Twitches
The Birds Queensland Winter Fun Twitch
The Birds Queensland November 2009 Twitchathon
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| Morning twitching group, mobile and eager to sight their first birds. Photo: C.Ivin |
Why we need twitchers
Keen and experienced birders are sometimes called ‘twitchers’. A small proportion of twitchers can go to extraordinary lengths to see as many different bird species as possible, and in as many different situations, regions and countries. There are a great many variations on what an individual twitcher wants to see but it usually involves personal pleasure or challenge, and not necessarily, though sometimes, a sense of competition.
Often it can be a sociable "fun thing", such as happens with our Birds Queensland Twitchathons. Really, most of our team contestants just love to see birds in their natural habitat AND enjoy each other's company with a common goal.
Twitching has other important side benefits in that keen twitchers usually become experienced bird observers, skilled at identifying many bird species under all sorts of weather conditions. As such, they are most suitable people to assist with the conduct of bird population surveys. Their reliable observations yield the vital data required to indicate whether bird biodiversity is at risk and whether degredation of bird habitats is putting a given species under threat.
Results of November 2008 Twitch
Birds Queensland runs two Twitchathons annually to raise funds for the club, and encourage members to team up and enjoy a birding day out. One annual Twitch is held about July and the other in October /November.
Our last Twitch in November 2008 was well represented by our regular twitchers; including one inland team at Clermount, and another up in the Tablelands. Well done all of you! But particularly, congratulations to the "Unleaded Petrels" (Patrick McConnell - Kath O'Donnell, Ken McKeown, Michael Atzeni. ) They were in the 24 hr Driving category and first in the overall scoring with the highest score claimed of 191 sightings. You can download the final result sheet to catch up on the results of all of the competiting teams for this occasion.
The Birds Queensland Winter Fun Twitch
The Winter Fun Twitch was held on Saturday 4th July and Sunday 5th July 2009. Eleven teams - including one from Clermont, one from Dalby, and two from the Sunshine Coast - submitted results for the twitch in various categories. In the September newsletter Mel Stewart wrote: "Malcolm Wilson and Ken Grieve of the Dalby Darters claim the best result for the over-seventies (there is no such category because I daren't ask others for their ages), and Bridie Cooksley of the Sunshine Coast was the youngest twitcher competing. Collectively exactly 200 species were recorded." The results were as follows. 24 hour Open:Moggill Muggles - Dawn Beck & Vicki Campbell (119)
Coolum Kites - Peg Whiteoak, Betty & Geoff Shelton (102)
The Hinterland Duo - Jan England & Julie Kemp (93)
Jane & Bridie Cooksley (88)
Highland Rollers - Edna & George Barker (85) 12 hour Open:
Tom & Marie Tarrant (87)
The Gang Gang Gang - Rod Cox, Linda Sulakatku, Peter & Jean Crow (83)
Dalby Darters - Malcolm Wilson & Ken Grieve (61) 12 hour Walking:
Sanderlings - Mike West & S. Chong (83)
Hooded Robins - David & Marie Niland (58)
Westlake Wanderers - Mel & Kim Stewart (54)
The Birds Queensland November 2009 Twitchathon
The Birds Queensland November 2009 Twitchathon will actually be the last weekend in October. The results will be announced at the 40th Anniversary dinner on Nov 7th. Don't miss out on this twitch! It's a bit warmer and a bit more comfortable than our wintery July twitch. There'll be longer daylight periods and birding conditions should be great! The Twitch runs from midnight on Friday 23, until midnight on Sunday 25th.- This year's categories will be similar to last year's and the details and recording list are available on the website.
- Before the twitch you need to advise your team name, team leader's name and contact details to me.
- After the twitch will you please phone your results to me ASAP (for an announcement at the dinner) and then mail your result sheets and sponsorship money or direct credit details through to the Milton PO Box immediately after that.
