BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS EVENT, JUNE 30

I'm leading Winterfest's Birding for Beginners bash again this year (thanks, Simon Robinson). I'm very much looking forward to it. I'll show beginners how to identify particular species, differentiate specific bird calls, master binocular use, find species quickly in a field guide etc. A few good species should be about - Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Scarlet Robins, White-necked Herons, Superb Lyrebirds. Each beginner will be given a list of the birds I've seen in Bundanoon over about 3 years of searching. You'll need to bring your own morning tea/lunch. Be at Ferndale Reserve at 8:30am on Sunday June 30. Even if it's raining, there'll be birds about. The bash is free. Yahoo. I hope to see you there. Don't forget to bring your nocs. LJ, May 30 2013.

COOL B&W GRAPHICS

Nice to see well-illustrated Pied Currawongs and Australian Magpies adorning the promotional material for this year's Winterfest. Big ups to the artist. LJ, May 29 2013.

I GOTTA SAY, IT'S COOL LIVING WITH ONE OF THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST SPIDERS! CHECK OUT THE FANGS!

152

And a Yellow-billed Spoonbill, brought to my attention by alarmed Noisy Miners, last Saturday afternoon, brings the home list to 152 species. I think I've only seen one other YBS in the Southern Highlands. They are rarities here. LJ, May 6 2013.

PERSPECTIVE

I'm back after a month abroad with family - England, France, Denmark and Sweden were the destinations (Sweden, you moved me). It was an inspiring, enthralling, tiring, challenging, significant time. Much of the time was spent in cities, therefore this was not a wildlife-spotting extravaganza. Wildlife-spotting was incidental. It was all about the thrilling rush of culture, architecture, galleries, museums, cafes, restaurants, design shops, music stores, bridges, cathedrals, Viking rune stones and warm blueberry soup! When I had the chance, I wandered in woods in France and Sweden (between bursts of crossing frozen lakes and swamps!). Dense and open woods of birch, spruce, pine etc. Woods with very few birds in them and little variety re. species, frustratingly. How I longed to see a Black Woodpecker. At times, I felt all I was watching were Blue Tits, Great Tits and Wood Pigeons. A hare, grey and red squirrels, four roe deer and some sort of microbat in Copenhagen were the only native animals I came across in four weeks. This reinforced how fortunate I am to live in a fauna-rich area - I was profoundly struck by this towards the end of my trip. So, it's grand to be home. LJ, May 6 2013.