Category: Mackay Region

The new TIP season has started! Target dates for 2023 counts are 17, 18 and 19 November. If those days are unsuitable for you, any nearby dates can be substituted.

It’s most valuable if you repeat your count on 2 or 3 successive days, and if possible repeat your count in mid-December and mid-January. If you counted the same site previously, please try to count near the same day of the month each time.

This Birdlife Citizen Science project is gathering long-term data about Torresian Imperial Pigeons (TIPs) in Queensland. These birds, also known as Pied imperial pigeons (PIPs) or Torres Strait Pigeons, have a hugely important ecological role in dispersing seeds of our native forest fruits. Read more here:

The current round of counts, guidelines and data sheets

Background about these special birds

Our coast count map has been updated to include all results so far received for the 2022-23 season.

More than 250 people* have participated since the coast counts began in 2007, many thanks to one and all!, and HUGE thanks to those wonderful people who keep on counting every year 😍

*If your name is missing above, please let us know which site(s) and which year(s) you counted, so we can update the count records.
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Our coast count map has been updated to include all results so far received for the 2021-22 season.

Since the first counts in 2007, more than 200 people have participated. Many thanks to one and all. HUGE thanks to those wonderful people who have kept on counting every year.

Thank you coast counters!

We warmly welcome Rebel Warren as our new Coast Count Coordinator. Many thanks to Rebel for taking on the role. Julia Hazel will continue as Project Manager.

Rebel is starting to plan the coast counts for 2021. Shortly she will contact the wonderful people who counted last year. She’s also keen to hear from anyone interested in getting involved in Coast Counts.

Coast counts are a great way to turn an afternoon at the beach into a valuable contribution to bird conservation, and it’s not difficult – you don’t need to be an expert birder to do this.

For more information please contact Rebel on 0407 914 318 or email rebelwarren51@gmail.com

With the PIP season still in full swing, we are seeking more volunteers to continue the Coast Count series.

What’s involved? Go to your count site on the coast, keep watch from 4pm until dusk, and record the number of Torresian/Pied Imperial pigeons as they fly from the land out to sea. These distinctive birds are easy to identify when they fly out in the open. You don’t need to be an expert birder.

To get started, just download the count guidelines and datasheets here.

Many locations need to be covered. If you have chosen a count site, or would like help in choosing one, please contact Julia Hazel on 0407 431 382 or email: Julia.hazel@jcu.edu.au

You can see previous count results here.

The 2020 Birdlife NQ coast counts of Torresian/Pied Imperial pigeons (TIPs/PIPs) need more volunteers – please help if you can!

What’s involved? Go to your count site on the coast, keep watch from 4pm until dusk, and record the number of Torresian/Pied Imperial pigeons as they fly from the land out to sea. These distinctive birds are easy to identify when they fly out in the open. You don’t need to be an expert birder.

The Birdlife NQ target date is Saturday 14 November 2020. If that’s not convenient, it’s fine to pick a nearby date that suits you.

Count guidelines and datasheets can be downloaded here.

Many locations need to be covered. If you have chosen a count site, or would like help in choosing one, please contact Julia Hazel on 0407 431 382 or email: Julia.hazel@jcu.edu.au

Updated 5-1-2020

The annual Birdlife NQ coast counts of Torresian/Pied Imperial pigeons (TIPs/PIPs) urgently need more count volunteers. Please help if you can!

What’s involved? Go to your count site on the coast, keep watch from 4pm until dusk, and record the number of Torresian/Pied Imperial pigeons as they fly from the land out to sea. These distinctive birds are easy to identify when they fly out in the open. You don’t need to be an expert birder.

The Birdlife NQ target date for this season was Saturday 16 November. Many thanks to all who counted on/near that date. Follow-up counts in mid-December and mid-January will also be very valuable. It’s fine to pick a date near mid-month that suits you, and ideal if you can encourage friends to count at a nearby site to yours.

Count guidelines and datasheets can be downloaded here.

Many locations need to be covered. If you have chosen a count site, or would like help in choosing one, please contact Julia Hazel on 0407 431 382 or email: Julia.hazel@jcu.edu.au