Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc.

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Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc.

The Ringwood Field Naturalists Club is for people interested in Australian Natural History. We have a monthly meeting, excursions, and weekends away.

The Ringwood Field Naturalists Club provides an open and friendly forum for members to share and develop their interests in Australian natural history. We have a monthly meeting, field trips on a weekend, Spring and Autumn camp-outs and do field care days. The Club encourages the enjoyment of nature. The RFNC is based in Ringwood which is in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Club has affiliations with other local Field Naturalists Clubs throughout the State.

11/05/2026

Weds 13th May, The Ringwood Field Naturalist Club is having a Presentation from April Newton from Trust for Nature. The talk Is called “Trust for Nature: protecting habitat forever”.

April will include in her talk, the history of Trust for Nature, their work across the state and then zoom in to talk about what they are up to in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

All visitors are welcome to come along. No charge.
7.30 p.m, at Ringwood East Senior Citizens Club, 2 – 8 Laurence Ave, Ringwood East

Photos provided by Trust for Nature.

10/05/2026

🌿 Riverina weekend away : The RFNC heads to Echuca-Moama! 🦅

What a weekend! We had a massive turnout of 38 members for our latest club weekend away to the stunning Echuca-Moama region. Despite some wild weather shifts, the natural history highlights did not disappoint!

Our journey began at Horseshoe Lagoon & Moama Wetlands, where we braved the muggy heat to spot several yellow-form Crimson Rosella in the bush and a Pelican sitting peacefully on the lagoon. Saturday took us to the rugged beauty of Terrick Terrick National Park which is one of Victoria's best bird-watching spots. It wasn't the easiest birding, but we had great sightings of Red-capped and Hooded Robins, Southern Whiteface, and the majestic Wedge-tailed Eagle. We glimpsed Australian Ringneck parrots a couple of times, and a very lucky few had brief views of White-browed Babblers at our lunch spot at Mt Terrick Terrick.

After a slippery ride on the main road through the park, which seemed to have been "repaired" by the council in recent days, we detoured our way home to Kow Swamp, treating us to a spectacular display of Whistling Kites and two Caspian Terns that drifted past with effortless grace. We also saw numbers of ducks and cormorants, and a distant Swamp Harrier.

Even a rainy, cold Sunday at the 5 Mile picnic area and 10 Mile woodland couldn't dampen our spirits, with sightings of Singing Honeyeater and the ever-popular White-winged Chough. After lunch and another cold front pushing through, we called an end to the weekend, thanking Jack for his efforts delivering a memorable experience.

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📸 *Got photos from the weekend? Share your favourite bird or landscape shots in the comments below!*

17/04/2026

🌬️ Braeside Breezes & Wetland Wonders! 🦆

Twenty-three intrepid members braved a chilly, grey sky last Sunday to explore the beauty of Braeside Park. Despite some unexpected roadworks closing the southern gates, our leaders Eleanor and Warwick guided us on a scenic trek down Cypress Avenue to reach wetlands from the northern end.

While the local birdlife seemed to be hunkering down away from the wind, our keen eyes still spotted some wonderful species. The highlights? A dapper Male Shoveler, a pair of Pink-eared Ducks seen from the hide, and a solitary Hoary-headed Grebe expertly fishing in the shallows. We also had a few Pelicans flying over which are always a crowd-pleaser.

As the walk from the northern end was longer than planned and access was restricted we didn't get to do a full circuit of the wetlands, but finishing with 35 species proved that there is always something to discover when you’re out in nature with friends! We’re already looking forward to returning once the park’s water recycling works are complete to see our feathered friends return in full force.

Photos by Eleanor Dilley

09/04/2026

🐜 MARVELOUS MACRO ANTS OF MELBOURNE! 🐜

Last night, the Ringwood Field Naturalists Club was treated to a spectacular deep dive into the tiny, busy world right beneath our feet! We were joined by the brilliant Daniel Kurek from the Entomological Society of Victoria, who shared his expertise on "Ants found around Melbourne – their taxonomy, distribution, and behaviour." 🧐🇦🇺

Daniel’s stunning macro photography revealed the incredible details of these industrious insects, from the fierce mandibles of a Bull Ant to the complex social structures that keep our local ecosystems thriving. We learned that there is so much more to an anthill than meets the eye, and just how tricky it can be to identify an ant! 🕵️‍♂️✨

I’ve added some of my own favourite ant photos from my personal collection to the gallery, and hope I got some of the IDs right. I feel like Daniel's talk last night inspired many members to take a closer look at the leaf litter on our upcoming excursions, in between looking at birds, plants, flowers, rocks, fungi. 🙂

Photos by Jack Airey

10/03/2026

Our meeting for March (Weds 11th) the speaker is our very own Graham Ellis who has titled his talk, "African Safari".
We look forward to his presentation which will showcase birds and animals of a trip he and wife Chris took to Africa. Both Chris and Graham are spectacular photographers, so we will be in for a real treat.

All visitors are welcome to come along. No charge.

7.30 p.m, at Ringwood East Senior Citizens Club, 2 – 8 Laurence Ave, Ringwood East

Photos Graham Ellis
White bellied sunbird and Leopard

04/03/2026

Knowing what bit you changes what you should do next. 🦟
Mosquito: single raised welt, intense itching, appears within minutes. No action needed beyond antihistamine cream for most people.
Ant: white central pustule with surrounding redness, may burn for several days. Clean the site and leave the blister intact — breaking it increases infection risk.
Tick: a spreading circular red ring — the classic bullseye pattern — is a medical symptom. If you see this pattern around a tick bite, see a doctor promptly even if you feel fine. Early treatment of Lyme disease is straightforward; delayed treatment is not. Remove an attached tick with fine-tipped tweezers, gripping as close to the skin as possible and pulling steadily without twisting.
Bed bug: a line or cluster of welts in areas covered by clothing, appearing overnight. Itchy but not medically dangerous. The pattern indicates a bed bug infestation rather than an outdoor bite.
Fire ant: multiple raised white pustules forming within hours of the sting, with a surrounding red halo. Fire ant stings are distinctive — the burning sensation is immediate and intense. Leave pustules intact. People with known allergies should carry an epinephrine auto-injector.
Honey bee: raised welt with white central point; the stinger may remain embedded. Remove it by scraping sideways with a card or fingernail — do not pinch or squeeze, which releases more venom.
Flea: multiple small welts scattered across the ankles and lower legs, very itchy. The pattern reflects repeated bites from a flea infestation in carpet, pet bedding, or furniture.
Spider: depressed central area with surrounding redness. Watch the site over the following hours. If the area grows, darkens, or develops a blister with a dark center, seek medical attention — this may indicate a brown recluse bite, which requires assessment.
Wasp: raised welt without a stinger, more intense pain than a bee sting. Yellow jackets can sting repeatedly.
If you experience difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or dizziness after any sting or bite, go to an emergency room immediately. This is a sign of anaphylaxis and requires urgent treatment.
This post is for general information only. If you are unsure about a bite or your symptoms concern you, consult a healthcare professional.

20/02/2026

🌿 **February Field Trip Wrap-Up – Stockyard Point & Candowie Reservoir** 🦅

Our February outing took 26 members to one of Victoria’s most reliable coastal birding spots - Stockyard Point at Jam Jerrup - for a warm, sunny morning in the field. While the high tide wasn't high enough to encourage waders to the high-tide roost spot, there was still plenty to enjoy, with around 30 species recorded along the beach and track.

Bush birds were lively, including Superb Fairy-wrens, New Holland Honeyeaters, White-browed Scrub-wrens, Yellow-rumped Thornbills and an Eastern Yellow Robin. The standout moment was when two magnificent Wedge-tailed Eagles soaring overhead - an unforgettable sight against the blue sky.

After lunch at Grantville foreshore (with Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos keeping us company), we continued to Candowie Reservoir. Here, nine species of ducks, several cormorants, a Great Egret, and impressive raptors - including a White-bellied Sea Eagle and Swamp Harrier - rounded out the day.

Across both locations, 53 species were recorded - a wonderful mix of coastal and freshwater birding, shared in great company.

A perfect summer day in the field. 🌞🐦

13/01/2026

In November, a group of members headed to the Western Treatment Plant over in Werribee for a day of birdwatching. The WTP is one of the best birdwatching sites in Australia. The number of members was limited and we broke up into 3 small groups, each with multiple permit holders, and went in separate directions, as large groups in multiple cars is not permitted.

The weather was fine and sunny with light winds - perfect for birdwatching. All the groups were impressed to see the many thousands of Black Swans on the Bay, the huge numbers of Pink-eared Ducks and Whiskered Terns, and the large mixed flocks of migrant waders.

Some of the highlights were watching Little Terns diving into the sea, close views of 3 Swamp Harriers, and the vast number of waders just outside the windows of the hide. One group managed to see 7 different raptor species, including a White-bellied Sea Eagle, while another saw Spotted Crake at the ford. All groups managed to get great views of 3 Brolgas on Austin Road.

Birdcall was held on return to the carpark at 4.00pm, where a magnificent total of 92 species was recorded for the day. Everyone seemed to have had a great day in the sunshine in this spectacular bird haven.

19/11/2025

On a recent midweek excursion, Ringwood Field Naturalist Club headed down to the Mc Cleland Sculpture Park and Gallery. This Park is spread over 16 hectares of bushland. It is an area where Art meets nature and has over 100 sculptures which are either permanent or on loan. After a lovely morning tea, we wandered the natural paths and observed not only the sculptures, but local birds and plants. Lucky to be shown a family of Tawny Frogmouths sitting low in a tree by the lake. After lunch we checked out the Gallery and Gift shop. A quick visit down the road we were lucky to find Purple diuris at the Langwarren Flora and Fauna Reserve. A lovely day out. Thanks to our leader Shirley.

12/11/2025

For our spring weekend away in October, the RFNC headed to St Arnaud which is a town in the Wimmera region to the west of Bendigo. We had over 30 member attending the weekend which was a great turn out.

We met up on the Friday afternoon for a walk around Pioneer Park, having a look at some old mining diggings, along with the old town swimming pool, where we saw two Sacred Kingfishers on the lake, along with a few ducks and cormorants. There were also some great information boards on the town's mining history. After the walk we enjoyed a BBQ dinner together.

Over the weekend we visited a number of local sites, enjoying great birdwatching and looking for terrestrial orchids. With local contacts, we had access to some restricted areas (private land and Landcare areas) which were protected from farming and grazing, to see how effective this has been. These areas were successfully rehabilitating and held many flowers and habitat for birdlife. Some of the birding highlights were Brown Treecreepers, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Varied Sitella and White-winged Triller. We saw 9 honeyeaters over the weekend, including Blue-faced, Yellow-tufted, Fuscous and Black-chinned.

It was a wonderful weekend away with many thanks to our leaders Helen and Graeme.

Address

East Ringwood Senior Citizens Club Hall, Lawrence Avenue
Melbourne, VIC
3135

Website

http://rfnc.org.au/

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