Saturday 17 October - election day - on Mt Rogers

 Two images from a brief walk on Mt Rogers today, Saturday 17 October 2020. 

The top photo shows the glorious bronze, feathery grass from the native Spear Grasses group. 
As you walk round, check for these determined clusters as they do battle against the rampant wild oats and other introduced grass species that are the descendants of grasses imposed on native grasses and wildflowers to improve grazing for stock as land around the area was cleared.  

The lower photo shows a cluster of the saprophytic Broomrape, Orobanche. It’s a native of Europe, not Australia. Here the flower-spikes are pushing through a local native ground cover, Stinking Pennywort Hydrocotle laxiflora. We have often wondered about the Hydrocotle as we’ve been taking a stance against the incredible growth of invasive species since the drought broke. 

Congratulations to Mt Rogers Landcarers both present and past for the incredible efforts made against Paterson’s Curse over the decades. 

We have only to look across to the hills or drive past paddocks or other reserves to see how fortunate the reserve’s 65 hectares are in comparison to other places. 

There are other species waiting for their chance to colour the landscapes of course but 25 years of being weed-conscious has paid off (I’d better say “for now”).

I hope you have been able to take walks in different reserves over the past few weeks and enjoyed seeing how local wildflowers have made the most of the rain and La Nina. 

Birds are busily incubating eggs or feeding young. Koels’ calls have been heard in other suburbs. No doubt these cuckoos are watching for when Red Wattlebirds try for a second brood. Currawongs are hoping small birds will make errors that reveal where their nests are. Today I had a ‘conversation’ with an Oriole calling “Ori…ole” alongside Ginninderra Creek at Evatt’s new wetlands. And yesterday was famous for the thousands of Caper White butterflies that migrated through the ACT during the afternoon. Where had they hatched? Where are they heading? How do they know where to navigate to? On which plants will they feed or lay their eggs?

I have put up extra Snakes live here… signs this year because we’ve welcomed hundreds more people to Mt Rogers since Covid began; people who may not realise we share the place with these usually-wary natives. 
They’ve been placed at the main entry or approaches to the gravel path ...

but inexplicably some of these snake awareness signs have been taken down.  

Thank you for your caring for Mt Rogers, in whatever form that takes. It’s all community-caring, all Landcare!

Rosemary

6258 4724