An oscillating spring. Mt Rogers Update October 2009

It’s been many years since our region has looked so comprehensively green. We may not have had significantly larger volumes of rain but the falls’ pattern interspersed with warmth has set mass germination in motions for many species of plants including grasses. I’m sure you’ve noticed, over the years, that variability of these patterns causes some plants to have good years and others to have quite sparse populations. 

There was a guided walk on 4^th through Aranda Bushland. Ian & Mary showed us about 10 ground-orchid species, yellow, pinks, cream, bluey-purple, green and brown. In relative profusion amongst the leaf-litter their abundance was a contrast to Mt Rogers’ lone Sun orchid which is budding-up quite well. Early Nancy’s white flowers also grow from bulbs and have flowered in real profusion in Canberra Nature Park reserves this spring. More modestly but persistently they can be found in many of Mt Rogers grassy areas through they’re past their prime now.

Creamy candles is another woody-grassland species that doesn’t seem to flower every year. Some are in the bush ‘behind’ Woodger Place where yellow Bulbine lilies are common. There’s an unexplained but very attractive range of Grevilleas there also. The spider-shaped flowers in deep pink, reds and oranges should keep honeyeaters happy but when were they planted? They may not be ACT species. They’d probably appreciate a good pruning once the flowers are finished. Some Landcare/Parkcare people are upset by the presence of non-endemic native species in their areas but my current attitude is that they’re not doing any harm and don’t seem to be spreading.

Some walkers have noticed that many of the cactus plants growing behind gardens at the southern end of Bainton Crescent have been demolished. Hopefully this will prevent them spreading further into the bush. It would be great to re-vegetate the rocky hill near them with local native plants as it’s already a scenic outcrop with majestic old trees. Apparently the cacti were planted in the seventies to discourage burglars. They and other succulents have been encouraged and trans-planted until now. It’s likely that succulents will take on more value as Climate change progresses but we might see if any Australian succulents would be suitable rather than risk another episode of the Prickly Pear saga!

African Lovegrass and Serrated Tussock have been sprayed since the last update. The ALG-spraying adjacent to the carpark is particularly valuable as it will reduce the amount of seed walked into Mt Rogers. Contractors have also gone across-country and sprayed individual ST clumps. Inexplicably the denser infestations near where we dug out clumps haven’t been sprayed and are beginning to show new seed-heads. By chance I met another contractor, Ric, whose job it was to spray around fences and seats. On 12^th Parks, Conservation and Lands folk drove round the path presumably assessing its condition in response to several requests for “attention”. Litter patrols continue to visit the Wickens Place carpark regularly. If larger items need removing please report them through Canberra Connect 13 22 81.

Jude has taken several excellent photos of Superb parrots feeding amongst the grass. In her case they were interested in the long bill-like fruits of the introduced pink Storksbill. The pair I’d photographed some weeks ago was feasting on Chickweed seeds. Several members of our Mt Rogers community have seen flocks of Superb parrots in the last 3-4 weeks. Up to 35 have been seen together as well as pairs and possible family groups. Elsewhere in the ACT they’ve even been seen “south of the Molonglo River” which is as unusual as having these numbers of the birds here at this time of the year. Chris Davey, President of the Canberra Ornithologists’ Group (COG) is keen to hear of Superb parrot sightings because there’s obviously change in their ‘habits’ occurring at the moment. (6254 6324 or I can relay the news to him 6258 4724) To help solve the puzzle of their presence we’d need the location, time, abundance & “what they were doing!”         

Mt Rogers was host to a group of COG members today. They came to see what birds were around and ended up with a very respectable list of species. One elusive example was a Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo in the conifers near Lyn’s garden. It wasn’t calling and they don’t call “Cuckoo” like the European cuckoos. But they do parasitise other birds’ nests. When the young hatches it will push out other eggs and chicks so it can monopolise the cuckolded parents’ attention and proffered food. Although Wattlebirds’ have been busy nesting there haven’t been reports of Koels’ calls yet. Will there be several of these larger cuckoos visiting the ACT this season?

Have you seen any birds utilising or interested in the nestboxes? There are Indian mynas in one between the ‘ends’ of Rechner & Oster Places. Possibly it was these devoted parents which chased after a Kookaburra a few days ago. Surely these introduced mynas must taste horrible or we’d see more predatory birds trying to out-wit them.

The Frogmouths abandoned their 2007 & 2008 nest tree in favour of another old eucalypt in Schwarz Place. They began a collection of twigs at the old site but the first lot of gales blew these away. Pete and I walked into a cacophony of calls from about twenty Currawongs about a week ago. They were hassling the male Frogmouth as he carried out his daytime incubation duties. He was awake of course and making rather feeble-sounding noises with his wide yellow-lined mouth open. Apparently Frogmouths hissing at Currawongs is a sufficient deterrent but this wasn’t a hissing sound. Perhaps the feebleness is intensely annoying to Currawongs and they eventually give up their taunts? Perhaps, by choosing the correct fork in a tree, the Frogmouths know they’re unassailable? Perhaps the Currawongs’ hassles are a form of ‘play’ or a release from boredom?

Productive-bullying was noticed in mid-September when Currawongs and Magpies were ‘causing a disturbance’. Their victim was a fox in the bush south of the single tank. The number of suburban foxes is quite disturbing but not unusual. Presumably at this time of the year they also have extra mouths to feed.

If you’re able to walk with a pair of gloves at the ready you can make a difference by pulling out isolated Patersons Curse plants whilst the soil is still dampish. Wild Sage is also in flower with purple blooms but this weed is much harder to pull out. In some places the Sage is growing in quite dense patches whereas it’s had a comparatively quite few years. I sometimes wonder if a really sharp scythe would be an answer to these weeds but you can imagine the authorities’ reaction to anyone using scythes instead of emissions-prolific brush-cutters or whipper-snippers.

Yesterday we had quite good sightings of the Frogmouths’ two chicks. This was just before the onset of dusk and they were obviously restless or hungry or both. Today both parents were visible, the female about 4 metres from the nest. As I finish this off I can hear a Boobook calling from ‘mid-Flynn’. Wouldn’t it be great to have a spot-lighting walk on Mt Rogers!

Rosemary

           

Mt Rogers Update: July-August 2009

            During some impromptu weeding today (26.07.09) the calls of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos wafted through the bush. There were at least three of them, hugely but expertly flying between the trees in search of bark to tear back with their powerful beaks. Sometimes, when they’re quietly feeding, it seems incredible that black birds of such size can be so invisible. There were one or two begging-type calls so I assumed one of those I saw was an ‘adolescent’. Four were seen, creek-side, in Latham on 23^rd searching for galls on wattle trees and for bark with borers’ tell-tale damage. Small, perhaps family-, groups seem to be exploring their way through the suburbs. They also visit Hakea plants whose woody seed capsules wait to be split by fire for several years unless the big cockatoos find them.

            Kate installed her nestboxes about a year ago. They look more weathered now as the second year of her PhD project, assessing the impact of the introduced Indian Myna on native birds approaches. Will the nestboxes be more appealing to native birds and small mammals? Will bees resume their lives in the 4 ‘boxes they took over and will Indian mynas nest again in the 4 ‘boxes I saw them using? Perhaps you saw more than 4 Mt Rogers' nestboxes in use? Kate surveys activity in the target bushland regularly and other members of the Canberra Ornithologists Group contribute by surveying normal bird activity and numbers in the suburbs and bush nearest to the ‘boxes. Recently Kate’s replaced the boxes that bees used; one is near Flynn’s Rechner Street playground, for example. The AGM of the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group is on 5^th August at 7.30pm (at “Wests”, Macquarie) if you’re interested in these introduced avian invaders.

            Concern is being expressed about another species with invasive tendencies, the Spotted Dove. At 30-32 cm it’s about the size of a Crested pigeon lacks a crest, but does have a black neck-patch with white spots. It was introduced between 1860 and 1920 and is common in other populated areas of eastern Australia. Their ACT numbers may be low at present but there’s a strong chance they will breed up and compete with native seed-gathering, ground feeding species … and the drought’s making food increasingly scarce. Please be ready to see and hear these pigeons around McNolty and Schey Places, Spence. It would be very helpful to have reports of sightings and especially any breeding activity.

Their call is pigeon-like unlike the “boom” of the native Common Bronzewing pigeon which has bred-up and dispersed over the hill in the last 2-3 years. As spring approaches their “booming” is being heard again.

            A very disturbing report came from Steve and Scarlet after finding one of the Frogmouths dead, with its neck through a diamond of garden fencing-wire. We tried, unsuccessfully, to find a scientific home for the sad corpse but Jill was the catalyst for a returning the bird to nature through a dignified burial.

            I’m sure we’re all in the habit of checking the Frogmouths’ nest tree for any sign of activity. Perhaps the ‘authorities’ removal of some of the tree’s overhanging branches will make it less suitable. We don’t know whether Frogmouths quickly re-mate if widowed or whether the dead bird was one of the juveniles. Martin, of canberrabirds.org.au is collating information about Frogmouths’ activities this year (01.07.09 to 30.06.10) but please keep in touch about Frogmouth sightings so our community can follow the fortunes of the birds that so appealingly turned us all into bird-observers last spring.    

            Several folk have noted the building of “BMX”-runs in the wilder areas of Mt Rogers in recent months and weeks. This is a real dilemma situation as the young people approach their task with great effort, ingenuity and problem-solving. They are out in the fresh air, being active and working co-operatively within their groups. However the chances of their diggings and excavations doing harm increases as Mt Rogers recovers its naturalness and native vegetation structures. Miniature and micro-ecosystems are easily damaged when rocks and fallen timber are moved or grasses are dug out. Removing leaf-litter and fallen bark exposes soil to rain’s erosive forces and disturbs the essential sequence of decomposition and nutrient recycling that micro-organisms, fungi and invertebrates are performing amongst this dead-looking material. It might be useful to redirect their energies to areas of rank, introduced grasses and weeds and away from the best ‘bush’ but bike routes in more open areas probably don’t produce the craved adrenalin-rush and challenges. Mosses and lichens do reclaim the bare soil of abandoned bike-runs so nature will probably heal in its own way over time.

            We held a WORKING-BEE on June 19^th and made a start on the African Love-grass that’s invading, with mowers’ “help” from the car-park. We used light-weight mattocks for the clumps and progressed inland finding Verbascum rosettes and Serrated tussock that needed removal. Taking them out will prevent their seeding 2009-2010 but we’ll need to think of this as an on-going program of watchfulness as the seeds already in the ground germinate.

            Serrated tussock is a Weed of National Significance illustrating concern nationally for its spreading. Many grazing areas of the Monaro are devastated by its invasiveness. Parks Conservation & Lands have employed contractors in the past to spray this weed. Earlier teams were very thorough and walked through Mt Rogers successfully seeking individual tussocks and small patches of the weed. I’ve sent two maps in asking for help with areas that were missed last year but suspect they’ve been lost in the burden of work that falls on this section of TAMS.

            We also cut and bagged the many heads of Fleabane that were sheltering down-wind of the big burnt tree that was cut down as a result of fire-fighters’ over-enthusiasm. The bags of weeds & seed-heads went to Canberra Sand & Gravel who’ll take any weeds (except Pampas grass & Bamboo) for mulching and high-temperature composting. Aisha, Ann, Beth, John, Sally and William worked very hard and significantly increased their weed-identification skills but we were all stumped by a large beigy-brown grasshopper or cricket. It sought shelter in the grasses rather than coming up to be photographed. An initial search came up with a MUNDEICUS species but you can imagine what would happen if one Googled Cricket ACT !

            In what I call Bridget’s corner ‘behind’ Woodger Place the Purple Hovea has been in full flower for a week or two whereas it’s normal flowering time is September. Bulbine lilies and the one known Sun Orchid have lush green leaves, getting ready for bud growth. The pale-yellow Urn heath is in flower and the creamy-coloured, Early wattle is also flowering beautifully. There are two specimens that I know of.

            On nature-strips Galahs and Cockatoos are busily eating the bulbs of Onion weed. If you’re in other parts of Canberra or on a bus look closely at these ‘Cockatoos’ as some of them may be Corellas.

            I didn’t look closely enough and was complaining that I’d only seen one Apina callisto caterpillar. Since then I’ve come across many more but I’m sure they are “late” hatching. Do you remember the black, unfreezable caterpillars that were munching weeds near the path & crossing the gravel in winter 2007? We even created a make-shift notice saying DON’T SQUISH THEM…THEY’RE NOT SPITFIRES!!!. When they are about 3 cm long, the caterpillars make holes and tunnels in the bare hard soil where they pupate. I have seen Thornbills feeding in ‘caterpillar areas’ and therefore possibly eating them. The native moths fly in autumn and the species is said to be a pest in graziers’ paddocks. Southern Australian grasslands were theirs until 200 years ago of course.

            There’s been a mass-germination event following our many small ‘doses’ of rain but, often, the greenery comes from shallow-rooted weeds rather than grass species. The male Superb blue wrens are again resplendent in their blue, breeding plumage. It’s possible there are three different wren-groups on the hill. There are pairs of Scarlet robins about, foraging for invertebrates on the ground whilst in the company of Thornbills, Weebills and perhaps Golden Whistlers. Some larger birds have been seen carrying or investigating the properties of twigs. Perhaps Ravens, Currawongs and Magpies are the first to build nests but their nests are easier to find than the intricate works-of-art of smaller species…Will migrant birds be returning soon?

            Ginninderra Catchment Group has had 600 copies of a new Mt Rogers brochure printed. This edition has some agency name changes and a paragraph about our dogs being under control whilst in this “OFF-LEASH AREA” so there’s respect for others’ safety and snakes-in-season. If anyone would consider it therapeutic to fold some of the brochures whilst watching T.V. that would be a much-appreciated contribution to our community and publicising our ‘special place’!

            More publicity: Pamela & Noel will have their Rechner Place garden open as part of the Open Garden Scheme on October 17^th and 18^th. They’ll be able to show you what can be done to reclaim space from Cotoneaster, Ivy and 1970’s Wattles and how to provide habitat for Mt Rogers wildlife.

           

Rosemary Blemings, Landcare Convenor      

Contacts:
Ginninderra Catchment Group, umbrella-group for local Landcare workers, based at Kippax… 6278 3309.
Canberra Connect 13 22 81 for queries to Parks, Conservation and Lands about fallen trees, litter, etc.
Police attendance 131 444 regarding trail-bikes on Mt Rogers.

Mt Rogers - 24 May 2009: Wintry observations

May and July 2005 saw the first ‘official’ Mt Rogers plantings ‘uphill’ of the gravel path. Now that the introduced grasses have less height the shrubs and trees we planted can be seen from north-eastern round to the southern ‘edges’ of the bush. The success-rate wasn’t too bad given the drought. Quite a number of other native species have established themselves, especially in the less frequented areas. This is really heartening as we’ve noticed many trees being stressed and dying recently. Andrea gave us some photos from their home-building days and the rank grass and thistles are visible on and around their block. Also visible in the early seventies were ‘our’ wonderful 200-300 year-old eucalypts which have probably provided nest hollows and shelter for generations of birds and possums. No amount of ‘planting young trees’ will replace this natural resource in Australia’s woodlands and remnants of bush for the species that need them now.

Acacia (wattle) species occur naturally locally, mostly as large shrubs and small trees. Their seeds and pods are sought after by rosellas and cockatoos with woody galls on the older trees attracting rarer visitors such as the Yellow-tailed black cockatoos (20.05.09.). Cootamundra wattles have acquired a weedy reputation but at least three other species join it in having pods and seeds for Superb parrots visiting Mt Rogers.

Ideally we’d only plant those species which occur naturally in our area, but in changing times, and with a drier climate, planting natives as sacrifice-species to help restore different layer of habitat is perhaps excusable. Melaleucas, Banksias, Hakeas and Grevilleas survive from the early seventies, the earliest plantings. Milton is continuing with his enthusiastic efforts with tube-stock wattles but he’s able to back this up with regular watering until they’re established. I’ve planted a few (local) Box-leaf wattles but the soil’s much drier than we’d like to believe from observing our mulched gardens or rain-gauges!

Although its leaves are a bit yellowed now, the recent weather-pattern shows that Weeping grass Microlaena stipoides is gaining a reputation as an invasive grass. Luckily it’s a native and has been heralded as a valuable pasture-grass where it’s been encouraged to return to grasslands and farms in southern Australia. In places such as Mt Majura, Mt Ainslie and the Pinnacle nature reserves the grass has been eaten right down by hungry kangaroos. Let’s wish our Mt Rogers Microlaena success in overcoming some of the weedy grasses which become fire hazards at their full heights and dryness in January and February.

Most types of grasses grow in tussocks leaving bare spaces between them for small colourful forbs and reptiles (and originally the numerous species of small mammals that have become locally extinct as a result of our use of their habitat, and our insistence on introducing foxes and keeping cats). Weedy introduced species such as Capeweed, Pink Storksbill and Plantain readily take over these spaces but, in a few weeks’ time, they may provide food for the Apina callisto moth’s caterpillars. They are protected by a form of antifreeze in their bodies so their feeding on frosty mornings isn’t interrupted by the cold. They are also a bit hairy and blackish, which probably helps but are around too early to be confused with ‘spitfires’.

It is perhaps a paradox that we don’t seem to be infested with rabbits around here. Let’s keep it that way! Reserves such as the three mentioned above are in dire straits as rabbits dig under the soil for roots, tubers and corms once they’ve eaten out the grasses. Beautiful species such as ground orchids are threatened by this rabbit behaviour as they grow from tubers once rainfall and other optimal conditions trigger growth. A whole generation of germinating shrubs and young trees is at risk because rabbits nibble new shoots. Although government agencies have tried several programs including infection with viruses, baiting, rabbit-warren ripping and the use of farm dogs there is dismay at the overall lack of success in reducing rabbit numbers. There are programs such as Rabbit scan, which seek public help in surveying for rabbits.

There’s not much in flower just now. The hardy Urn heath has pale-yellow heather-like flowers along its spiny-leafed stems. To find these a detour into the grasslands is necessary. They seem to like growing amongst the rocks where there’s semi-constant temperature and retained moisture. A few Bluebells wait for the sun’s warmth before opening each day. Those we see are ‘cousins’ of the ACT’s Floral Emblem which grows in the High Country. Some main-road nature strips still have clusters of Wahlenbergia blooms. Has mowing ceased for the winter to spare them from city managers’ quest for neatness and tidiness?

Perhaps it is a bit late to find toadstools and mushroom-shaped fungi or maybe those that responded to the few millilitres of rain we had and subsequent warm days have already been eaten. When toadstools and mushrooms are visible we’re reminded that these are the ‘fruiting-bodies’ of the fungi.

Gills under the ‘cap’ produce thousands of spores which are blown away on the breeze. Under the ground there’s an amazing network of fungal threads or hyphae which, in some species, can extend across many hectares. The hyphae explore through the soil reaching out for decomposing matter which they can breakdown with enzymes. Fungi are vital in carbon recycling and therefore to soil health.* Some puffballs are only 1-2 millimetres across. Some truffles are also minute. There are hundreds of species of each of these fungi types in Australia so we can be excused for not noticing them unless, in the case of larger puffballs they have pushed their way up through soil and forest litter. Without fungi most species of plants just wouldn’t ‘get started’. Fungal associations are the norm rather than the exception even with Eucalypts growing overseas or introduced pine trees in plantations here. Tiny orchid seeds can’t even germinate without the presence of specific fungi.

Lichens are more common and obvious after rain. Lichens are closely linked to fungi since they are associations of fungi and algae. They are able to respond to moisture and rainfall bringing subtle colours to rocks and bark surfaces almost instantly. The fungi in lichens produce enzymes which are able to decompose bark, tree stumps and branches thus returning nutrients from dead materials to the soil. Lichens hosted by rocks are able to dissolve the rock, creating fragments of soil. On the bare soil surfaces in grasslands or in Australia’s arid lands lichens bind the soils between plant tussocks together. Loss of lichens when trodden by the hooves of stock is a major factor in the destruction of fragile Australian soils and natural grazing land. Obtain a hand lens and pause to examine the amazing world of lichens…sometimes the miniature structures look like expensive sets from movies. The colours and textures are something else again!

Chinese pistachio have brought their glorious autumn colours to Mt Rogers in recent weeks though winds are gradually blowing the leaves off. They are a classic case of garden-escapees and yet they’ve not yet been recognized as weeds and removed from sale in local nurseries. Birds have brought their berries into the bush where the trees poach nutrients, water and space from native plants. Box elders are also increasingly obvious when their leaves turn yellow. These are classed as environmental weeds, but the fact was found out too late and many gardens host these otherwise attractive trees. I should probably have organised more weeding sessions to reach the berries on Cotoneaster, Pyracantha, Briar Rose and Privet but time has slipped away. We could have a wander and weed and cut off and bag their berries….

* Try the website on Australian fungi at http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/index.html

Rosemary Blemings, Convenor, Mt Rogers Landcare Group

Contact
Canberra Connect 13 22 81 for reporting dumped rubbish, litter, inappropriate behaviour.
Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 for reporting motorcyclists illegally riding through Mt Rogers.

Mt Rogers - Easter update, April 2009

Belatedly thinking “Easter” and of egg-giving I found myself in the Australian Geographic shop asking if there was a fund supporting the protection of Bilbies. It appears the bilby is being promoted as an icon more worthy of support than rabbits. I fell for the pin-on bilbies, of course, as they are fund-raisers but later found two trains of thought traveling through my brain. Firstly: “Shouldn’t I curb my buying of non-essential imported items because they’ve generated emissions in their travels and utilised the planet’s finite resources in their manufacture?”

Secondly, “What about bilbies?” Will they be one of the locally extinct species that will be re-introduced to Mulligans Flat once the predator-proof fence is operational there? Why is re-introduction being attempted? Would bilbies, once widespread in southern Australia, have been part of the original Mt Rogers landscape in pre-European times?

Bilbies look cute but they’re predators of smaller mammals, insects and their larvae and spiders. By also eating fungi, seeds, bulbs and fruit they achieve an omnivorous diet. The bilby is a member of the Bandicoot family. Together with the Antechinus, Dunnart and many species of native rodents, bilbies may have earned a bad reputation through giving early settlers the impression that ‘mice’ were everywhere. In searching for food amongst leaf-litter, roots, tussocky-plants, in decaying logs and branches these uniquely Australian marsupials perform the vital function of loosening soil, moving humus, keeping the invertebrate populations balanced and extending the huge fungal and microbial networks within healthy soil.

The gentry who imported foxes so they could continue hunting didn’t foresee that foxes would decimate populations of small native marsupials and many relatives of the kangaroos. Those who released rabbits to be a source of fresh meat didn’t understand the consequences of their actions; rabbits would over-eat the plants, bulbs and roots on which bilbies and other small mammals depended. We have a ‘cute’ photo of our long-dead cat taken during ‘mouse-season’. It was some years before the truth dawned that the mice Fred caught were likely to be native mice. This morning a neighbour’s cat was stalking Eastern spinebills feeding in the Correas in our yard. It’s no wonder the small Australians have declined.

As a result of losing many of these creatures from their specific habitats Australia has the world’s worst record of mammal extinctions. The effect of such losses on the health of Australia’s fragile and often-thin soils has been under-appreciated until relatively recently. Hopefully the Fraser Cubs who walked through Mt Rogers on March 25^th will realise that leaf-litter, looking dead but teeming with microbes and invertebrate life, is just as much habitat as woodlands and grasslands. The Cubs did see several ants’ nests and noted that some were littered with small pieces of grass stems, twiggy material, millipedes’ corpses. Sometimes small piles of discarded seeds can be seen beside the nests. It’s odd for us to realise that such dry material can be nutritious to other animals. Bird droppings and animal corpses aren’t appetising to us either but ants specialise in cleaning up ‘our’ world, by taking them, micro-piece-by micro-piece, to their nests for their larvae.

The Cubs’ keen eyesight spotted a kangaroo moving just ahead of us as dusk approached. If it had time to graze there are many tussocks of Weeping grass that might be suitable. Mt Rogers is a real contrast to The Pinnacle south of Hawker. There every tussock of edible grass has already been eaten almost to the ground. If you ever need to take visitors to see kangaroos, try a walk through The Pinnacle. Their numbers are high though they can remain well camouflaged. It’s a dogs-on-lead area, and sturdy shoes are essential, but the views are spectacular. You’re likely to see additional bird species such as the Speckled warbler (a victim of Mt Rogers foxes, I suspect) and White-throated tree-creepers for which Mt R. is too small.

April is a time when bird-watchers concentrate on the movement of honeyeaters as large numbers of them move through the ACT towards warmer habitats for the winter. Some Wattlebirds may also leave. In contrast Whistlers, Scarlet robins and the Eastern spine-bills move to the suburbs’ lower elevations for the winter. A few eucalypts will flower through to early winter providing nectar and some insects for them to find. One or two large, pendulous clumps of mistletoe are just finishing flowering. They have attracted butterflies and a range of birds including the previously reported Mistletoe bird… a special sighting.

Unfortunately the arborists advising the Fire Hazard Removal crews targeted the largest clump of mistletoe near the carpark by removing the branch it grew on. There’s no doubt the branch extended over the path but it’s a loss to the birds which relied on it. Similarly, although I requested the green branches be retained, the admittedly scruffy wattle by the car-park has also felt the chain-saws. I contemplated replacing it but the ground is incredibly dry and hard and future mowing would likely go straight over any young plants as happened some years ago. Now the wattle’s gone, the wrens no longer come to see themselves in the mirrors of parked cars.

I also asked that new growth from eucalypts’ remarkable epicormic buds could be spared to continue growing after dead trunks were felled. Apparently such new growth leads to ‘unstable’ trees. The hazard removal has focused on dead trees and especially those in the thirty metres between the houses and the ‘bush’. It’s possible that blue-sprayed stumps will be ground-down at some future date especially in the mowing zone. I found the crews were approachable and knowledgeable and it was good that so many Mt Rogers people expressed their concern for ‘our patch’ by speaking with them.

The patches of Serrated tussock have been mapped and reported but I’m advised that spraying by contractors isn’t useful whilst the plants are stressed by drought or the sap’s not rising. Water’s been brought to the few Button everlastings planted on the mound behind ‘the sign’. They appear to be holding on quite well especially with the current lower evaporation rates.

I have asked the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services whether Mt Rogers could again have a name-sign in the car-park. Mr Stanhope responded that visitor numbers weren’t sufficient to make a new sign a priority at present. When I pointed out that visitor numbers were much higher than the number of parked cars indicated he compared statistics with those of Red Hill, Mount Ainslie, Black Mountain and Mt Taylor: “The site in Wickens Place, Fraser, that accesses Mt Rogers has been recorded for future signage as funding becomes available.”

We have received some amazing photos and sketches that document walkers’ affinity with Mt Rogers. Links to maps and geological information have also emerged. Thank you all for your interest…perhaps the need to be indoors over winter will lead to more cupboard-searches. I know we need that here!

Rosemary

Mt Rogers - Summer observations February 2009

After several useful ‘rain-events’ which left Mt Rogers looking refreshed and spring-like, summer has taken over with periods of extreme heat, strong winds and desiccation. Vegetation has dried-off and birds are busily feeding on grass and other seeds on or near the ground. Groups of Sulphur-crested cockatoos have shown this behaviour and become unpopular with their early-morning screeching as they leave roosts and set off to search for fruit in suburban gardens. I once thought one of their calls sounded like “Happy New Year” and wondered if the bird was repeating what it had learnt as a ‘pet’ but it certainly is difficult to think of their screeches as ‘speech’ or conversation.

            What are we to make of the “ooming” call of the Common Bronze-wing Pigeon? Calls from among tree-branches can now be heard from any part of the hill prompting the observation that the species has dispersed and numbers have increased in the last 3-5 years. Previously they frequented the shrubs near the carpark and ‘behind’ Woodger Place and would fly away rapidly if disturbed. They seem to be less shy now, even when they are feeding on the tracks where they’re easily seen. Have you seen sunlight focus on the colours of their wings? Bronze-wing is such a modest description and could raise comments on how often we’ve allocated common names which totally fail to reflect on the wonder or beauty of the organism.

            The Koel’s penetrating call has vanished as the birds have moved out of our region. They’re not averse to calling during the night. I last heard one from Flynn just after dawn on 5^th February. Olga may have seen one in a large nature strip tree with young Currawongs…there’s another species with a distinctive ‘ringing’ call which used to be a sign of Canberra’s autumn approaching. Now they are resident year-round.

            I recently noticed several Crimson rosellas feeding on Salsify. This served as a reminder that, since their original food plants have been displaced, “good birds” play a part in the spreading of “bad plants”. Similarly our dogs are just as likely to have native grasses’ seeds in their ears as they are to have problems with weed-grasses’ seeds. Salsify is the weed that has those wonderful globular seed heads before the seeds float away like dandelions’ “parachutes”. Salsify can be used as a parsnip-like vegetable as it has a robust tap-root. In 1597 the English herbalist Gerard declared “ a most pleasant and wholesome meate, in delicate taste far surpassing either Parsenep or Carrot” *. Obviously Salsify wasn’t developed to the same extent as either modern vegetable.

            There are species of St John’s Wort (SJW) that are medicinally useful. Presumably that use doesn’t apply to Hypericum perforatum which Mary has been pulling-out on her regular cross-country walks. The plants produce thousands of minute seeds but, by timely, pulling the capsules haven’t had a chance to ripen. There are also rhizomes which grow under the soil in all directions from the rosette of leaves. Most weeds have many ‘strategies’ for spreading into new areas especially when there are no natural controls to check their growth. I’m looking forward to a (12.30pm) talk at the Australian National Botanic Gardens on 12^th March which will be examining Biological control. It will be interesting to hear whether the use of invertebrate predators has been resumed in the fight against SJW and Paterson’s Curse. (The latter has had a ‘quiet’ summer in that the rain & heat pattern we’ve experienced obviously hasn’t triggered mass germination on Mt Rogers).

            Paterson’s Curse is also known as Salvation Jane as it has rescued the livelihoods of apiarists because the flowers are a significant source of nectar for honeybees’ honey production . Honeybees were introduced to Australia in the 1820’s and are vital to many sections of agriculture as crop pollinators both here and overseas. Mt Rogers has several colonies of ‘feral’ honeybees and they have taken-over at least 4 of the Nest-boxes. Sometimes the pollination processes of some species of native wildflowers are adversely affected by honeybees’ visits and nectar may be removed before native bees and other pollinators reach it. Native bees are often tiny or easily over-looked by those of us who have only recently come to know more about them. Most of them are too small to deliver an effective sting and they’re not aggressive. There’s a large area of research awaiting someone, whereas honeybees have been studied in detail as scientists try to find out more about their incredible eyesight and navigational techniques.

            European wasps are causing great concern this season as there seem to be even more around than in previous seasons. They were first recorded in the ACT in Pialligo in 1984. The worker wasps usually seen are about the size of a honeybee (12-15mm), They have shiny black and yellow stripes on their bodies with each stripe also having black spots. Their legs are mainly yellow whereas the honeybees’ are black. If wasps are seen going in & out of their nests’ entrance holes (usually in the ground, under shrubbery) they should be reported to the European Wasp Hotline on 6162 1914. Their stings are painful. They seek sugars from inside cans of soft-drink and if swallowed the swelling from a bite in the mouth can cause breathing difficulties. They are unbalancing the natural world by eating insect larvae which would otherwise be food for small ‘pest-controller’ birds or eventually act as pollinators for native flowers.

            Mt Rogers’ insectivorous birds often work through areas of bus as a mixed-feeding-flock. Several species forage together using different storeys of the bush as sources of food. Thornbills, Grey Fan-tails, Pardalotes and Superb Fairy-wrens were joined recently by a Leaden fly-catcher. It’s the first I’ve seen here this season, though I’ve heard them alongside the creek at Latham. Grey Fan-tails seem to know that if humans walk nearby a meal of insects will be stirred-up. Their ‘cousins’, Willie wag-tails…rarely seen on Mt R but not rare, wag their tails from side to side to stir up insects. (European Wagtails move their tails up and down and aren’t related!).

            A Double-barred finch was seen in the mixed-feeding-flock the little finch was a cheering sighting as they are a species needing to be near water and they depend on residences having water-features. Have you ever parked in the Wickens Place car-park and seen the Wrens pecking away at their own images reflected from your windscreen or wing-mirror?

            The car-park became a bit busier in January when several of Canberra’s keenest bird-watchers came to seek the Painted Button Quail found just under the powerlines to the east. There’s rough grass there and leaf-litter amongst the trees. Apparently these Quail create circular ‘platelets’ by moving vegetation and debris and scrape down to bare soil as part of their foraging routine. I’ve only found the platelets but the PBQ were seen several times. Quail have been seen perhaps once a year but usually they fly off and land again so quickly it’s difficult to establish which species was seen. I don’t know if we could class them as a resident species or whether foxes or cats kill those that are seen and a new group moves into the area.

            The ‘car-park’ trees also hosted two Superb Parrots briefly on 17^th February at about 9am. They didn’t stay long, flying off towards Kuringa Drive. Magpies were a bit aggressive and I wondered if they were two young parrots checking out the area on their way back towards Boorowa. Or perhaps they were part of the flock that may stay to become residents of the northern suburbs and woodlands. In January we did see a Mistletoe bird in the large clump of mistletoe near the car-park. There are still flowers to attract both the bird and the Wood white butterfly into the world of this parasitic plant but I need to find out more about mistletoes in Eucalypts.

            The magnificent old Eucalypt which has been the Frogmouths’ nest tree for two years lost a large branch. ‘The authorities’ seem to have listened and have tidied up the fallen branch and only removed one other limb that extended out towards the footpath. We were fearful that ‘they’ would take out the whole tree as being dangerous. This tree would have been one of the originals; most of the trees with smaller girth are less than forty years old.

            Several path-side dead trees on the Spence side of the hill have been marked with blue paint. We assume chainsaws will be busy soon but hope new growth where the trunks meet the ground will be spared to be allowed to keep us green. Even in summer, even in death, the barks show wonderful rustic colours and where insect tracks are visible there are detailed patterns, textures and markings. Jill has offered several photographs and sketches that show an artist’s appreciation of nature beyond and including landscape and habitat.

            Thank you for the useful suggestions about how to gather together and display our impressions of Mt Rogers. Let’s hope once the extreme weather passes we can apply ourselves to this project of recording our hill and our community. Apart from photographs, observations, records and anecdotes have come in including a fairly recent encounter with an echidna. Does anyone know anything about the geological history of Mt Rogers? Does anyone have any photos of the early days of establishing houses in Flynn, Fraser, Spence and Melba or the early plantings?

Rosemary

            *Low, Tim Wild herbs of Australia & New Zealand. Angus & Robertson, 1985. 

Contacts:

Canberra Connect 132281 For reporting dumped rubbish, litter, inappropriate behaviour.
European Wasp Hotline  6162 1914 (XCS Consulting) For reporting wasps’ nests & planning their removal.
Canberra Indian Myna Action group  www.indianmynaaction.org.au 6231 7461 for information on the Indian myna threat to native species.
Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 for reporting motorcyclists illegally riding through Mt Rogers.

As December arrives... Mt Rogers Update - December 2008

Mt Rogers has a reputation as a hot-spot for Superb Parrots among the ACT’s birdwatchers.

            For the last two springs, small groups of the fast-flying parrots have been seen in Belconnen generally and in other areas of northern ACT from mid September. Groups of perhaps 3-7 birds have been seen or heard not far from the Wickens Place carpark and around gardens south of Bingley Street. Birdwatchers living in Harrison, which is close to Goorooyaroo, have counted a flock of about 12 there. Our first question centres on the species’ traditional breeding areas close to Boorowa. How many families will migrate towards Canberra for the Christmas/holiday weeks this summer, once the young are strong enough to fly?

            The enormous interest in “our” Tawny frogmouths’ breeding sowed the seeds of an idea to compile an album of Mt Rogers as we’ve seen it. The Frogmouth family members have featured in many photographs and they’re probably the latest in a long line of ‘shots’ of our place, people, views, dogs, plants and their flowers, trees and a full range of animals. Would you like to contribute any photos you’ve taken as a commemorative compilation of the community that centres on the hill? Obviously, in this day and age, we could go beyond the limited application of a conventional hard-copy album and explore the possibilities of CDs, DVDs or even a host-website. I’ve run the idea past a few fellow-walkers but please contact me if you’d like to take part.

            One book I consulted suggested that the Frogmouths incubate their eggs for 30 days and the young are then in the nest for 4 weeks. It also specified that the male is on the nest during the day and the female by night. I did see the second adult on a branch some 4m away from the nest at dusk once but never found its camouflaged pose during its daytime roost. The daily guardian showed remarkable calmness as we marvelled at their efforts. This is the second year they’ve nested in that tree but I didn’t notice that the Currawongs had a nest above them last year. Two other Frogmouth nests reported in the region (Carwoola & Ainslie) also had accompanying Currawong nests. The birds had left the nest by 15^th- 16^th November. A foursome has been reported in the roost trees in Schwarz Place so the fledglings’ entry into the wider world seems to have been achieved.

            Koels are usually thought of as a species from the warmer areas to our north. Reporting their calls on the Canberrabirds email line showed that their spring-summer presence in Canberra suburbs was, until now, relatively unusual. Their penetrating “Ko-ell” calls have been heard regularly both day and night this season. They’re a bit longer than magpies but very difficult to locate. They show parasitic behaviour, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds such as Friarbirds and Peewees. One theory suggests that since Red Wattle Bird numbers have expanded in recent years the Koels are exploiting this increase. Is Margaret’s sighting of a Red Wattle Bird feeding a very dark, large chick a sign that Mt Rogers has hosted the cuckoos’ breeding in 2008?

            Has anyone sighted an Echidna recently? Flynn residents of “the peninsula” between Oster and Bird Places came across a Wombat in their gardens in early October. What’s the story behind its visit, one wonders!

            Sincere thanks to Liz who has compiled a laminated fact sheet and vets-list for dog walkers. This is in response to the tragic news of two Mt Rogers dogs dying from snakebite and a number of snake-sightings. One of the snakes used a long-dumped pile of pine-branches as habitat and a striped skink was also seen there. Several calls were made requesting the pile be removed. I was contacted by a TAMs officer seeking location details but whether the pile was removed by them as ‘illegal dumping’ or as a result of Heather’s request to the tree surgeon working at their place we don’t know.

            The nestboxes strapped to about 15 Mt Rogers trees continue to interest observant walkers. They have been placed by a PhD research student at ANU to assist in her studies of the impact of Indian Mynas on species of native birds. Volunteers from the Canberra Ornithologists’ Group are surveying bird populations near the nestboxes and in suburbs adjacent to the reserves and open space-areas hosting the nestboxes. The nestboxes are checked regularly by Kate but Rosellas have been seen entering some of the boxes; at least two have been taken-over by honeybees (Kevin’s removed one swarm already) and Indian Mynas are bringing food to two others. Some 500 members of the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group have removed over 20,000 Indian Mynas from ACT suburbs by trapping them in simple aviary-mesh traps in their backyards. Indian Mynas are aggressive birds and will harass both native bird species and small arboreal mammals. Unchecked, Indian Mynas will significantly alter native bird populations in bushland areas by denying them the use of tree-hollows.

            There are parties of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos moving around in search of the unripe pods of the wattle trees. I counted 15 together at one stage. The differently-raucous calls of the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos have also attracted attention even though the groups of 3-5 birds are smaller They tackle the tough, woody pods of Hakeas, pine cones and forage under the barks of trees for grubs. You’ll probably hear reports of them from around the region as they search for food once supplied by the pine plantations.

            It feels as though there has been decent rain but those with mulched gardens realise that the rain doesn’t always penetrate as well as we hope. The sub-soil is still dry & hard to dig. Greening Australia offered some Common everlasting daisies Chrysocephalum apiculatum and these have been planted near the Wickens Place carpark. There are populations of them around the hill and also individual clumps of Clustered everlasting Chrysocephalum semipapposum remaining where there’s woody-grassland. Having bright yellow flowers they readily catch the attention but, more sinister, there are also yellow patches of the serious weed, St John’s Wort. The native St John’s Wort is flowering well amongst the trees but it has very different-looking orange flowers.

            The rain has also benefited the numerous species of grasses on Mt Rogers. Two attractive types with feathery flower-heads are worth noting. Spear grasses’ seeds have a habit of corkscrewing themselves into fur, socks and laces…one of the fascinating, if annoying methods plants use for seed dispersal. African love-grass has dainty flower-heads and ‘eucalyptus-green foliage where some of the older leaves seem to be curly. It’s an extremely invasive introduced grass and is, for example, spreading from the carpark as mowers carry loose, ripe seeds. Kangaroo grass is producing new flowers thanks to the rain and, with the Spear grass is an attractive native species. Sometimes I wish we could have a few more kangaroos ‘up there’ to prevent the grass being so long in summer but that’s simplistic as not all grasses are as palatable to ‘roos or stock as (or when) we’d like them to be.

            Several trees, trackside, have pink crosses on them. Presumably they’re hazardous and marked for felling.

Rosemary

Contacts:

• Rosemary Blemings, Convenor,  Mt Rogers Landcare Group.   
• Canberra Connect    132281    For reporting dumped rubbish, litter, inappropriate behaviour.
• Canberra Indian Myna Action Group www.indianmynaaction.org.au  6231 7461  for information on the Indian Myna threat to native species.
• Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000   for reporting motorcyclists illegally riding through Mt Rogers.

Winter treasures. Mt Rogers Update - July 2008

One member of our walking community remarked about a week ago that “we aren’t going to have a winter, this year”. Then 3 days of cold, gales and sleety showers moved through! There are many Cootamundra wattles already giving the impression of approaching spring at least a full month before we traditionally welcome their beautiful yellow signal that winter’s on the wane. In the area burnt in January 2007 there are dense ‘forests’ of seedlings which show why the species is on the ACT’s weed list even though they’re Australian natives. With the parent plants destroyed there’s nothing to inhibit the germination of the heat-split seeds in ash-enriched soil. Time will show which plants actually survive beyond their first 2-5 years.

On one or two bare patches of soil I came across quite-fresh kangaroo scats. Just 30 minutes later, returning to that same area I found a young male kangaroo, took his photo and moved away from him. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a small mob to keep the wild oats and rank introduced grasses in check and thereby reduce the summer fire-risk? Solutions are not that simple, of course, and I expect sightings such as todays are the result of the individuals being separated from Dunlop or CSIRO mobs.  

Some years ago on a sleety, wintry day I was surprised to find a small flock of Varied sittellas foraging just west of the two tanks. On 27th June I came on another group of these small birds giving our trees a ‘going-over’. With distinctive yellow legs and quite short tails the sittellas glean insects from the barks of trees but tend to travel down the trunks and branches as they do so whereas tree-creepers move upwards. Sittellas are listed as a threatened species in the ACT so we’re lucky that they visited.

They were accompanied by other species of small birds including Double-barred finches. Seeing these little birds was another “buzz” as I’ve not seen them around or heard their “mewing” call for many months though I class them as residents. Scarlet robins are with us for the winter months. There was a pair in the flock, characteristically dropping down to the ground to grab insects and then flying back up to a bare lookout-branch. There are pairs of Golden whistlers with us now also.    

April is usually the time for the traditional Honeyeater migration out of the ACT with thousands of birds flying to warmer places. Sites along the Murrumbidgee corridor serve observers well but it’s common to see small flocks moving through places like Mt Rogers. Even Red Wattlebirds gather and migrate but many remain to be the dominant species in many gardens. Some White-eared and Yellow faced honeyeaters over-winter around Mt Rogers and with Silvereyes and sometimes our resident Wrens form the core of ‘mixed’ feeding flocks to host visitors like the Sittellas.

Mixed flocks allow different species of small birds to forage in safety. Each species has its own niche of preferred insects or seeds. Old, scruffy and prickly trees shelter these birds from predators such as Currawongs. There was a raptor with what could have been a feathered victim in its talons on 28^th. Perhaps it was a Brown goshawk with a Silvereye.

Dense shrubs and established bushes in nearby gardens are also essential shelter and sources of food for foraging native birds. The instinct is to request gardeners remove berried weeds from their gardens but in tough times the invasive plant species do provide food. Pruning such shrubs after flowering does reduce the number of berries available for dispersal into the bush, but, of course reduces the colourful display of winter berries that, I assume, owners enjoy. It would be interesting to know how far berry-eating species travel before depositing their load of potential-weeds. Or, in other words, how far away do gardens have to be from “the bush” before they could be said to be innocent of providing the next delivery of weeds’ berries.

You’ll have noticed that many birds seem to eat all day in order to have enough ‘fuel’ for their daily life or moving around. Birds such, as Sulfur-crested cockatoos, are large enough to have ‘time-to-play’. Have you seen them creating the carpets of prunings under flowering eucalypts by ‘chewing’-off the branches with their powerful beaks? Does this destruction damage the trees or affect the nectar-supplies for honey-eaters, bees and other pollinators?

Most Eucalypt species show enormous resilience. As we saw after the 2003 fires, many species developed new branches from epicormic buds underneath their bark. There are also examples of trees re-growing from lignotubers or adopting this epicormic regeneration process on ‘the hill’. Presumably blown over by capricious winds one or two trees now have horizontal trunks but enough roots remaining in the soil to bring water up for the leaves on vertical branches. Perhaps, in refusing to die, they’re shaped like giant toothbrushes. They certainly add to the diversity of trees’ form and Mt Rogers has a wealth of arboreal sculptures! It would be hard to capture the wonder of barks’ rain-wetted colours from a conventional paint-box. Photography, at least, can record that and the barks’ textures.

Rain stimulates another showing of resilience when mosses, ferns and lichens ‘come-to-life’ once the air is moister. Lichens hydrate and rejuvenate their special colours on rocks, bark, soil and fallen litter. According to Wikipedia lichens demonstrate helotism, a relationship whereby ‘fungi enslave algae’. The association of the two organisms produces lichenic acid which etches rocks. This etching has the effect of wearing-away rock so that plants such as mosses can take hold. There’s also a soil-building effect and lichens growing on bare soil bind the surface particles together, preventing erosion.  

A ‘cross-country’ walk brings rewards of seeing clusters of lichen-covered rocks and noting the plants which benefit from growing near them. Urn heath has pale yellow ‘heather-shaped’ flowers for most of the winter months. It’s found near several boulder clusters around Mt Rogers. Less common are the Cryptandra bushes with tiny white buds gradually opening from August onwards. These two species have slightly woody stems which reach knee height. Rock ferns hug the rocks even more closely seeking the moisture than runs off the surfaces and the cool but constant temperature underneath for their roots. In the burnt area there are many young Rock ferns but it is the older ones which are fascinating in their ability to change after rain. The heat of summer appears to shrivel their fronds into brown, almost-skeletal twists and yet they appear to green up, in a matter of hours if rain falls or as autumn brings more regular moisture. One particular group of rocks hosts a group of 13 Barbed-wire grass clumps. They are named for the shape of the flower-heads and I remember being amazed when I first found them because as I approached I expected the rust-coloured plants to be the comparatively commonplace Kangaroo grass. Three clumps of BWG were planted 2 years ago and another three are waiting to be planted up there when the soil becomes damp enough.

As we all realise once we’ve become addicted to walking amongst Mt Rogers’ plants, animals and features there is always something to marvel at and hypothesise about. What other signs of spring will be noticed over the next two weeks? Which birds will be nesting first (a magpie was recycling soft material from a fallen nest yesterday)? A large, delightful group of Silvereyes enjoyed Privet berries whilst I watched them this morning…whose garden will those weed-seeds end up in? Do some animals eat weed seeds and destroy them in the process or do the seeds remain viable in spite of their digested journey?

Why do some small numbers of species like Barbed wire grass and Indigofera survive against the odds? Are the Hoveas in flower already? Will the Frogmouths nest where we can see them this spring? What happened to the Speckled warblers? Were they and the Quail eventually taken by foxes or residents’ cats? Has anyone seen Echidnas in recent months?

Sometimes our questions can be answered by browsing books but the Internet is an invaluable tool too. Canberra Ornithologists’ Group’s website has a photo-gallery where members’ photos help with bird identification. www.canberrabirds.org.au and www.birdsinbackyards.net is also useful. Local plants are illustrated by the Australian Botanic Gardens website’s photographs.

On a slightly different tack and for those of you with water-features, the Ginninderra Catchment Group has produced a free, excellent large poster of local frogs. If you would like a copy or know who would, phone them to arrange collection from their office at Kippax 6278 3309.

If there are issues about Mt Rogers that you wish to raise with ‘the Government’ then contacting Canberra Connect is usually the best way to start. 13 22 81. There is usually a litter-patrol in Wickens Place on Monday mornings. Not so long ago I noticed a resident from a large house taking small, fallen branches home, presumably for fire-lighting. Don’t you think even such small pieces of timber belong to the food-chain for Mt Rogers animals?

Rosemary