The Flock (or Flock Oz)
Flock in situ! Image by Tony Belton.
This wonderful community engagement project was started by the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre in New Zealand, and is now a way to involve communities with their local migratory shorebirds that has spread across all the Flyways of the Globe! The Flock is a creative and fun way to spread awareness for our migratory shorebirds, their habitat, and how we can all do our bit to help keep them safe when they are on our beaches. It engages young and old alike!
Of course you can create your own community flock to bring colour and life to any environmental occasion - not just the Overwintering Project - but it is a lovely adjunct to the Project if you are trying to get your local community involved!
Here's how:
- find handy people or a local men's shed to cut out the wooden shorebird silhouettes (templates and details are available here)
- find another handy person to undercoat them
- hold a painting session for all ages at your local community event
- Voila! You have a wonderful community art installation to travel around and help to raise awareness for your local migratory shorebirds!!
The links above are for the wonderful New Zealand Flock. You can also follow the Flock Oz on its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheFlockOz/
Of course you can create your own community flock to bring colour and life to any environmental occasion - not just the Overwintering Project - but it is a lovely adjunct to the Project if you are trying to get your local community involved!
Here's how:
- find handy people or a local men's shed to cut out the wooden shorebird silhouettes (templates and details are available here)
- find another handy person to undercoat them
- hold a painting session for all ages at your local community event
- Voila! You have a wonderful community art installation to travel around and help to raise awareness for your local migratory shorebirds!!
The links above are for the wonderful New Zealand Flock. You can also follow the Flock Oz on its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheFlockOz/
Above are images of Flock making from Hobson's Bay, Victoria and Yamba, NSW. Below are some Flocks in situ.
Above: at Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary