Local lass Jade Peace is passionate about nature. Helped by a Waverley Council grant, she has recently started offering bird watching walks in some of Waverley’s beautiful parks and reserves, where she shares her knowledge and passion for our local feathered friends. Read on if you have an itching to go twitching.
One of my favourite things about living in Waverley is that you can connect with nature every day, and I think one of the best ways to do this is bird watching. You might assume that the busy Eastern Suburbs would be a terrible place to bird watch; however, I find it quite the opposite.
Just this morning, I watched a pair of Nankeen Kestrels (small chestnut falcons) and their youngster soaring, hovering and diving along the cliffs in North Bondi. Living near the coast, you get the chance to see seabirds as well as bush birds. Kookaburra song is a familiar sound, and you can even spot our precious small birds, like Fairy Wrens and New-Holland Honeyeaters, darting in and out of the shrubs - if you know where to look.
Not only is the range of birds in Waverley larger than you might think, but bird watching in the city has another advantage. The birds here are used to humans being around, so if you stop and look, you can get wonderful views of birds going about their daily lives. In the bush, birds are often shyer, are easily disturbed and, therefore, can be much harder to spot.
My journey into bird watching started shortly after moving here from Scotland. I was extremely aware that the bird species here differed from those back home. Most obvious to me were the sounds. I was intrigued by the unfamiliar squawks and tweets, and this curiosity grew into a passion for learning about the local bird life.
Through the simple act of looking and listening, you can learn a lot about the creatures you share your suburb with. Years of observing and reading has not only increased my knowledge of the local bird life but transformed those strange new sounds into the recognisable voices of my feathered neighbours. This has profoundly deepened my connection to nature. I feel more grounded and connected to this remarkable place I now call home, and I want to share this wonderful world of birds with you.
I believe the only thing better than bird watching is bird watching with other people, which is why I started a project called Come Bird With Me last year. Come Bird With Me is supported by a Waverley Council Community Grant, and its purpose is to help more people learn about and connect to the local bird life here in Waverley. I take small groups of people on guided bird walks in local parks and reserves. I teach them how to use binoculars to find and observe birds and identify the different species by sight and sound. On recent walks, we’ve seen many diverse species, including Fairy Wrens, New-Holland Honeyeaters, Eastern Koels, Red Wattlebirds, Kookaburras, Cormorants, Willie-wagtails and many more.
If you want to learn more about the local bird life, why not come birding with me this year? I’m kicking off 2024 with a summer series of Guided Bird Walks on Sunday mornings at 8 am as part of the Summerama Festival. Otherwise, my usual walks are on Friday mornings at 7 am. Bookings and details can be found here. Places are limited, so make sure to book!
Follow what I’m up to on Instagram @come.bird.with.me, website www.comebirdwithme.com or event page. Or get in touch at jade@comebirdwithme.com
Jade is a citizen scientist and an events coordinator for a koala conservation project. For the past six years, she has been birdwatching in Waverley and beyond. Jade is committed to protecting the birds she observes by participating in bush care, native gardening, and supporting wildlife corridors. She enjoys educating people about her feathered friends and encouraging everyone to slow down, and connect with nature.