part in their recent visit. No trace of them could be found the next morning or any noticeably eaten seed cones dropped from the Hill-oaks. Perhaps they came in to drink from sprinkler puddles in nearby gardens.

Currently a small group gathers on a Wednesday morning at Lake Albert for an hour to identify birds.