Ten years of watching birds in Centennial Park

Trevor Waller, Centennial Parklands’ resident twitcher, celebrates 10 years behind the binoculars this January having shown hundreds of local Sydneysiders the joys of watching birds and their often unusual habits!
Born in South Africa, the former movie set lighting electrician, aspiring Game Ranger, and current structural draftsman immigrated to Australia in 1989. Soon after a close encounter with a noisy miner, he fell in love with birdwatching – or ‘twitching’. This love has led to a ten-year career of leading the popular Birdwatcher’s Breakfasts in Centennial Park.
‘In the summer of 1999/2000 I had the opportunity to take over leading the Birdwatcher’s Breakfasts in Centennial Parklands. Early morning is the best time of day to see birds in the Parklands, and combining our twitching with a bit of breakfast is a great way to start the day,’ said Trevor.
‘The Birdwatcher’s Breakfasts attract a wide range of participants – from those obsessed with our feathered friends, to those who are just curious about what we Twitchers do. They often start out thinking that we are a bird version of trainspotters, but after a few moments they’re usually fascinated with what you can see. There are also overseas birders who use the walk as an easy city starter to get familiar with our birds, before tackling the outback birds.’
There have been over 140 different species of bird identified in Centennial Parklands since the 1920s, ranging from swans and ducks, to Pipits, Fairy Martins and Dusky Moorhen’s. One favourite visitor for many park visitors over the years has been the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos that gracefully sweep across the skyline and feed on the Pine trees in the Parklands. I recently found a Figbird for a regular breakfaster who had been looking for one for a while.
‘I keep a ‘life list’ which is a list of all the bird species I have seen in the world. I’m up to 631 in Australia, and 1,057 at the moment, but I’m always working to increase that number,’ Trevor said.
‘I like to keep the Birdwatcher’s Breakfasts varied and interesting, by starting at different locations and picking times of the year when different migratory birds are visiting. The group is a nice and informal way of learning the basic skills and, most importantly, learning what to look for.’

Birdwatcher’s Breakfasts with Trevor Waller are held in Centennial Park every season, with
the next on Sunday 7 February 2010. Booking is essential, by phoning the Parklands Office
on (02) 9339 6699. Cost is $21 and includes breakfast.
Centennial Parklands also operates a volunteer birdwatching program that contributes to
data collection for the Birds Australia ‘Bird Atlas’. Contact the Centennial Parklands
Foundation on (02) 9339 6699 for more information.