Brunch time with the birds

EVER wanted to have a feed while admiring the flying or floating feathered wildlife around you?

Leigh Catchment Group are hosting a Brunch with the Birds event at Yuille Wetlands on Sunday 24 September, from 9.30am to 11.30am, in partnership with members of Birdlife Ballarat.

Environmental projects officer Anthony Handley said the aim is to attract locals to the green space and get them interested in its protection.

“Birdlife Ballarat will be out to give people a taster of the birds Ballarat’s got to offer at the wetlands which are remarkable, really,” he said.

“We’ll split into small groups where people can experience walking alongside members of Birdlife Ballarat, who will offer a personalised tour.

“They’ll hear about the personalities of birds, and how to identify them, from twitchers who have an amazing ability to identify birds by their chirp, without even seeing them.

“I always find that extraordinary.”

After the tour, food will be supplied, and attendees can ask more questions about Birdlife Ballarat to see whether they’d like to get involved.

Mr Handley said environmental volunteers, and recreational users of the Yarrowee Trail, which runs through the wetlands, are seeing the “pay off” of long-term work.

“A lot of the plantings around the Yuille Wetlands have been there for about 25 years, and now we’re starting to see the biodiversity, and the birds really getting involved and appreciating it,” he said.

“The work has been about revitalising and supporting what’s already there and getting people’s interest.

“The area now attracts lots of walkers, cyclists, people with their dogs, and even kids who get out and look for frogs.”

Yuille Wetlands is accessible from the east end of Vickers Street, Sebastopol, and attendees will need to meet at the Yuille Cairn on arrival, where there will be an initial discussion.

The tracks are wheelchair friendly, and attendees are asked to wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather, including a sun hat, and to bring a “willingness to enjoy nature.”

People can loan a set of binoculars on the day or bring their own. Visit bit.ly/46crRT6 for tickets.