A Mt Rogers walk on 8th
December was my first for some time and there was another gap before today’s circuit
amongst Sunday regulars and dogs out before the expected 28 degrees.
On Monday 8th I went
bush with sneakers and gaiters replacing sandals worn to reach the Frogmouth
Tree area. Gaiters prevent grass seeds reaching socks and are some preparation
for snake encounters. Alongside and in from the Lily track I pulled up several
St Johns Wort (SJW) plants to prevent them flowering. There were only a few of
them because Steve’s spraying with Starane had been effective this time last
year.
Under the tree debris,
so despised by those who want the bush to look neat and park-like, were two Senecio plants of the same species Kirsty
discovered in 2011. Nearby, the uncommon native Blue Grass Lilies Caesia calliantha were in flower among the grasses. They are one of the 3 or 4 special ‘protected’
plant species recorded at Mt Rogers and entered on the Canberra Nature Map website (http://canberranaturemap.org/). Canberra Nature Map is a relatively new initiative where the occurrence
of plants can be recorded, with photographs, by those who find them. There is
also an on-going list recording plant species for the ACT. It makes an
interesting resource. The first sightings of species are noted, be they native
or introduced.
I beheaded and bagged seeds from a few
well-hidden Serrated Tussock (ST) plants near the Benchmark Tree. There was a
dense patch of ST in this area before the Guides and William dug up the
tussocks 3–4 years ago.
Our last working-bee for the year
(23.November.14.) also focussed on ST but these were closer to the Notice box. As
the temperature prepared to rise to 29 degrees Anne & I didn’t dig up the
plants in case the metal tools struck rocks in the soil and ignited the other
dried grasses. (Today I wondered about the same fire potential when a Mt Rogers
neighbour in Flynn was trying to cut down the tall oats and grasses with a
conventional mower. They were growing amongst the fruit trees planted decades
ago outside the property’s fence. No doubt TAMS wouldn’t have mown the grass in
that normal mowing zone because of the fruit trees’ presence…they can only do
so much to protect properties.)
On 23rd November, Sally and
William took out about 10 woody weeds. At least two of these small trees had germinated
from cast-away pear or apple cores.
You’ll have noticed the huge
amounts of wild oats, tall and beiged-off, on Mt Rogers and anywhere else not
mown or whipper-snipped. The ancestors of these oats are a consequence of post
war policy to fertilise the land and to use the oats as pasture-improvement
species along with other introduced grasses.
Butterflies don’t seem to mind the
height of the introduced grasses. At least three species are active,
hill-topping, leaving the shelter of the grass stalks and perhaps laying eggs.
Common Brown butterflies seem to be a bit later hatching out than the Meadow
Argus and the Australian Painted Lady.
On shorter grass there’s likely to
be the small Common Grass-blue butterflies whose scientific name is Zizina labradus. The caterpillars may be
attended by small ants. A consequence of looking through Michael Braby’s field
guide to Butterflies of Australia is noting
the array of common names that butterflies have been given. There are
Albatross, Crows, Owls, Admirals, Jewels, Opals, Awls, Skippers, Darts,
Darters, Jezebels, Swifts and Triangles. A palette of colours is used beyond
the use of Blues.
Kirsty is sharing the development
of a Hawk moth caterpillar with grandchildren and later they found the
chrysalis in leaf-litter near the back door. With over 20,000 species of moths
in Australia (and just over 400 butterfly species) perhaps we can be forgiven
for being overwhelmed at the number of small beige moths we come across amongst
grasses. Once we move away from the need for brash colours we could be ready to
appreciate the subtleties of moths’ colours and patterning.
As each summer day warms up the
noise from Cicadas increases. John, Morris, Nancy and Peter shared experiences
of being deafened by Cicada choruses. In some species the ‘musicians’ spend
years underground before emerging to fly, mate, lays eggs and die in a short
few days above ground. We’d all noted another season of countless Soldier
beetles in the reserve and our gardens.
I became interested in Hangay and
Zborowski’s Guide to the Beetles of Australia after finding
thousands of Christmas Beetle carcases under a favourite eucalypt on the
Pinnacle’s western edge. They live two weeks or less in spite of munching their
way through thousands of eucalyptus leaves. Beetles make up 40% of all insects
known to science, and 350,000 beetle species have been described worldwide. Of
the 30,000 that may occur in Australia only 20,000 have been scientifically
described including weevils, scarabs, dung beetles, chafers and leaf beetles.
Only a small proportion of beetles are damaging, with huge benefits coming from
their larval lives including the recycling of leaf litter and the conversion of
dead plant material into nutrients.
Quite a few societies include
insects in their diets, including Indigenous Australians. Most of us would have
to overcome hang-ups about the consistency and unexpected nutritional factors
of these other foods because we’ve been taught otherwise for so many
generations. How many lifetimes would we need to even begin to study, research and
find the species of invertebrates which we depend on for keeping ecological
balance and habitats liveable?
Mulligans Flat’s Bettongs have been
in the news this year. They have been re-introduced into the Sanctuary. They
are already having an improving effect on the reserve’s soils through their
digging behaviour. Numerous species of small Australian mammals played vital
roles in opening up and turning over the ancient soils. This returned humus,
water and air to the soils until the obsession with grazing hard-hooved animals
compacted soils into infertility. Evening wildlife-spotting visits to Mulligans
Flat are now available each first Friday. The Bush-Stone Curlews are nocturnal
so they might be seen also.
Perhaps local bird-watchers will
come to Mt Rogers again to hear and see the Superb Parrots that Dennis has
reported from near his Fraser garden. There were several families with noisily
begging young on the northern and western edges of the reserve this morning.
The Superbs’ visits are the highlights of the ‘there’s-always-something-to-see’
situation in our bushland. Will they move into the suburbs to feed once the loquats
and other fruits ripen? Lorikeets are vocal and busy in mid-Flynn: are they
nesting or just roosting near us?
Dave and Glenda, Pat and Max are among
those Mt Rogers regulars I’ve heard of who have planned moves to different
lifestyles. We’ll miss them! Who will we welcome to our Mt Rogers community in
2015? Let’s hope they also find that walking on Mt Rogers gives them time to
think, time to unwind and time to explore the natural world for their health’s
sake.
Enjoy the holiday period,
especially if it brings you closer to those who need your company…via visits,
phones or Skype.
Rosemary
Convenor, Mt Rogers Landcare Group,
6258 4724
