Author Archives: hollylkirk

Scientist and all round nature lover.

Melbourne-wide bird bioblitz coming up!

You can be part of our first ever Melbourne-wide Urban Bird Bioblitz from 24th-30th November! We’re partnering with local governments and community organisations across Greater Melbourne to conduct 15-minute wren-watches and we would love YOU to join in.

Find out how to do an official bioblitz “Wren-watch” here!

Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus, sometimes called “blue wrens”) and other small birds are declining in cities. 14 local councils and community groups across Greater Melbourne are working to bring them back into our parks and gardens.

You can help! By doing 15-minute “wren-watches” during the bioblitz week you can help us find out where these little birds are hiding across the city and understand more about what type of landscape they need to thrive.

Who’s working on this?

The Superb City Wrens group has teamed up with:

Thank you for helping us understand Melbourne’s amazing birds!

Superbly Exciting News!

One of our individually marked Superb Fairy-wrens was spotted along the Merri Creek, in the Strettle Wetland! This is the first longer distance movement we have recorded, a great milestone for the Superb City Wrens project.

Map of Melbourne north & east of Royal Park, the highlighted area shows the most likely route taken by our banded bird, from the Royal Park wetland to Strettle Wetland.

The female bird, “Light-green over dark-green” was photographed collecting nesting material in Strettle Wetland, with an unmarked male. This bird was originally banded in Royal Park in February 2022. Thanks to one of our lovely citizen scientists for sharing their sighting on our BioCollect project!

It’s thrilling to know our birds are travelling through the city, but more data is vital for us to properly understand how these animals are getting around and using habitat patches or corridors.

Now we need your help!

  • If you spend time along or near the Merri Creek we would love to hear if you have incidental sightings of ANY Superb Fairy-wrens, but especially if you happen spot a our banded bird.
  • If you have a few minutes to spare, pick a spot for a 15-minute ‘Wren Watch’. Recording negative sightings during a short survey is just as important as seeing a banded bird.
  • Wren Watches in the following areas would be really useful:
    • All reserves along the Inner Circle Rail Trail
    • Green Reserve & Phillips Reserve along the Merri Creek
    • Any shrub patches in Fleming Park, Balfe Park and Methven Park

Please report any Fairy-wren sightings or Wren Watch results on our BioCollect page by following the instructions here.

Thank you for helping us understand Melbourne’s amazing birds!

Image of Light-green over dark-green” captured by Andrew Peel and shared on the Superb City Wrens BioCollect project.

Wren News Reel

December 7th Wren Report

It’s been wet out there this last month, and it looks like rain has interrupted wren-watching! That’s OK – hopefully sunny weather is here and you can get out for some summer Wren Watches!

To date, 390 Wren Watches have been submitted through our BioCollect project, which included 51 sightings of Superb Fairy-wrens.

Map showing the SFW sighting in Ievers reserve

8 Superb Fairy-wrens were counted in Parkville in the last month, a bit of a sorry number when compared to the 36 Noisy Miners that were counted during the same surveys. Shout-out to Kate George who submitted three surveys with no bird sightings at all – it’s really important for us to get records of places where no birds are seen. Thanks Kate!

Our most exciting sighting this month has been of 2 unbanded Superb Fairy-wrens which were spotted by David Stanton in Iever’s Reserve (site 47). No Fairy-wrens had been spotted at this location yet, so it’s definitely one to keep an eye on!

Light green over gold carrying nesting material

During November our only sightings of banded birds were submitted through iNaturalist, by excellent bird photographer Peter Petinatos. Pete spotted the female Light Green over Gold collecting feathers – a sure sign she was nesting!

Thank you to our November Wren Watchers. Let’s get out there and find some more banded birds!

Become a Wren Watcher!