This excursion visited some bushland reserves around Foster for bush birds, raptors, orchids, wildflowers and old gold diggings. By way of contrast, participants travelled on to the Toora bird hide for water birds in mangroves, saltmarsh and coastal grasslands.

Foster reserves
Orchids included White Caladenia, Common Bird Orchid, Tall Greenhood, Nodding Greenhood, leaves of Autumn Bird Orchid and Small Tongue-orchid, Mayfly.

Other heathland flowers: A veritable carpet included Bauera rubioides, Burchardia umbellata, Pultenaea stricta, Pimelea linifolia, Xanthorrhoea minor, Epacris spp., Sprengelia incarnata, Olearia lirata, Melaleuca squarrosa, Billardiera scandens, Goodenia ovata, Tall Sundews and Elderberry Panax.

Birds included Sittella, White-throated Tree-creeper, Spotted Pardalote, Crested Shrike-tit, Red Wattle-bird, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-eared Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow Robin, Grey Shrike-thrush, Olive Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Golden Whistler, Kookaburra, Brown Gerygone, Magpie, Australian Raven, Brown Thornbill.

Toora bird hide
Birds seen included Eastern Curlew, Pied Oystercatcher, Swamp Harrier, Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants, Great Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Crested Tern, Grey Butcher-bird and Mudlark.

Latrobe Valley FNC