The short presentation will be by Suzi Bond author of the new Field Guide to the Butterflies of the ACT, COG’s current Book of the Month.
Suzi will provide an overview of the butterflies of the ACT, including what sorts of species occur here and where to find them. She will also focus on what has been happening with the current butterfly season, with species like the Australian Painted Lady dominating so far, and what butterflies to look out for during the rest of the season.
The main presentation will be by Geoffrey Dabb on ‘An Illustrated History of Australian Bird Names’.
Geoffrey has been a member of the Birdlife Australia English Names Committee for several years, and is currently the chair. The committee has a membership representing different parts of Australia. Participation in the committee has led to exposure to a large number of competing views on the most appropriate names for Australian birds – and on the policy that should be adopted. The talk is a summary of the long history of the search for suitable English names, up to the growing popularity of global lists. Towards the end of the talk, time permitting, some current naming issues will be discussed. Graphic aids will be used to enliven the presentation.