north east regional extra | September 23 - 29, 2020
nemedia.com.au
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September 23 - 29, 2020
By BELINDA HARRISON
BY the time October rolls around, many of us have carried out our spring cleaning and started on the projects we’ve been waiting all winter to do (and hopefully managed to avoid being attacked by daddy Magpies looking after their babies). For others, like Judy Steer and Read and Steve North, October signals an event they’ve been looking forward to all year - the Aussie Backyard Bird Count. Running annually since 2014, the Aussie Backyard Bird Count is part of BirdLife Australia’s National Bird Week and is the largest citizen science event in Australia. BirdLife Australia is the nation’s largest bird conservation organisation and Bird Week itself has been running for more than 100 years, making it one of Australia’s longest running community conservation events. With the summer bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic challenges, this year’s event is not only an opportunity to get in tune with nature and be part of a national effort to track how everyday Australian birds are faring, but also take the time out to de-stress. With more than 88,000 people participating in the event last year and counting almost 3.4 million birds, BirdLife Australia is expecting the 2020 count to be even bigger. For Wangaratta resident, Judy Steer, her interest in birds began long before she was given a subscription to Australian BirdLife magazine in 2014 and participated in her first Aussie Backyard Count the same year. “My interest in birds was encouraged by my father who taught me and my brothers how to identify birds, their calls and nests on our farm in the Mallee,” Judy said. “I have participated each year and find the phone app simple to use. “I enjoy the 20 minutes, usually in the morning, listening, watching and identifying the birds in our garden and nearby. Judy, and husband Lindsay, take great pride in their garden and have a variety of bird-attracting shrubs. “It is common for us to have four types of honeyeaters enjoying the nectar,” Judy said. “There are also house Sparrows and a family of Magpies who visit us daily along with Yellow, Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, King Parrots and smaller insect-feeding Wrens, Silver Eyes and Thornbills.
Calling all twitchers ◆ TWITTER THIS: Judy Steer has participated in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count since its inception in 2014. PHOTO: Lindsay Steer
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ANIMAL CARE
WINE TALK
YOUR HEALTH
GONE FISHING
TECH & SCIENCE
with VANYA
with ANITA
with SOPHIE & BELINDA
with ROBBIE
with CHRIS
Helping first home buyers, it’s what we do. WAW has been helping first home buyers in our region for a long time. We offer highly personalised service and fast loan processing that helps home buyers get into their first home sooner. WAW is a participant of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, meaning that eligible first time buyers may be able to enter the market with as little as a 5% deposit.* We offer flexible loans that are suitable for first-home buyers and for those building their dream home. We can help every step of the way.
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*Other fees and charges will apply. View the eligibility criteria for the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme at https://nhfic.gov.au/what-we-do/fhlds/eligibility/. Standard lending criteria, fees, charges, terms and conditions apply. AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 247298. ABN 48 087 651 787.