On Sunday, 15th March, FAIBS enjoyed welcoming two ‘migratory humans’ to their bird viewing event at Thompson Beach in Australia. Richard and Frances Castle, from North Staffordshire, England, are having holiday in Australia and visiting internationally recognized birding places such as Thompson Beach as they travel around.

FAIBS member Ian Forsyth with UK visitors Frances and Richard Castle © Anna Woods/Friends of Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary

Richard is a qualified bird bander with world-wide birding experience. To realise that AIBS featured in his birding bucket list was a measure of how highly rated and far-reaching the importance of this local habitat is in global birding networks.

During the morning, around 20 enthusiasts joined National Parks and Wildlife Senior Ranger Erik Dahl and FAIBS members for bird watching and dunes clean-up. Delighted exclamations could be heard along the foreshore as scopes revealed colouring migratory birds including Grey Plovers, Red-necked Stints, a Curlew Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstones. One was noticed carrying a coloured leg flag, so important for reporting to the Australasian Wader Studies Group who gather data that tracks the movement and habitats of migratory birds.

Later in the morning, many of the participants helped with cleaning up areas in the Thompson Beach hinterland. The amount and range of dumped rubbish was disturbing and demonstrated the necessity for working bees like this to have periodic clean-ups.

The volunteers dream of the days when responsible rubbish disposal will mean clean-ups like this, in this internationally significant habitat, will no longer be necessary!

FAIBS members Betty Bresovskis, Rob Wilson, Mary-Ann van Trigt © Anna Woods/Friends of Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary

A big thank you to the group of cheerful and dedicated volunteers who gathered enough cast-offs for several trailer loads. A special thank you to Ranger Erik who organised the clean-up and disposal.

Further information about this bird sanctuary and FAIBS can be found on the ‘Friends of Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary’ Facebook page or by contacting the group at faibssa@gmail.com.

Community participants are always welcome.

Text and photos provided by Anna Woods/Friends of Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary.

Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary is an EAAFP Flyway Network Site (EAAF131) in Australia.