BEES (working-type bees)
We’ve had three inspiring working-bees since the last ‘newsletter’: one retracing our steps somewhat to remove cotoneaster, privets and hawthorns on the sides of the main gully; one where Lorraine and I attacked stubborn African Lovegrass (ALG) tussocks on paths leaving the main carpark; and today’s, where we prepared more berry-producers for real destruction on September 24th by the Conservation Volunteers Australia.
We used double-ended hoes for the ALG, and Ivan specialised in real-mattock use on Briar roses and some cotoneasters. Margaret, Ann, Kirsty and Jenny used pruning saws, loppers and secateurs to successfully increase the accessibility of the weeds, leaving each with one main branch decorated with pink ribbon for easy future-location. During the July session, Peter vanished for a while, to leave several lopped privets and hawthorns as 'disaster areas', up from the gully north of Rechner place, Flynn’s playground.
The weather was perfect today (28.08.11) and a real stimulus to walkers. Many passed by the parked car and quite a few brochures were taken up by the passers-by and others engaged in conversation about what we were doing. It must have looked quite strange to see us sitting on the path’s bank having cups of tea and Rod’s delicious Blueberry muffins during morning-tea, some two hours after our 9.30am start.
AND In the time between July’s working-bee and now much has happened and we’ve had several severe frosts and some magically warm, spring-like days. There’s been news of a National Park for Ginninderra Falls and an exciting proposal for a really sustainable development beyond the Belconnen golf course. The latter plan has been modeled on the CERES concept in Melbourne where housing, community-farming and land-use are balanced to minimise effects on the land that’s absorbed by housing. We had a site visit by Jenny Conolly (Parks & Conservation Service) and Kelly Behrens (Ginninderra CatchmentGroup) to assess projects/work that could be done for Mt Rogers by Green Corps later in the year. And the on-again, off-again Hazard Reduction Burn in the eastern part of Mt Rogers absorbed a great deal of time and energy.
MFFs The recent weeks have highlighted the presence of Mixed Feeding Flocks (MFF) of small birds. They move through an area together gleaning insects and raindrops from foliage and seeds from grasses below trees and shrubs. Group activities also give protection against predators. On an after-rain-then-misty morning at the Fraser-plantings (150m from the Wickens carpark) there were 13 species in the MFF that halted my walk. Wrens, White-eared, Yellow-faced and White-naped honeyeaters, Yellow-rumped, Buff-rumped Thornbills, Speckled warblers, Double-barred finches, a White-throated Treecreeper, Grey fan-tails, Scarlet robins, Spotted Pardalote, a young Golden Whistler. Galahs flew over and the distant calls of Cockatoos, Ravens, Currawongs, Magpies, Red Wattle birds and the “ooom” of a Common Bronzewing pigeon added to the mid-winter species list. And all this in a small space some 15? kilometres from the centre of the National Capital!
MICE As I retraced my steps I realised a Kookaburra was perched just 6m away. It took no notice when I moved closer for another photo, suddenly swooping to the ground to show that a mouse was more important than reacting to me. It took the bird two minutes to subdue the little mammal. The hapless rodent seemed to squirm and ‘protest’ with its pink feet before it was swallowed head-first. What does it feel like to eat something alive? The Kookaburra flew up to a branch plump with food and fluffed-up against the chill. It was only then that I realised there was a second Kookaburra away to my right.
ROSE ROBIN On my next visit a Grey butcherbird was heard in the west; and 3 weeks later, Kirsty and Steve separately had the luck of seeing a male Rose robin. Their sightings were in the area east of the carpark. It’s probably much more unusual to see this species on Mt Rogers as they pass through the ACT than it would be to follow-up the COG-emailed-announcement of their presence in the Botanic Gardens.
WATTLES Other COG* members have commented on seeing the MFFs around the region, on the returning migrants and many species in breeding and nesting mode, although humans’ calendars say it’s still winter. A cryptic Dragon lizard was nearly stepped-on during today’s working-bee because it elected to 'freeze' whilst soaking up the sun amongst the grey-brown fallen bark. The Cootamundra wattles have flowered magnificently already and, true-to-form the Acacias’ yellow pom-poms have dried-off again having been soaked by rain when at their peak. There should be thousands of pods for the Cockatoos, Rosellas and Superb parrots to feed on in the summer. On Mt Rogers we can readily see why the native Cootamundra wattle,
Acacia baileyana, is a pest-species out of its area as its seedlings germinate into thickets after the seed-splitting heat of fire.
INVENTIVENESS Colin has devised a nifty machine for dispensing plastic bags for dog poo. He hopes people will use his voluntary-contribution when they forget their own bags, rather than for augmenting their own supplies.
After Barbara J. emailed having seen a young family swooped by a magpie near the Flynn playground she then alerted Canberra Connect about the problem (phone 13 22 81) so more signs can be put up.
NESTS In this same stand of trees a Crimson rosella has been inspecting & possibly even modifying a hollow so it can prepare for a nest inside. For a large proportion of Australian birds and many other animals hollow trees are essential. This fact is conveniently ignored by those who fell or log our trees and then appealingly and ignorantly promise “We’ll plant new ones to take their places”. How many of the nestboxes will be used by birds other than Indian mynas? An Australian Owlet Nightjar chooses between two as its daytime roost … a really cute, small nocturnal bird with a sugar-glider-like ‘face’ in Steve’s close-up photo.
**Keep an eye on the Frogmouths’ tree as sticks are being assembled in its fork. I’ve seen both a Pardalote and an Eastern Spinebill each carrying strands of grass for their respective nests in recent days.
HRB In some areas there’s a burst of purple as the Hoveas are flowering a few weeks ahead of the more common Hardenbergia. Both are members of the ‘pea’ family and they share a tendency to clamber over other plants to be visible to the pollinators of their flowers. But the main news of Mt Rogers’ plants recently has been the cool burn designed to reduce the amount of grass in the south and eastern sectors of the area. Although the Hazard Reduction Burn (HRB) was forecast in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan Version 2 it was still a severe shock to be given only two days (unofficial) notice of the proposed event, and similarly for nearby residents who might be affected. I really appreciated responses from our Landcare volunteers and Mt Rogers Carers who wrote of their feelings, observations and expectations. Their perceptive comments have been included in a report which I have sent to ‘the authorities’ and which I will post on this Blog. At this stage the actual burn seems to have been effective and has not caused major losses of the native plants we value. If any Mt Rogers folk would like to start a series of post-burn photos we could all then see how the land restores itself.
The teams worked professionally and for some 10 hours on the day. Apparently 12 hectares or 32% of Mt Rogers has been burnt. I have asked whether this is an appropriate proportion of ground-level habitat change for such a small, isolated bush area. I have suggested that a brochure be prepared so that ACT residents might have a better understanding of the HRB process and why such burns are necessary. The brochure would go to all residents with properties in streets adjacent to bushland and it would be mandatory that those moving into such areas receive copies. If it were done comprehensively it could include a section on responsible gardening-near-bushland so there might be fewer young weed seedlings!
*COG Canberra Ornithologists’ Group
