General Meeting

BURNIE FIELD NATURALIST CLUB GENERAL MEETING 13^TH Nov. 2020

Meeting opened by the president at 2.05pm

Venue:-Burnie Guide Hall

Apologies:-Caroline Ash, Peggy and David Cooper, Sue Pattison, Lorraine Hyland, Cathy Dynes, Cathy Stott

Attendees:-Geoff Wickham, Barry Dudman, Garry Watts, Elayne Ransley, Jill Kerr, June Risdon, Helen Jennion, Lillian Williams.

Minutes:- of the previous meeting held on the 9^th Oct. 2020 were read by the secretary. It was moved by Geoff Wickham, seconded by Helen Jennion “that the minutes as read be accepted as a true and accurate record of what transpired” carried unan.

Correspondence in:-

1. Tasmanian Field Naturalist Club bulletin.

2. Phone call from Landcare Tas. regarding the club insurance and Covid 19

Correspondence out:-

1. Nil

It was moved by Geoff Wickham seconded by Barry Dudman “that the inwards correspondence be accepted” carried unan.

Treasurer’s Report:-

Income:- 1 subscription $------------------

Expenditure:-Girl Guide hall hire $------------------

Australia Post envelopes $------------------

Total $------------------

Balance of the working account as of the was:- $------------------

It was moved by Barry Dudman seconded by Geoff Wickham “that the treasurer’s report be accepted” carried unan.

Business arising and general business:-

1. Club insurance and Covid 19, Landcare person confirmed that the current club insurance does not include cover for sickness regardless of the complaint…..

2. Barry Dudman outlined the outing details for Nov. 15^th.

3. He also has arranged for Sue Pattison to update the newsletter mailing lists to account for those who are financial or not. This has been completed.

Bird and other wildlife observations:-

1. Lillian reported Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos in her Banksias in conflict with the resident Little Wattle birds. She also reported a Kookaburra perched on her cloth’s line.(Wynyard)

2. Elayne Ransley reported 3 Black Cockatoos and numerous Blue Wrens in her backyard. (Wynyard) She also reported a large snake observed near the Wynyard Golf Club.

3. Jill Kerr reported Eastern Spinebills, Green Finches and 2 Blackfaced Cuckoo Shrikes. (West Ridgely)

4. June Risdon reported Green Finches every day at Yolla. She also reported being driven off a local beach by the local Swallows apparently protecting their young.

5. Helen Jennion reported a Swallows nest in the shelter at Pegg’s Beach.

6. Barry Dudman reported numerous small parrots flying past his residence at Somerset, mostly too fast to positively identify. He managed to identify the Bandicoots cultivating his yard as Brown Bandicoots

7. Caroline Ash reported Barred Bandicoot sightings in her backyard this week. (Wynyard)

8. Barry Dudman reported 3 Magpies in the car park adjacent to the Guide Hall today 13 Nov 20.

9. June Risdon observed that when she visited Melbourne from Mildura it was possible to observe the plumage changes in the Magpies as the journey proceeded.

Garry Watts reported sighting Golden Whistlers, Satin Flycatchers and Pallid Cuckoos on a daily basis at the Romaine Reserve (Burnie)

10. Barry Dudman reported that a lot of Penguins (60-70) were coming ashore each evening in the vicinity of the penguin viewing area West Park Burnie. One night in the week preceding this meeting all of the penguins had exited the sea in a period of ten minutes or so. He also reported that the earliest of the chicks to hatch had lost most of their down and were nearly ready to head to sea themselves.

11. Geoff Wickham reported on bird observations from a recent kayak trip up the Inglis River estuary. These included Robins & Kingfishers nil, White Faced Heron 1, Pacific Black ducks 14, Chestnut Teal 4, starlings 5, Black Birds 3, Grey Fantails 4, Silver Gulls 5, Blue wrens 3, heard Pallid Cuckoos. He also observed 2 platypus and a possible third.

12. June Risdon reported on a visit she had made to an area in Wynyard next to the Waste Transfer Station and airport. It is quite rich botanically.

Specimen Table:-Barry Dudman showed a selection of flowering plants from his garden, these included red callistemon, westringia, Kunzea sp, a West Australian willow myrtle and a climbing Hibbertia