A SAFARI of the observation kind will take place between Armidale and Glen Innes next month, on a tour to spot the Northern Tablelands’ most impressive winged predators.
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The event will allow people to see the nesting sites of three threatened raptor species, guided by Australia’s foremost expert on these birds.
The Local Land Services tour, Nests in Your Neighbourhood, will take place near Llangothlin, Malpas and Armidale on November 15.
The event is part of a project studying the breeding success of three local birds of prey: the white-bellied sea eagle, little eagle and square-tailed kite.
The three species are listed as threatened in NSW, which means their numbers are in decline to the point of being at risk of extinction.
LLS senior land services officer Carina Johnson said raptor expert and tour guide, Steve Debus, monitored signs of activity in and around the raptors’ stick nests.
They build them in large, living trees, usually woodland eucalypts.
“So far, he has found 12 active little eagle nests near Armidale, and young in a nest of sea eagles at Llangothlin,” she said.
“He will continue to monitor nests in coming months to confirm whether breeding was successful this season.
“To date, the community assistance in locating nests has been fantastic, but we are particularly keen to locate more nests in and around Glen Innes and Tenterfield.”
The Birds of Prey Monitoring project is a partnership between the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, the New England North West Biodiversity Alliance and Northern Tablelands LLS.
It will provide baseline data for populations of these birds in hot spots across the region.
A landholder or other community member who can help the LLS identify the location of a nest for monitoring will receive a free copy of Dr Debus’s Birds of Prey of Australia - A Field Guide.
This project is part of the $19.32 million of Catchment Action NSW investment that Local Land Services is delivering to enable better management of water, soil, vegetation, biodiversity and cultural heritage.
- For details or to book by November 13, call Carina Johnson on 6770 2017 or email carina.johnson@lls.nsw.gov.au
- Participants should bring a hat, water and binoculars.