Birding along the Merri with Jonathan Tickner

Photo: Rufous Whistler. Copyright, Jonathan Tickner

I am 5 minutes late for a morning birding tour of Bababi Djinanang Grassland Fawkner. In that time, Jonathan Tickner has already identified 17 different bird species.  For the next 30 minutes, in between moments of silence, listening for calls and peering intently into mid and understorey plantings, Jonathan expertly demonstrates techniques to maximise bird sightings. We observed Red-browed Finches and mixed flocks of Silvereyes, Honeyeaters, Superb Fairy-wrens and Thornbills, hunting in the bushes. Some birds are up the top of the Rock Correas and Grevilleas and others down the bottom.

Jonathan Tickner’s book Birding along the Merri Creek features 21 carefully chosen sites along the Merri Creek which are good for bird watching. As he puts it, the book provides “…very simple, clear instructions, plus maps, so that when you arrive, you’re given a heads-up, and you know where to start looking.” If driving, it even suggests the best place to park.

Perfect for newby birders, Jonathan wanted to make it “...clear in the book, people with access difficulties know where the paved pathways are, or where the gravel pathways are, and where there’s no pathways, just to make it a little easier because it must be frustrating when you get to a place and the pathways are rough, or difficult, if you’re in a wheelchair.” His book covers what paths to take, the birds that can be seen (many delightful photos) and in which season they are most likely to be there. 

Jonathan is a trained photographer and his great sense of colour and focus are evident in all his bird photos. Tickner started photographing the Creek at Rushwood Drive Reserve in Craigieburn, near where he worked in his other career as a school principal. Over the last 15 years, he has photographed his way down the “beautiful green corridor” of the Merri Creek to the Yarra confluence.

In that time, Jonathan has had a growing appreciation for the revegetation work of the FoMC and MCMC, pointing out that there are no birds without bird habitat. The increasing emphasis put on lower and mid-storey plantings means that “…in the last 10 years, 30 new species have been seen here that weren’t seen here before…that is testament to the great work that has been done along the creek with planting.”

Jonathan sees his book as a “…celebration of the work that FoMC and MCMC have done. And if I can just inspire more people to take an interest in the creek and birding and continuing the good work of FoMC, then I’m satisfied that the job is done.”  Such is Jonathan’s generosity, he has donated 100% of the proceeds from the sales of his book, Birding along the Merri Creek, to the Friends of Merri Creek.

Our walk around Bababi Djinanang in Fawkner at times felt like a refreshing meditation, probably because, as Jonathan puts it, “Birding tends to make you look a bit closer at what’s there and listen… you’re really engaging all your senses when you’re birding.” 

While we didn’t see the 117 species that have been spotted there over the last few years, as reported by FoMC birdwatch, we certainly spotted many of the “all year” and “winter visitors,” as listed with each walk description in the book, which was very satisfying.

Birding along the Merri Creek would make a lovely present for all locals, young and old, and for any twitchy visitors to Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

The book can be purchased here from the FoMC shop.

Photo: Juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk. Copyright, Jonathan Tickner