Public invited to help with ibis census THEY'RE annoying, they're noisy and they're everywhere, especially where there are scraps and garbage bins. The annual ibis census is on this weekend to help wildlife officers better understand the feathered city scavengers colonising parks and playgrounds. People around Australia are being asked to turn birdwatcher for the day on Sunday and report ibis sightings to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The census is carried out yearly to provide a snapshot of where white ibis are breeding and travelling, and to find out if management practices are working. Dr John Martin of NPWS says the native birds originally inhabited inland wetlands, but drought and environmental change is forcing them to coastal areas, where they are apparently thriving. "It was rare to see an ibis in the Sydney region 50 years ago, but the annual community survey has identified as many as 9000 in recent years," Dr Martin said. More than 2000 ibis have been colour-banded and wing-tagged since the surveys began in 2003. Anyone wanting to participate in the census can record their observations online at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/surveys/WhiteIbisSurvey.htm