The 2020 devastating bushfires focussed the world’s attention on Australian wildlife, with a large amount of money raised for various recovery programs. NSW bird clubs have the local knowledge, but then the Covid pandemic, followed by unprecedented floods highlighted the need for a broader education and recovery program.

My idea for a fundraiser would be a bird club tattoo, both painful and permanent, symbolising what is happening to our birdlife. The starting point is a tattoo ‘fix’ of my existing Azure Kingfisher (Birding NSW) from there the water theme continues with an Australian Swamphen (Hawkesbury Environment Network), Little Tern (Byron Bird Buddies), White-bellied Sea Eagle (EagleCam, BirdLife Discoverry Centre) and Black -browed Albatross (Southern Ocean Seabird Study Association). With the possible addition of a Red-bellied Black Snake (Australian Herpetological Society) and Red-crowned Toadlet (Frog and Tadpole Study Group).