The Society’s third annual spring bird survey was held on Sunday 27 September, an overcast morning. Some patchy light rain was falling as 18 enthusiastic birders (including two children and Sophie Golding, Urban Ecology Coordinator, City of Sydney) gathered at 6.45am in Paddy Gray Reserve in Hereford Street. Fortunately the weather quickly improved as we divided into small teams to identify and count birds in seven of Glebe’s parks. Sophie had drawnup the survey forms and she will also analyse the data for the Society.

The best part of the survey was unmistakably hearing the twittering of blue wrens in the hedges of Jarocin Ave, although none were seen; also there were sightings of a pied cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) and a little black cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) diving in Blackwattle Bay near the Glebe Secondary College. Afterwards we all gathered for a well earned breakfast at Esca, a café in Glebe Point Rd.

Effie Kotronakis from the Friendly Grocer in Glebe Point Rd filling-in the survey sheet for the birds identified and counted in the wetlands in Federal Park adjacent to Chapman Rd (image: Judy Christie).
Effie Kotronakis from the Friendly Grocer in Glebe Point Rd filling-in the survey sheet for the birds identified and counted in the wetlands in Federal Park adjacent to Chapman Rd (image: Judy Christie).

The Glebe Palmerston and Surrounds Landcare Group has been working with the Executive Committee of the large block of home units at 42 Lombard St to enhance the William Carlton Gardens, located on their eastern aspect. This pocket park includes the site immediately above the Glebe light rail stop, near the entrance to the tunnel.

The Landcare Group established a plan for the planting of native flora in the Gardens and the unit owners have now agreed to donate $1,000 to the Group so that they can purchase and plant the flora. The removal of all hackberry (Celtis australis) trees, a declared noxious weed, is still to be implemented.