January
1st - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate,
Rowes Bay. Leader: Wal Threlfall
5th - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey (weather dependant) - Meet for 6.30 am at the
Alligator Creek Roadhouse, Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea and insect repellant. Leader:Norm Rains
10th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at 10 McLaren Court, Kirwan.
Theme:"Suburbans". Any bird you can capture in a suburban or suburban like environment. So streets, parks,
gardens, yards or sheds within the city or town confinements. Contact: Mark Horvath
14th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (Noon) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building ( Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest speaker:
Committe presentation: Leaders and Participants Guidlines/OHS/Birdata Portal etc.
15th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
18th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the end of Thompson St,
Mundingburra. Leader: Malcolm Calvert.
22nd - Sunday - Townsville City Council "Get Active Expo."- Education Committee Activity - Meet 9.30 am
at the Townsville Stadium, Murray Lyons Crescent, Annandale. Bring morning tea and lunch. Leader: Norm
Rains
26th - Thursday - Australia Day - Alligator Creek Outing -- Meet 6.30 am at the Bowling Green National
Park, Alligator Creek car park. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
February
2nd - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey (weather dependant) -- Meet 6.30 am at the
Alligator Creek Roadhouse, Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea and insect repellant. Leader: Norm Rains
5th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate,
Rowes Bay. Leader: Wal Threlfall.
5th - Sunday - World Wetland Day - Open to the Public from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, TCC Sustainability Centre,
Rowes Bay. Education Committee activity. Leader: Norm Rains
7th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at 10 McLaren Court, Kirwan. Theme: "the
View from Behind". Self explanatory, just a shot of the rear of the bird. Inclusion of the eyes would be nice
but not mandatory. Contact: Mark Horvath
11th - Saturday - Annual General Meeting -Committee Meeting (Noon) and Annual General Meeting
(2.00pm) Held in the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building ( Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan.
Guest speaker: Photography Group Presentation. Prior to the AGM Ingrid Marker (President Keystone
Cassowary Conservation) will give a short presentation on "Preditory Domestic Animals impact on Native
Wildlife and Humans"
15th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 6.30 am at end of Thompson St,Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert.
19th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
24th - Friday - Townsville Grammar Junior School - Meet 9.00 am at the School car park, Brazier Drive,
Annandale. Education Committee activity - Theme: "Beaks and Feet". Leader: Norm Rains
26th - Sunday - Paluma Outing (weather dependant) - Meet 6.30 am at the Reading Cinema car park,
Thuringowa Central. This is an all-day outing bring morning tea and lunch. Leader: Wal Threlfall
28th - Tuesday - Reef Guardians Network Meeting - Meet 3.00 pm at the VMR Building, Ayr. Education
Committee activity - Theme: "Urban Water Quality". Leader: Norm Rains
March
2nd - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey (weather dependant) -- Meet for 6.30 am at the
Alligator Creek Roadhouse, Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
5th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate,
Rowes Bay. Leader: Mark Horvath
7th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at 10 McLaren Court, Kirwan. Theme: "On the
Ground". Any shot of a species with its talons, claws or whatever you wish to call them physically in contact
with soil, rocks and maybe even grass, but not on a log, stump, dead tree etc. Let's make it within 2.5 cm (1
inch) of the soil layer. Contact: Mark Horvath
11th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (Noon) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest speaker: Bob
Murphy - "Photos from around the World"
15th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 6.30 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert.
15th - Wednesday - Reef Guardians Network Meeting - Meet 3.00 pm at the Tyto Wetlands Conference
Centre, Ingham. Education Committee activity - Theme: "Urban Water Quality". Leader: Norm Rains
19th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
22nd - Wednesday - Reef Guardians Network Meeting - Meet 3.00 pm at the Belgium Gardens State
School, Townsville. Education Committee activity - Theme: "Urban Water Quality". Leader: Norm Rains
26th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park - Night Spotlighting - Meet 6.15 pm inside the main
gate. Bring spotlight, camera, binoculars. Limited to 3 vehicles (12 members only). Members wishing to
attend must advise the Secretary at: contact@birdlifetownsville.org.au Leader: Wal Threlfall
27th - Monday - Town Common Conservation Park - Night Spotlighting - Meet 6.15 pm inside the main
gate. Bring spotlight, camera, binoculars. Limited to 3 vehicles (12 members only). Members wishing to
attend must advise the Secretary at: contact@birdlifetownsville.org.au Leader: Wal Threlfall
31st - Friday - Education Committee Activity - Meet 2.00 pm at the Ingham State High School, Ingham.
Presentation Theme: "Beak Adaptions"-- Leader: Norm Rains
April
2nd - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate,
Rowes Bay. Leader : Janet Robino
4th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at 10 McLaren Court, Kirwan. Theme: "raptors,
Kingfishers, Woodswallows, Martins and the like. By the like I am suggesting species that in general catch
prey on the wing". Contact: Mark Horvath
6th - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey (weather dependant) -- Meet 6.30 am at the
Alligator Creek Roadhouse, Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
8th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (Noon) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest speaker:
Deborah Carter - "Fight for Flight" - Raptor Wildlife Carer
12th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 6.30 am at end ofThompsonSt,Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert.
16th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
19th - Wednesday - Spotswood Station Survey (weather dependant)-- Meet 6.00 am Alligator Creek
Roadhouse, Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea --- Leader: Norm Rains
27th - Thursday - Education Committee Activity - Meet 4.00 pm at the Gumlu State Primary School, Gumlu.
Presentation Theme: "Bird ID and Birds in Backyards". Leader: Norm Rains
30th - Sunday - Outing - Mingela / Clare Loop. Meet 6.30 am at the Annandale Central Shopping Centre,
Cole's undercover car park, Annandale. This is an all-day outing bring morning tea and lunch. Leader: Wal
Threlfall
May
2nd - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building (Soundshell),
Kirwan.Theme:"Inverted" Nothing with the image just inverted. The species in question needs to be its
normal way up. Contact: Norm Rains
4th - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
7th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 7.00 am at the Town Common main gate,
Rowes Bay. Leader: Janet Cross
13th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (Noon) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest speaker: Juan
Mula Laguna - "Bird Poaching in Malta"
17th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 7.00 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert.
21st - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey - Meet 7.00 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
June
1st - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
3rd Saturday and 4th - Sunday - Birdlife Townsville Challenge Bird Count - To count bird species and
numbers of birds in specific areas within a 40km radius of GPO. Participants will be allocated a specific area.
All counts to be forwarded within 7 days to: contact@birdlifetownsville.org.au Leader: Wal Threlfall and
Ivor Preston
4th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 7.00 am at the Town Common main gate,
Rowes Bay. Leader: Rosemary Payet
6th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building (Soundshell),
Kirwan.Theme:"On the Beach and its Surrounds" Trees". Anything bird wise you can capture on the beach or
within the sand dunes, mud flats or swamps behind the dunes. Let's say within 200 metres of the high tide
mark. Contact: Mark Horvath
10th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (Noon) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest speaker:
14th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 7.00 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader Malcolm Calvert.
18th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey - Meet 7.00 am in the Dam car park, Kelso.Leader: Cecily Messer.
July
2nd- Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 7.00 am at the Town Common main gate.
Leader: TBA
4th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building
(Soundshell),Kirwan. Theme:"Head On" Shots with the bird looking down the barrel of the lens or damn close
to it. Contact: Mark Horvath
6th - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey -Meet 6.30 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
8th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (12.00) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building ( Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest Speaker: TBA
12th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 7.00 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert
16th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey. - Meet 7.00 in the Dam car park, Kelso Leader: Cecily Messer
August
1st - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building (Soundshell),
Kirwan.Theme : "In the Rainforest". I expect to see a lot of greenery in these shots and probably the use of
flash. Shots taken within open spaces surrounded by rainforest will be acceptable, if you can convince us it
was so. Contact: Mark Horvath
3rd - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
6th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey- Meet 7.00 am at the Town Common main gate.
Leader : TBA
12th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (12.00) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building ( Sound Shell), Kirwan. Guest speaker: Greg Calvert
16th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey - Meet 7.00 am at end of Thompson St,
Mundingburra. Leader: Malcolm Calvert
20th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey.- Meet 7.00 am in the Dam car park, Kelso Leader: Cecily Messer
September
3rd - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey.- Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate.
Leader: TBA
5th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building (Soundshell),
Kirwan. Theme:"Honeyeaters, Monarchs, Flycatchers, Finches and the like. Not sure what the "like" species
would be here, so you have some leeway, to push the limits of my tolerance. Contact: Mark Horvath
7th - Thursday -wongaloo Conservation Park Survey. Meet 6.30 am at the the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek . Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
9th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (12.00) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held in
the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest Speaker: TBA
12th - Tuesday - Townsville Airport Wildlife Hazard Management Committee -- Meet 2.00 pm ACC Room,
Tsv. Airport -- Conservation Coordinator Janet Cross only
13th - Wednesday - Ross River Bush Garden Survey.- Meet 6.30 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert
17th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey. - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso Leader: Cecily Messer
October
BirdLife Townsville "National Bird Month" - Bird displays all month from Tuesday 3 to Tuesday 31
October at the Flinders Street, Aitkenvale and Thuringowa Libraries. Members will be required to construct
and dismantel displays. Leader: Norm Rains
1st - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey - Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate.
Leader: TBA
3rd - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building (Soundshell),
Kirwan. Theme: "In the Outback." I do not mean in the backyard but areas no closer than 50 kms to the
coast in any direction. I'll have a map with me to check you're not trying to sneak one over us. Contact: Mark
Horvath
5th - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey. Meet 6.30 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
14th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (12.00pm) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held
in the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan. Guest Speaker : TBA
15th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey.- Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso 6.30am. Leader: Cecily
Messer
18th - Wednesday - Bush Garden Survey. - Meet 6.30 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert
21st - Saturday and 22nd - Sunday - BTFRT "Annual Black-throated Finch Survey"- All details on the
BTFRT website. Participants must register at www.blackthroatedfinch.com Leader: Tony Grice
23rd - Monday to 29th - Sunday - Birdlife Australia "Aussie Backyard Bird Count" - All details on the
Birdlife Australia website. Participants must register at: www.birdlife.org.au
25th _ Wednesday - Spotswood Station Survey -- Meet 6.00 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse, Alligator
Creek. Bring morning tea -- Leader: Norm Rains
28th - Saturday and 29th - Sunday - Birdlife Australia " National Twitchathon"- All details on the irdlife
Australia website. Participants must register at: www.birdlife.org.au More details closer to the date.
November
Torresian Imperial Pigeon Watch and Count - Cape York to Gladstone - All month, you choose venue,
what days and number of days. Your own personal count. All details at www.pipwatch.net Leader: Julia
Hazel (James Cook University).
2nd - Thursday - Wongaloo Conservation Park Survey. Meet 6.30 am at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse,
Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Leader: Norm Rains
2nd -Thursday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building(Soundshell),
Kirwan. Theme:"Wing Wide". Images where the bird has its wings spread. The degree of this spread I leave
up to your conscience. For example, in flight, stretching or even just spread a little to keep cool. Contact:
Mark Horvath
5th - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey.- Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate.
Leader: TBA
18th - Saturday - Monthly Meeting - Committee Meeting (12.00pm) and General Meeting (2.00pm) Held
in the Townsville City Council Bicentennial Building (Sound Shell) meeting room, Kirwan.
Guest speaker:TBA
19th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey. - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
22nd - Wednesday - Bush Garden Survey. - Meet 6.30 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert.
December
Torresian Imperial Pigeon Watch and Count - Cape York to Gladstone - All month, you choose venue,
what days and number of days. Your own personal count. All details at www.pipwatch.net Leader: Julia
Hazel (James Cook University)
1st - Thursday - Wongaloo Bird Survey. Meet for 6.30 am departure from the Alligator Creek Roadhouse car
park, Alligator Creek. Bring morning tea. Car pooling encouraged. Leader: Norm Rains
2nd - Saturday and 3rd - Sunday - BirdLife Australia National Challenge Bird Count. To count species and
number of birds in specific areas within a 40k radius of Townsville GPO. Participants will be allocated a
specific area. All counts to be forwarded within 7 days to: contact@birdlifetownsville.org.au
Leader: Wal Threlfall and Ivor Preston
3rd - Sunday - Town Common Conservation Park Survey.- Meet 6.30 am at the Town Common main gate.
Leader: TBA
5th - Tuesday - Photography Group Meeting - Meet 7.00 pm at the TCC Bicentennial Building (Soundshell),
Kirwan.
Theme: "Favourites for 2017". These are to be what you feel were your favourite images taken in 2017. They
do not have to be your best or even have been shown during the year, just those that make you feel good.
Whether that is because it's a great shot or it was the enjoyment of capturing it. Contact: Mark Horvath
9th - Saturday - Christmas Party - Details closer to the date.
13th - Wednesday - Bush Garden Survey.- Meet 6.30 am at end of Thompson St, Mundingburra.
Leader: Malcolm Calvert
17th - Sunday - Ross River Dam Survey. - Meet 6.30 am in the Dam car park, Kelso. Leader: Cecily Messer
Birdlife Townsville wishes all members a happy and safe 2017 Festive Season