WHAT’S A WORKING-BEE? MT ROGERS, EARLY AUGUST 2013

By the 9.30 meeting time on August 5^th, three of us had arrived at Wickens Place on a partly cloudy, beginning-to-be-windy morning and Kirsty had already caught up with Lyndon about his excellent bird photographs. (Lyndon’s Crescent Honeyeater, ‘captured’ on Mt Rogers, features in the Canberra Ornithologists’ August (and august) newsletter). Ann texted and arrived just after we’d worked on a patch of Patersons Curse (PC) rosettes near the path and were walking east into the bush under the power-lines.

Two kangaroos watched us approach, from among the tall grasses. We apologised for disturbing them and they moved away unconcernedly…just in case. Kangaroo scats of various ages showed that they use the place regularly. It’s a good, sunny spot. The rank grasses and native shrubs hide their presence but they can readily hear people walking along the path or up towards the summit. If dogs do detect them the kangaroos have a wide choice of tracks to use as they bound away to safety.

This area’s PC had been tackled before, on 03.09.12, when Claire, Chris, Kirsty and Margaret made an effort to reduce the numbers of this weed with its toxic alkaloids. Today’s PC rosettes were small and easily dug out from the damp soil with gardeners’ prong-ended diggers.

As we became more familiar with the species we were able to find smaller, newly germinated plants. It was a kneeling job, over a main area 6m x 10m, with folded sacks serving as kneelers.

I worked a few metres away, cutting off and bagging the remaining flower-heads of a patch of African Lovegrass (ALG) that has been “unattended” for several years. The plants were mattocked-out and bagged. Actually we use double-ended hoes as they’re much lighter than mattocks. The pointed blade allows digging and levering that only gradually prises the plants out of the soil. Less soil is left bare and disturbed for future infestation by any seeds that are dormant and awaiting the opportunity to germinate. By then scattering seed heads and seed from native grasses on the weeded area we are, I hope, increasing the density of these grasses so they will out-compete other grass seedlings and weeds. I also moved dead branches from near their one-time trunks and placed them over the grass-thatch to prevent its being blown away. After I’d been working for a while I looked up to see a portly Kookaburra on a branch, watching us all at work.

We each tried photographing the laid-back hunter as it kept warm by trapping air between its feathers.  Several times it swooped to the ground for an invertebrate; once I saw the victim was a worm. Again, it was a while before we realised that there were two Kookaburras sharing our patch of bush. We understood more when one of them flew directly at the trunk of an ancient eucalypt trying to enlarge a small hole into a usable hollow. We didn’t know until then to apologise to them for disturbing their morning’s work!

Last September our tendency to intersperse our landcaring with bird-watching yielded poor photos but magical memories of Kirsty’s find — a Boobook Owl perched for its daytime sleep under the yellow roof of a wattle’s canopy. Moments like that are such special rewards for the volunteering we already enjoy. There’s also the range of subjects for discussion and nature experiences shared or proffered for explanation.

Having finished the main patch we radiated out to check for outlying PC plants, finding two young privets for Ann to pull out. Flemming found a neat hole in the ground and called us over: “What’s made this?”. It was about 8cm across and more than 15cm deep. Plants draped over the edges showed it wasn’t new but, inexplicably, I dubbed it a Mutton-bird burrow.

In the meantime the Kookaburras had moved away slightly but we were sure they’d return to enlarging their hole after we left. We moved the full sacks of ALG back to the car, walking past Cootamundra wattle in full, glorious, yellow bloom. The blossoming branches are habitat for tiny caterpillars, which in turn, attract Weebills, Thornbills and other insectivorous birds. Wattlebirds’ varied calls surrounded us. We presumed the birds were moving from one tree with nectar-producing flowers to the next. In the process they’ll chase any other birds from their territory whether the others compete for food or not.

One ancient eucalypt which I once called the ‘possum tree’, fancying it had possum scratch marks on the trunk, caught our attention with its textural markings on the bark at its swollen base. We drew together to look at the artistic effect and the colours, and had no idea how such pock-marked damage had occurred. Can anyone tell us? The scribbles on some gum trees have been caused by the larvae of tiny moths but the marks here were mostly circular holes and indentations with some of them healed over by the ever-growing bark.

The carpark looks mown and neat at present though there are still ALG plants with seeds where mowers can’t reach and behead them. I believe an Orienteering event is scheduled for 14^th August. The runners and walkers will be joining us in taking ALG from the carpark into the reserve as they navigate the challenges of the day’s laid-out trails. Such events bring home what “shared amenity” means and that we can’t really claim Mt Rogers as “ours” alone. We also want other people to be converted to the wonders of Mt Rogers, though let’s hope they learn to slow down, observe and learn from animals’ behaviour and plants’ seasonal changes. Even boulders don’t remain static as lichens’ acids dissolve the rock. If we’re being realistic, ants, kangaroos, other paws, birds and breezes are moving seeds and spores around constantly.

We walked over to the “behind Woodger Place section” which was Hazard Reduction Burnt (HRB) in February 2013. I call it Bridget’s because Bridget used to live in one of the three adjacent houses. We’d removed PC rosettes there previously along with Fleabane plants and seedlings that had grown up following TAMS mowing and ALG spraying. We were able to compare the introduced Plantain or Ribwort we’d been finding earlier with the similar but native Variable plantain, Plantago varia, which grows in dense swathes in this area. The native’s leaves are a bit hairy, greyer-green, not smoothly surfaced and often have visible notches on the sides. Perhaps the geology suits them, or they like the partial shade, or the trees prevented the ground from being scoured by bulldozers 45 years ago.

The HRB has killed off younger wattles and some shrubs but most are being true to their Australianness and are re-sprouting. Indigofera adesmiifolia planted some 8 years ago are vigorous in their recovery from having been mown by an over-zealous TAMS contractor. Others, originals at this site are recovering from being HRBurnt. We upset 2 Common Bronzewing pigeons by coming into their patch and they flew away. They’ve always liked this place as a refuge amongst the shrubs and native grasses. There have been reports of them nesting in the reserve and their ‘ooming’ calls have become familiar as they’ve dispersed from the car-park area over the last 5 years.

The green leaves of Bulbine bulbosa are growing up through the leaf litter or through the winter-beige grasses. The lilies’ bright yellow flowers will bloom later than the currently-invisible Early Nancy, Wurmbea dioica. Under the trees, which host passing Superb Parrots in summer, there should soon be purple Hovea linearis if the approach of spring is to be believed.

Walking from the carpark we came across Rock fern pushing through the recently bare ground. These Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia are great survivors, behaving like mosses and lichens in that a small amount of rain or drizzle is enough to turn “dead” fronds into lush greenness seemingly within hours. (The phone included in these photos is to indicate the plants' size.)

There were more Rock ferns nearer the boulders and rocks and beyond into the more open grassland. Throughout, there are healthy Grevilleas which are tending to self-seed hereabouts (don’t tell the purists who consider these non-local Grevilleas to be weeds) because the honeyeaters love their nectar-rich flowers.

The grassed area is remarkably species-rich. Rosettes of Cymbonotus lawsonianus are designed to confuse us. The leaves look like weedy daisy leaves or like PC. The flowers might look like Capeweed blooms.

       Another confusing native is more like Flatweed with its smooth leaves. The Solenogyne dominii leaves’ edges have a small rounded toothed effect. I’ve only noticed these and their insignificant daisy flowers in recent years. Perhaps they’re less noticeable in drier years. 

Tough strappy but thin leaves belonged to Lomandra or Mat Rush species. Coming back after the HRB or pushing through grasses or the soil they’re often left by grazing animals as just too coarse to eat. Looking grass-like but actually another lily species is Tricoryne elatior, Yellow Rush Lily. They’re one of the first species to grow back from sturdy root-stock after fire. Even when flowering they can be cryptic because the flowers tend to remain closed until the sun’s been shining on them for a while.

 We found one example of another post-fire survivor: Convolvulus erubescens, Australian Bindweed. Its pink flowers also close overnight but turn expectantly towards the “moving” sun by mid-morning. We could see strong regrowth from Everlasting daisies Chrysocephalum apiculatum even when the clumps had obviously been burnt or scorched. Chrysocephalum semipapposum is represented by taller tussocks. Both have pom-pom heads of tiny, yellow daisy flowers by late spring.

Some of the grass tussocks showed charcoalled leaves where the patch burn had scorched them. New leaves are growing healthily, stimulated by ash and smoke from the HRB. Occasionally Vittadinia cuneata, New Holland Daisy, were growing in the mown but unburnt areas. They, and the more familiar, native Bluebells, seem to thrive in the toughest of locations.

There was some gruesome excitement as we noticed a Raven tearing at a hapless corpse between ‘Bridget’s’ and the bus stop on Bingley Cres. We were torn between going towards the Raven and possibly frightening it into taking off with its victim and not knowing what its food was. Moving a few steps at a time we tricked the bird into flying off and leaving what turned out to be a headless wattlebird. Nature at work, but we could only mull over why the wattlebird had met this fate. Ravens are scavengers. For decades they were mostly called crows and had bad reputations amongst graziers until it could be proved that they fed on dead lambs not ones they’d killed. They mate for life apparently and also feed on grasshoppers and other insect pests. Nesting can begin in July with the young forming groups as they mature towards breeding in their third season.

I suspect “our” magpies in mid-Flynn are also nesting, because only the male turns up for scattered dry porridge oats. So we may need to be prepared for swooping near the Flynn playground if that magpie’s hormones turn him into a two-month-rogue. A much pleasanter warning is that Frogmouths elsewhere have begun building nests. Keeping an eye on “our” Frogmouths’ usual tree-fork may show that they’re in step with those in other reserves or suburbs.

I’ve used scientific names for some of the plants so that finding their images from websites will be easier. Scientific names have a reputation for being complicated but several of us have reported that if young children are given the scientific name from the outset they don’t run into the same problems as we sometimes do. One granddaughter was as happy with Vanessa kershawi as with Painted Lady for the name of one of Australia’s commonest butterflies.

Where do the Latin or Greek-sounding names come from?  Hardenbergia violacea is a favourite scrambler, now in flower or nearly so on Mt Rogers. It was named in 1837 for Baroness Franziska von Hardenberg, curator of the collections of her brother Baron von Huegel. The violacea part of the name means ‘violet-like’, referring to their striking purple colour. If you Google Alyogyne huegelii you’ll find a beautiful Australian version of Hibiscus and it was named after Baron von Huegel. Species names that end in …ensis reflect plants’ geographic origins (ensis means ‘originating in’). For example, there’s a rare orchid found in the ACT, the Canberra Spider orchid, Arachnorchis actensis. Other species’ names refer to the shapes of leaves, the plants’ habit, the flowers’ colour or other significant features.

The next Mt Rogers working-bees are scheduled for Sunday August 25^th and Monday 2^nd September. The latter will take the form of a walk and exploration to see what spring is stimulating, starting from Wickens Place from 09.30. So bring friends and new neighbours to show them what natural history Mt Rogers has to offer.

Floriade begins on 14^th September and another Weeds Display Garden is planned. Call in to see the display to the north of Stage 88 and we’re always looking for volunteer explainers to meet and greet visitors and share stories about weeds and wise garden-planting! (3-hour shifts in morning or afternoon, with information all ready to hand out).

The above text I hope shows that working-bees aren’t all hard grind and physical labour. We observe, share and learn as we work, marvelling in the little patch of bush we affectionately call ours whilst knowing it’s home to thousands of other species.

Rosemary, Mt Rogers Landcare.   6258 4724

MT ROGERS EARLY JULY 2013

Macgregor.    On Saturday 22^nd June the Landcare Day at Macgregor was held beside Ginninderra Creek in such perfect weather that several of us peeled off layers of clothing to counter the ‘heat’ when working in the sun. We cleared weeds and the introduced grasses around the plants which were put in to replace mature poplars (removed after public consultation because they continuously send up suckers which alter the flow of the creek and make mowing time-consuming).

The young plants are doing really well and mulch was added around some furthest from the creek-line where mulch isn’t subject to being washed away during floods. Local eucalypts, wattles, bottlebrushes, Native blackthorn (Bursaria) and grasses have been restored to the creek zone.  They will add new habitat for small birds and a non-weedy vista for the many who walk along the nearby path. Passers-by called in for information and a “What’s Landcare all about” chat with Ginninderra Catchment Group providing publicity material, tools, a marquee and putting on a BBQ as Damon did for our Mt Rogers Explorer Day. With the linear Macgregor area (it follows the line of the creek) it’s more difficult to create a community of carers, but most of the Umbagong Landcare Group regulars turned up for whatever time they could spare, giving the young plants weed-free space for a while at least.

Mt Rogers working-bees.   Although all seems quite damp on Mt Rogers at the moment it is a very different Landcare site from Macgregor. Our community continues to support our landcaring by participating in a variety of activities. Flemming and Ivan scouted for Briar rose plants, collecting & bagging the hips to stop birds spreading the seeds, and dug the bushes out where possible. With Margaret and Chris, Flemming planted out some native grass plants. The little Sorghum leiocladum plants were propagated by Robert from Umbagong Landcare Group. There are two clusters of native Sorghum already on Mt Rogers. It’s a tall grass with spectacular, reddish flowers and seed heads when conditions promote flowering. We later scattered some grass thatch from a native Poa in a bare area near the ‘recent’ Hazard Reduction Burn behind Woodger Place. People can’t always be here to volunteer. Each working-bee has “apologies” as our members fulfil other obligations.

New seedlings.  Mt Rogers is largely doing its own revegetation. Let’s hope the soil stays damp as eucalypt, wattle and shrub seedlings lengthen their roots rather than rely on sporadic rain seeping through the topsoil. On 23^rd June Ann, Flemming and Ivan again worked on Briar roses and on patches of Periwinkle behind the Bainton Crescent “Cactus gardens”. And today Ann and I did some preliminary work on Cotoneaster, readying the plants for cut and daub with herbicide once the sap’s flowing again. During each session we find there are tiny weed seedlings thriving under large trees’ branches: privet, Viburnum tinus, Ivy, Briar rose, Cotoneaster. This goes to show that plants with berries, whether useful in the garden or not, are causing problems in bush reserves.

Sleeper weeds.  A list of sleeper weeds has been drawn up for the Parks and Conservation Service. These species are causing problems in the ACT’s bush because their seeds are easily dispersed even though they are favourites for gardens. We can help Mt Rogers and other reserves and their landcaring volunteers by ensuring the plants’ seeds can’t be spread by birds, blown away by wind or slip-streams or carried on wheels. Californian poppy, Seaside Daisy, Gazanias, South African Daisy Gaura, Euphorbia and Nandina are sleeper weeds. Will birds eventually begin spreading Agapanthus seeds by deciding they’re edible. Will unharvested olives become a problem here as they have in the Adelaide Hills? On a positive, native dispersal-note we did find a young Kurrajong tree today, growing where its seed had been dropped, probably by a Currawong. Mt Rogers now has about ten of these fascinating native trees.

Kangaroos.  Thank you for reporting more sightings of the kangaroos. They are an attractive part of the Mt Rogers scene seeming to use nearly every part of the reserve whilst also being adept at hiding away and sheltering when they need to. For cross-country enthusiasts the tracks they have pounded are really useful and introduce walkers to the reserve’s range of habitats. It’s easy to see that the kangaroos favour Weeping grass because the tussocks are eaten down. Until they move or flick their ears the kangaroos are so well camouflaged amongst the winter-beige grass. The other afternoon a hunched, hopping shape with a black tail crossed the gully. I’m pretty sure it was a wallaby … so there’s another challenge for observers … what solo animals are we seeing?

Frogmouths.   It’s also worth keeping an eye out for the Frogmouths. Several times they’ve been in a roost tree near the nest-eucalypt but they’re not there everyday. The tree is one near the Flynn playground and their perch-branches are above the concrete drain with its galvanised railing. There’s also an old metal Orienteering sign as a marker. Expect a dark blob equalling two birds amongst or partly hidden by the foliage.

Observer’s reward.  A report on 22^nd on the Canberra Ornithologists’ email-line mentioned finding Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters feeding on Mt Rogers with other canopy birds a few days ago. Visiting, Roger W emailed a photo of the bird with its spectacular deep yellow chin and black mask. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/rroger880/9089357937/   Kevin D has also sent a photo to capture his moment of triumph and he said he’d also seen a Crescent Honeyeater. Both are new species for my list of Mt Rogers sightings.

Birding.  Last Saturday began as forecast: “showers”. I left the myna trap baited and walked up to see what Mt Rogers could offer. Quiet small birds in a Mixed Feeding Flock (MFF) were busy in the trees and shrubs uphill from the notice-box, busily gleaning but giving each other confidence during Ravens’ and Currawongs’ calls. A larger bird moved, proving to be a male Golden Whistler and its mate was nearby. A Striated Thornbill flew so close I felt I could almost reach up and touch it. Others hovered beyond clusters of eucalypt leaves where they can see and peck at tiny insects with their thorn-shaped beaks. A Weebill had grabbed a 2 cm-long caterpillar, reinforcing how vital these insectivorous birds are to the health of plants whether in the bush, on farms and in our gardens. There was a cacophony of “Miss Piggy” Spotted Pardalote calls above us.

A coup.  A canopy-search revealed Yellow-faced and White-eared Honeyeaters and, for a long instant a Yellow-tufted Honeyeater amongst the copious buds of a Eucalypt. Wow! To think that the birds had remained here for a week after that first sighting.

Is the excitement of bird-watching a benign form of hunting where nothing is killed and the trophies are memories … and photographs if one can carry the necessary gear?

Wrens’ calls signalled their arrival and there were Yellow-rumped Thornbills on the ground. Red-browed Finches alternated between shrubs’ safety and the grasses. In an open area where the CVA crew felled Chinese pistachio for us, another Wow! Two Speckled Warblers foraged in short grass near a long-fallen trunk. They’re a vulnerable species in the ACT, delightful un-afraid little ground-nesting birds. Steve joyfully reported seeing three of them later that day. Can we claim they have bred successfully in spite of foxes and suburbia’s cats?

Undergrowth.   I then went on through the trees and along the roos’ tracks, finding forests of mosses, lichens and liverworts with sporangia giving height to their ground-hugging diversity. Recent rain has enlivened these essential plants and stimulated fungi to raise their spores into breeze-catching spaces. See some photographs here.

Musings.  You will know from these newsletters and our conversations that Mt Rogers is an obsession for me. It’s part of the natural scruffiness of the Australian bush but a miniature example of all the beauty, complexity and interconnectedness that daily enlivens our curiosity and restores our sense of wonder at life’s and Australia’s uniqueness.

As members of our caring and observant community you’ll also know that Mt Rogers is occasionally under threat from a range of forces and processes. The reserve we share reflects situations elsewhere in Australia where natural habitats, uniqueness and icons such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberley and our “food bowl” are threatened.

Shooting and grazing in national parks, logging native forests, fracking, drilling and mining on agricultural land, mining in wilderness and native forests and industrial-farming and over-fishing are being allowed by the powerful … those who have not have not yet moved beyond exploitation and domination in favour of respect for other species and, as we do, living more simply so others may, simply, live.

We are not alone.   Although feeling a sense of despair is common amongst long-term landcarers, threatened land-loving farmers and landowners and all those with a love of the outdoors, habitats and species, surely we mustn’t give up? Communities around the world are uniting in action against the destruction of their heritage by the powerful. They observe and question what is happening, question and refute the accompanying “spin” and adopt whatever form of activism each situation requires. Thousands of organisations are involved involving millions of individuals and yet their activism is rarely reported in the mainstream media. Google wiser.org, to Discover, Connect and Share what’s happening.

Even if we’re time-poor the Places You Love Campaign is concentrating on saving Australia’s special places, national parks, nature and marine reserves by asking that we phone/write to our MPs saying environmental protection laws must remain under the control of Federal Parliament and not be devolved to the states. The campaign’s website lists, with links, all the organisations who are partners.

The importance of activist-numbers to amplify everyday Australians’ voices is paramount.

Change has to come and is coming from the grassroots, from people like us.

Rosemary, Mt Rogers Landcare Group. 01.07.13 - 08.07.13.   6258 4724

MT ROGERS AT AUTUMN'S END…..MID MAY 2013

The weather forecast spells the end of the glorious extended autumn with an increase in the number of frosts likely to begin the cooling down of the soil and consequent reduction in obvious plant growth. No doubt growth will continue below the surface as roots continue the expansion they've achieved over the past two "good" seasons. Some people have observed that many plants had fewer flowers during summer and that they have been concentrating on the growth of leaves and branches whilst there was dampness to support the growth.

Fewer flowers has meant less nectar and pollen for honeybees and the larvae in their hives. With other threats affecting honeybees overseas the bees' reduced pollination services for our food crops becomes increasingly serious.

In the European Union pesticides containing nicotinoid chemicals have been banned due to the effects on bees. There is an online petition going round which calls for a similar ban in Australia.*

There's very little colour to attract bees to Mt Rogers at present. The exceptions include a rangey, yellow-flowered member of the mustard family, Hirschfeldia. The flowers may also be visited by butterflies with Cabbage whites and Meadow Argus still quite common once the mornings have warmed up.

Both our recent (human) working bees have been guided by colour. Thank you to Ann, Barbara, Flemming, Ivan, Lorraine, Michael and Sue who each volunteered a few valuable hours and allowed us to cover several hectares of bush. We've been seeking-out the leaves of Chinese pistachio and removing the trees when they're found whether large or small. It's the female trees in gardens that are causing the spreading of the species' berries but purchasers wouldn't know which trees they have for several years. The pistachio is one of several commonly used plants which are on a new listing of "sleeper weeds"…species which are now turning up in nature reserves like ours and adding to the workload of volunteer weeders and the ACT Government's rangers.

Scarlet hips from Briar Rose are visible in places but the thorns make their removal and daubing a slow process. Cotoneaster, pyracantha, privet and hawthorn also advertised their presence with some berries and yellowing leaves for the hawthorns. There's a large privet tree near here in mid-Flynn that's covered with pendulous branches of navy-blue/purple berries. If only it were a simple matter to ask the owners to remove the tree & take it to be composted before the birds are hungry enough to eat and disperse the berries into other gardens or nature reserves.

Red grass or Red-leg grass, Bothriochloa macra, is an obvious and widespread native grass which shows reddish stems and leaves now. To those who seek an immaculate nature-strip it may be a weed but there are also many areas of this grass on Mt Rogers now. There are few green grasses at the moment and it's possible that green areas have access to the reserve's underground residues of water or run-off. In the suburbs, green grass in public areas may survive on leaking pipes or swimming pools. ACTEW's water number is 13 11 93 if these green patches are wasting increasingly-precious water.

Shrubs with green visible may be the fine-leaved Cassinia bushes with some still showing the remains of their Cauliflower Bush flowers. Two wattle species have greener-than-eucalypts-leaves at present. Acacia implexa's leaves are curved whereas Acacia melanoxylon leaves are straighter. The former has formed almost-thickets where the seeds have been stimulated to germinate by fire.

As I walked this afternoon I heard the calls of and then saw a White-eared Honeyeater. Its white ear feathers are obvious but the name detracts from the glorious olive-green of its feathers. Scarlet robins are about, also seeking insects and the males' breast feathers really are the strongest scarlet…a much stronger hue than the un-related European red-breasted robins after whom they were named.

With the onset of the dryness and with the grasses' flower-heads gradually dying-down it's been easier for cross-country walkers to reform their preferred tracks and paths across and through the reserve. The paths are clear but dusty as we'd expect and with rocks poking through they're an interesting challenge for the sure-footed and well-shod walkers.

Other tracks through the bush show the regular routes of the kangaroo population. There have been several reports of people seeing 7 animals. They certainly use all parts of the reserve if their scats are anything to go by.

Presumably it's young people who have fixed wooden battens to the trunk of the 'Bench-mark' tree so they can reach a platform-lookout they've installed.

I hope the multi-century-tree's bark is thick enough to be unaffected by pathogens on the screws and nails that hold up the battens. Nailing signs to trees and piling lawn-clippings against trees' bark are other signs of ignorance leading to the possible death of the affected trees. Sometimes, too, the wonderful ancient trees remaining as features in newly developed suburbs later die because the soil around their extensive roots has been compacted by machinery, causing the destruction of essential air pockets.

 
I came across a dead Hakea decurrens which has Bushy needlewood as a common name according to Google. Hakea were named for Baron Christian Ludwig von Hake, 1745-1818, German patron of botany if that helps de-mystify the complexities of one species' names for you! It's a local native and the woody seed pods have a two-tone effect when heat opens them to release the seed. I pondered the amount of energy that goes into the production of these seed pods as each mature plant has dozens. Most of the Hakeas burnt in the eastern Hazard Reduction Burn have young seedlings now growing nearby: a testament to thousands of years of evolution for a genus responding to fires.
 
Did you manage to join in any of the Heritage Festival events between 13-28^th April? One I particularly enjoyed was Return of the Bellows at Ginninderra Blacksmith's Workshop. We've all driven past the tin shed' beside the Barton Highway dozens of times. It's near the equally cryptic property Deasland, after which Deasland Place in Fraser is named. The National Trust organised the ceremony to explain how the huge bellows for the blacksmith's forge were repaired as a conservation education project of University of Canberra students and a Queanbeyan specialist metalwork business. The shed, built around 1860, has been repaired in recent years and archaeologist Dr Peter Dowling mentioned how various metal objects had been unearthed as the dirt-floor of the shed was studied. Harry Curran was the last blacksmith, retiring in the 1940s. His granddaughter was there and she'd revealed that blacksmiths and farriers could easily tell which leg of a horse the remaining horseshoes had fitted. That carriageway of the Barton highway was the original road between Yass & Queanbeyan and Ginninderra was "forerunner to Canberra" with many buildings and homes near where the creek runs under the highway today.

Perhaps it's a feature of age but history can become addictive. It does reveal much about our past, our culture, the region's original inhabitants and how resourceful and inventive people can be…of necessity. At another event we were shown a recipe for Parakeet pie. It took eleven Rosellas to make a pie. It also shows how the larger native birds became locally extinct in a hungry settlement.

Another 'history' has recently been launched: A Labour of Love: celebrating landcare in the ACT. Lyndon's photo of 'our' frogmouths features prominently.

 

Rosemary, Convenor Mt Rogers Landcare Group

12.05.13.

*(Another current online petition from CommunityRun seeks to halt the spread of Coal Seam Gas (CSG) activities in Australia. The CSG industry's chemicals' effects on ground-water is the catalyst for this petition as is the treatment of farmers and their communities by the CSG industry.)

AUTUMN 2013 ON MT ROGERS: MT ROGERS LANDCARE GROUP’S OCCASIONAL NEWSLETTER

Activity

Any time now we may begin to see unusual bird species passing through Mt Rogers reserve as part of the Autumn migration. Often birds are leaving their higher-country breeding areas or migrants may be leaving their almost-urban breeding places for warmer weather in the north. Koel calls are much less frequent. We have had at least two good photos from Mt Rogers folk of Koel chicks being fed by cuckolded Wattlebirds.

Almost on cue seven kangaroos watched us move into the weeding area on 5^th March. Three students (from Belgium and Japan) were delighted to have this very real bush-experience as part of their CVA* volunteering day for Mt Rogers. When a Huntsman spider emerged amongst Chinese pistachio branches, forebodings about dangerous Australians seemed too close for comfort…but the camera came out to rescue the moment. Ken, from Spence, was the CVA team-leader again using a chain saw when needed. Nerida, Jen and Ray were determined to cut out environmental weeds even if they were deep under other trees or bushes.

On 24^th Ivan and I pulled out hundreds of Fleabane plants in the open area below the second-summit. We bagged the flower-heads and those of about 30 thistles that were also ready to disperse their ‘parachute’ seeds. 

Fleabane was also the focus of efforts “behind” Woodger Place on 4^th as seeds in the soil had taken advantage of good growing conditions once the African Lovegrass (ALG) had been sprayed there. (Photos above show 'before' and 'after' pulling out fleabane.) With Anne and Ann’s help flower heads were bagged because these daisy-family plants seem to continue maturing even when the plants have been pulled-out and left to dry out in the sun. Claire pointed out Patersons Curse plants in the grass parallel to Wickens Place so that’s how we began our volunteering that day.

Professional teams have sprayed Chilean Needle Grass infestations and followed up with checking the ALG that was sprayed last year. Invasion by both these species is so comprehensive now that the ACT land-managers’ aims are to keep these grasses out of clean areas. Our certificated volunteer sprayers will check the reserve for isolated tussocks. As you know both grasses are spread by mowers and the same pattern of spread by wheels is bringing these grasses to almost every nature strip.

Google notes that Fleabane is a weed of cropping areas needing light for the seeds to germinate. Each plant can average 110,00 seeds. A new book suggests boiling fleabane greenery to produce an infusion which can be used as a rinse against dogs’ fleas.  No doubt older generations knew of the plants’ value.

The Trivia night

Ginninderra Catchment Group’s Trivia night at the Belconnen Labour Club proved to be a cheerful occasion. Questions ranged from the obtuse through the sporting, the environmental, general knowledge and quick-reading of brochures, such as our Mt Rogers one, for local facts about each reserve. Tim the Yowie Man kept the pace manageable. Several local businesses had donated prizes for the raffle. Over $3,200 was raised for Catchment Group projects.

The HRB

By the time you read this you may have noticed plumes of smoke rising from a scheduled Hazard Reduction Burn (HRB) in the Dunlop Grasslands. (09.03.13). On 20^th February the high-quality woodland area behind Woodger Place, Fraser was burnt as an HRB. Pat alerted me to the early-evening event, carried out by the Rural Fire Service for the Parks and Conservation Service’s Fire Management Section. It was quite a spectacle with flashing coloured lights, the burning spots’ flaming colours, the crews’ yellow protection suits and helmets, smoke and steam as each patch of fire was controlled by fire-hoses. Apart from one area involving a recently fallen branch the damage was much less than expected as long as the native plants react as they’ve evolved to do from aeons of natural or Indigenous peoples’ fire events. I gather that nearby residents had been letter-boxed to expect the HRB. Spurred on by your reactions to the August 2011 HRB in the east and pressure from Ginninderra Catchment Group, a brochure Living with Fire is being produced. The aim is to explain the complexities of fire in Australia and the current reasons for HRBs. I think it should be available to all Canberrans as we all have the potential to be affected by smoke from fires and HRB events in treasured neighbourhood reserves. There’s more information on the TAMS website > Parks and Recreation > Bushfire Management in the ACT.

Other observations

Pat has been working on a patch of Periwinkle close to their house and is bringing it under control. I expect it has developed from dumped material years ago. Periwinkle is Canberra’s “favourite” weed. Everyone has a tale to tell of this ever-expanding ground cover as it usually comes through fences from next door. It’s one of the weed species that will earn donors free native plants at the forthcoming Weed Swap (April 6^th & 7^th). Canberra Sand & Gravel’s yard at Parkwood is the venue; it accepts garden waste, including weeds and prunings , 364 days per year.

Phil has been applying logic to drainage in parts of the reserve by diverting erosion-causing run-off to areas where it will actually reach the intended drains or at least slow down by passing through grasses before reaching the gravel track most of us use.

Lyndon continues to photograph our wildlife and has images of the Boobook owls which revisited Helen & Chris’ garden in Spence with their fledged family.

Has anyone seen the Tawny Frogmouths or noticed them in garden trees? I notice several people glance up at their nest-tree hopefully as they walk past.

Cockatoos are still interested in an almost-hollow in a lower fork of the same tree.

King Parrots are piping as I type and come to next-door’s feeder. It is apparently better to only supply birds with water but I find it hard not to throw a few porridge oats towards “our” teenage magpie. Trying to work out the complexities of bird behaviour may even be good for the grey matter.

For example a group of Rainbow Lorikeets seems to be roosting near us in mid-Flynn. Have you noticed these swift, noisy flyers? It’s thought numbers have increased from birds released from an aviary some 15 years ago…they’re not native to Canberra.

The photo below is of a tiny disused nest found in a hawthorn bush (the leaves give an idea of scale) during the CVA working bee. 

Ian Fraser has a Blog these days IanFrasertalkingnaturally. There’s also one from Denis Wilson writing about what he observes in Robertson The Nature of Robertson. Denis learnt bird-banding in the ACT from his father Steve & has many wildlife anecdotes and identification skills.

If you would like a copy of Life in the suburbs: Urban Habitat Guidelines published by the ANU please let me know or try www.lifeinthesuburbs.com.au

On Clean Up Day alongside Florey drive and Ginninderra Creek at Latham-Macgregor the greatest proportion of collected items were drink containers. If you have the chance to ask MPs to support a National Recycling Scheme please do so. It’s only because diligent Mt Rogers folk pick-up after the litterers that Mt Rogers is usually a clean place. And TAMS litter patrol regularly comes to Wickens Place.

Rosemary

Mt Rogers Landcare   6258 4724

* Conservation Volunteers Australia draws volunteers from overseas and local enthusiasts who are keen to help restore habitats a few hours per week, or month. For the young people it’s a chance to see different parts of Australia and to work surrounded by native plants and animals. 

MT ROGERS AS 2013 BEGINS + update

[Blog update, 30 January. Early January post ('Mt Rogers as 2013 begins') is further below.]

After what seemed like a week away I've now had four "wanderings-around".

The first were in relation to the WALK, WONDER AND WEED Guided Walk on Sunday 27th and after we'd had 45ml rain here in mid-Flynn. I heard that Latham received 60ml but I expect there are variations on a flooding theme.

On the walk Tahlia walked to the summit with her mother, Mary, promising to carry her on the way down. We saw two KANGAROOS on the other side of the GULLY and plenty of green ENVIRONMENTAL WEEDS to occupy a Conservation Volunteers Australia crew if we can book them later in the year. 

To illustrate the point, two not-yet-crimson Rosellas were eating green pyracantha berries in the same area. Do they crush the berries' seeds into infertility or spread them in their poo?

On another credit side I discovered our tallest KURRAJONG tree. It's been poo-ed in by a bird perched on a dead mass of Cootamundra wattle branches....but several years ago I'd say.

On the walk up the Gully the erosion and debris piles caused by the rushing water were  easy to see. Phil showed where he'd taken a shovel to change the drainages line for water. His work has the effect here, and over in the east (on Burnt track) of diverting the water away from the gravel path & significantly reducing the erosion of the communal path (a logic the TAMS people hadn't worked out when they repaired the path & when the two new concrete drains were installed.)

The DEBRIS PILES showed how water-borne material builds up behind obstructions (such as grass tussocks, rocks, small branches). This forces the water to slow-down and spread sideways across the miniature landscape as creeks and rivers have done for aeons. The debris contains sediments such as silt and soil, woody and grass pieces & seeds. In time the seeds may germinate and help the obstruction become a permanent structure that helps with revegetation.

Kathy was interested in identifying African lovegrass (ALG). There are a few plants on the mowed track up the edge of the gully and more as emerging plants where the CAR-BURN still scars the ground at FIVE-WAYS on the ridgeline. I expect the rain we've had will favour ALG as it's very good at using the slightest scrap of water for sending up new flowers.

In this area there's one of the original plantings of SNOW GUMS where the offspring are looking much healthier than their parents ever did. Have they adjusted to the conditions on Mt Rogers even though we're some10km from the naturally occurring Snow Gums that are part of the walks in Aranda Bushland?

I don't visit the summit very often but for the walk Mary was given some landmarks to help with her bearings. The impact of Gungahlin is all too clear whereas Hall remains screened by native and the village's exotic trees. Mary B walked up towards the summit with one Golden Retriever in addition to her own two.

The track down to the south-east corner again showed how Phil's earthworks had reduced the erosion-causing torrents. Another example of volunteer-labour saving the authorities many $1000's

We had a "wonder" about the Eucalyptus pulverulenta which looks over the gully down to Bainton Crescent. It's a very un-Eucalyptusy Eucalypt or rather its leaves retain the rounded shape that we associate with juvenile gum leaves. The Silver-leaved Mountain Gum is "Very rare and localised in the wild, the nearest population being found on Black Ridge southeast of Bredbo". Fortunately this rarity has been tempered by their being propagated in numbers which could be used when the new Belconnen suburbs were being built. There are several on the edges of Mt Rogers and in other open spaces between suburbs.

Just before returning-to-base we had a look at the rocky area at the end of the "mountain-bike" track. The Barbed wire grass I'd planted some years ago are just beginning to show why the grass has that name...for the shape of the flowers. We were delighted to find that the BURSARIA we planted when Anne and Kirsty took out the large pine seedling is in full flower.

No sign of the FROGMOUTHS though we were able to look closely at the NOISY FRIARBIRDS' nest which had been blown down in the storm. We were able to see how the birds had WOVEN the nest material over the small eucalypt branch so it wold hang down amongst the tree's leaves. The nest's made of strips of reddish bark, twine, a piece of cord, dog hair, white plastic strips and even a piece of gold tinsel. The nest was placed near the NO MOTORBIKES sign if you have time to pause & WONDER at the no-hands construction.

The rotting sleepers of TROLL BRIDGE have been replaced. I wonder what would happen if we placed a troll just under the bridge or how long it would last to trigger a smile or two? 

The COCKATOOS have left quite a few feathers behind under and around their roost trees near the Rechner Place playground. Superb parrots roosted nearer the Barber Crescent corner for w couple of nights but their calls are no longer trilling through our suburbs. Groups of Superbs have been seen at the AIS, near the Jamison centre and on Belconnen golf course in the last two weeks. The KOELs' calls are still heard but much less frequently. Perhaps they know that their northern return journey would take them into the remains of Oswald.

DOUBLE-BARRED FINCHES were carrying pieces of grass into a bulky nest-like structure in a prickly Hakea bush just off the blue-metal track to the summit. On Monday 28th there were about 10 of these delightful little birds on the tower-side of the car-burn. They're not always, obviously around but sometimes their mewing calls can be heard.

Even rarer, SPECKLED WARBLERS were in the same area later, also with a mixed flock of small birds that included RED-BROWED FINCHES. 

A Black-shouldered kite was making use of the telecom-tower or flying whilst on the look-out for prey.

Helen and Chris reported that their BOOBOOK family had returned to the edge of their Spence garden. The timing, about 15th, was similar to the owls' arrival last year. Chris and Margaret have had daily encounters with a young BUTCHERBIRD who has worked out their BBQ-habits. These reports are marvellous as they keep us all in touch with the wildlife and the seasonal changes that make our walks and wanderings extra worthwhile.

For the past two mornings I've been out after some SERRATED TUSSOCK tussocks that I missed. Some were between the tower and the 'second summit' with its gaunt dead tree. Quite likely the majority of the grass's seeds have already been blown away but at least they're in my memory more strongly now. After the rain I've found that FLEABANE plants pull out readily, with a steady pull to leave most of the soil behind. There are a few Thistles around too. Beautiful pink-purple flowers but their seeds are also easily blown away if left to ripen. Near the boulders in the middle of the "mountain-bike" track a magnificent 1m Brown snake slithered away. Perhaps it had only recently shed its skin as it was more olive/khaki than brown. My gaiters gave a sense of security.

I'm hoping that the soil will still be damp enough for some similar weeding on Monday 4th...pulling Fleabane where we find it amongst quality vegetation and bagging thistle-heads.

See some of you then (Wickens by 9am), I hope!

[The blog post below is from January 2013.]

Numbers: In reflecting on the wildlife recently seen on and around Mt Rogers it occurred to me that people were the most numerous beings with, of course, their canine companions. Even though the swarms of Plague Soldier beetles now seem to have moved on in their life-cycles we are very far from being the most abundant animals there if all the invertebrate species are tallied….even the ones we know of. Butterflies are often seen with many of the males seeking mates by flying to the tops of hills and sending pheromone messages to females. This behaviour seems especially true of the Common Brown butterflies. At home the Cabbage whites are frequent visitors and their eventual green caterpillars have defoliated a few over-grown rocket plants.

Dogs: Has anyone ever sat down and counted the different breeds lucky enough to be exercised in the reserve? Of course there’s a range of “intermediate” characters with their parentage sometimes apparent from their looks! If this is the first newsletter you’ve encountered as a dog-walker please be aware of the likelihood of snakes being about especially away from the main gravel track. Keep an eye on what dogs are being curious about and there are also lizards and kangaroos that might attract their attention.

Koels:  In our four suburbs we’ve become familiar with the Koels’ “Ko-elle” calls since the birds moved back into the ACT region from further north in mid to late October. Around here the calls have been consistently heard most days whereas in other suburbs their presence has been more sporadic, according to the canberrabirds*email reporting line. Koels also give a “Wirra wirra” call but neither sound makes it easy to locate the callers. They have only been part of the Canberra summer for 2-3 years. They show cuckoo-like behaviour, laying their eggs in others’ nests and leaving the parenting to species like Wattlebirds and Noisy Friarbirds. Check the COG* website and gallery or Google to see what these Currawong-length birds look like.

Nests & hollows: There’s a Friarbird’s nest just at the entrance to Mt Rogers

from Schwarz Place.  Today one of the parent birds was following a recent trend of inspection just below the Frogmouths’ vacated nest fork. In recent days two Rainbow lorikeets, Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have been checking out the fork and possibly enlarging a potential hollow. Pam pointed out a hollow that’s been used by Kookaburras. Perhaps there was a happy ending to several observations of Kookaburras’ beaks smashing at nest-boxes and tree hollows to enlarge entries for their use. One of the birds was preening nearby and I watched another dive into a Flynn garden an hour later. Is it dispersal time and you’ll be seeing and hearing them further away from Mt Rogers?

Magpies:  We’ve had several months of absorbing magpie-watching at our place. The heroine is from 2011’s brood. In spite of the “buzz-off” behaviour of her parents as they nested in 2012 she’s refused to take the hints (sometimes these are quite vicious especially from father). She’s busily moulting feathers and changing from dappled grey to black and losing flight and tail feathers. I’d imagine new feathers to be a very itchy process over and above the normal presence of mites and other insects amongst feathers. No wonder chooks like to dust-bath. From conversations with other Mt Rogers’ folk I’ve concluded we could compile a book about our observations of magpies.  In 2011 South Australians did just that. The Fearsome Flute Players: Australian magpies in our lives is the result. It combines anecdotes with biological explanations and also illustrates very strongly that connection with wildlife, nature and the outdoors is a vital factor in our wellbeing. If you would like to borrow the book, let me know!

Cockatoos: Hearing Cockatoos (SCC) flying over Flynn in screeching, early morning hordes reminds me that we should feel compassion for Schwarz and Rechner Place residents who bear the brunt of this daily assembling and dispersing cacophony. The cockatoos preen near the Flynn playground leaving discarded feathers to float, on one last flight, down to the ground. Earlier the SCC were feasting on Cootamundra wattle pods, holding the pods with their left feet. Now they’ve turned their attention to other wattle species and they’re sharpening their beaks on other trees’ branches.

Superb parrots:  Since October there’s been no shortage of Superb parrots’ calls locally and some sightings of these swift-flying, unusual birds on Mt Rogers. They are usually in small groups with males being most obvious early on. Apart from Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo nature reserves the birds’ nesting sites are still unknown to most. In the past 7-10 days we’ve heard more begging calls from the young birds in family groups. Have you seen the parents regurgitating food for the clamorous offspring? The parrots are feeding on unharvested fruit from our gardens and wattle seeds. No doubt they will move elsewhere when they exhaust our suburbs’ supplies. Do we agree that for 2012-2013 flocks of 20+ Superb parrots haven’t been sighted here? There have been sightings of a larger flock at the AIS. Perhaps COG members will be able to draw conclusions about the apparent changes in Superb parrots’ movements and their overwintering in the ACT in larger numbers than previously.

Fruit, seeds and weeds: As our lives have become busier the fruit trees planted or inherited in our gardens provide food for birds rather than people. Trees and shrubs issued as free screen plants provide berries and seeds for birds but millions of these are dropped into nature reserves where they out-compete native vegetation. These plants, privet, cotoneaster, pyracantha and broom, are targeted for removal by Mt Rogers Landcare Group’s volunteers. Home gardeners with these environmental weeds can take them (and other garden weeds & prunings) for mulching to Canberra Sand & Gravel’s landscaping yard at Parkwood. Twice a year free native plants are exchanged for berried bushes as an incentive to encourage their removal and reduce weed-spread.

Grasses: Spearheaded by Steve D’s efforts, we’re spraying African lovegrass and Chilean Needle Grass. Amongst the denser vegetation we’ve sought out Serrated Tussock, collecting the seed heads to prevent millions of seeds blowing away in the breezes. All three grasses are significant weeds in southern Australia, causing major agricultural losses and altering native grasslands’ flora and fauna. The Ginninderra Catchment Group supports our work with grant-funded spraying programs and the ACT Government’s agencies assist when funding for spraying is available.

With the onset of summer grasses have reduced their growth to concentrate on seeding. This gives the mowing program a chance to “catch-up” and gives reserves a park-like appearance. On Mt Rogers mowers have widened the bush-tracks. This makes our daily walks easier but runs the risk of transporting invasive grasses’ seeds on the machinery.

As summer progresses native grasses come into their own and flower. These grass species were despised during early settlement by graziers used to European varieties. Agricultural policies once included pasture improvement through the sowing of Phalaris and oats species and may have benefitted the sheep that grazed Mt Rogers more than fifty years ago. Maybe our small mob of kangaroos benefit by having hiding places.

These introduced species and Fescue are currently the tallest of the rank grasses on Mt Rogers. The wild oats are related to the crops grown for stockfeed, porridge and muesli.

Finches and some rosellas feed on the seed-heads but ground-feeding birds have fewer short-grass areas for seeking insects. As the climate dries out again perhaps these tall-grassed areas will retreat and, amongst the trees, the leaf litter recycling will resume.

  

A Happy and Healthy New Year based on exercise, fresh air and the natural world!

Rosemary     Mt Rogers Landcare Group….6258 4724     01.01.13.

*COG Canberra Ornithologists Group. 

Mt Rogers, Spring (November 2012)

Will it ever be green again?

This might have been the title to this update, but since I posed that question it’s rained for twelve hours after the Melbourne Cup and even the introduced annual-grasses that were browning-off have been somewhat flattened. The 2012 Spring, which has absorbed my time at the Bush Friendly Garden at Floriade and the Weed Swap of 3^rd & 4^th November, has produced a surge of green growth and plants’ energetic flowering . Overall, I’ve recently heard, plants are putting their energies into growth rather than flowering. This is affecting bees as there is less nectar for them to harvest. Many small privet seedlings are growing green from where they were deposited in bird-poo.

CHANCE

I’ve not noticed patches of Onion orchids this spring but the single Sun orchid has several flowers which wait until the sun shines on them before beginning their flowering sequence. Another Sun orchid was recently found by the Umbagong Landcarers between Latham streets and Ginninderra Creek.  Such finds are often chance events similar to sighting less common birds so it’s wise to carry camera or smart-phone and binoculars if possible! The native violet, Viola betonicifolia, that emerged after the drought is flowering from two plants this year on Mt Rogers.

GRASSES

Ginninderra Catchment Group initiated a grasses identification  session last week, focussing on African Lovegrass (ALG), Chilean Needle Grass (CNG) and Serrated Tussock (ST). There’s no shortage of ALG on Mt Rogers but you’ll remember that large areas were sprayed to reduce the invasion last year. At Kippax, there were tussocks of ALG and CNG within a few metres of the Catchment Group’s office near the playing fields. Steve, Ann, Ivan and I took part and we later examined and removed several ST tussocks from a nature strip alongside Florey drive. The householder had been hoping they were native grasses. He’s not alone in unsuspectingly hosting highly invasive grasses. He’ll be given some Bluebells and native grasses as replacements.

Having our “weed-grasses eye in” it’s horrifying how much CNG can be found. For example it’s common around the Flynn playground under the trees there.

Mowers brought the seeds in originally. Since the playground area was mown this week I wonder where some of “our” seeds have now been spread.  I had a brief look through a thick weeds book and the Grassland Flora  and reckon there are at least 45 different species of grasses on Mt Rogers with 15 or so being Australian natives.

WONS

Weeds of National Significance include CNG and ST, Blackberry, most willows and brooms which are flowering in many gardens at present. Whether in our region or elsewhere WONS weeds are highly invasive because they have no natural predators to control them in Australia.  The greatest losses of native plants and animals occurs through loss of habitat. Since weeds destroy habitat by taking space, nutrients and water from native plants they surely have just severe an effect as clearing of land for various forms of development and agriculture. Spending money on weed management is a low priority for governments but our Ginninderra Catchment Group has allocated money for follow-up spraying of blackberries, ALG, CNG and St Johns Wort on Mt Rogers and Mt Painter in Cook.

“OUR” FROGMOUTHS

During the week beginning 12th November we noticed that the Frogmouth chicks were increasingly restless on the nest during the day. By mid-week we’d had a report that one chick was away from the nest with a parent whilst the other was still on the nest with, presumably, its father. This morning (17^th) we noticed the nest was empty but three walkers chanced on the chicks out on a branch of the same tree with one parent. The other parent was across the path in another, smaller, eucalypt. Our next challenge will be to find their roost each morning before they really move away from ‘home’. Fledging events are being reported around Canberra where birdwatchers are following their own favourite pairs of these incredibly camouflaged, nocturnal insect-hunters.

EUCALYPTS

Eleven of us gathered by the Frogmouth Tree to be led on a stroll around the reserve by Laurie. That tree proved to be a bit of a riddle: perhaps it’s a Blakely’s Red Gum* or maybe a Yellow Box**. Closely related eucalypts hybridise quite readily so even a close examination of fallen gum nuts doesn’t always give definitive answers. There’s a useful brochure, A Guide to Eucalypts in the ACT,  with tabled details and drawings of buds, nuts and leaves from 20 species.

(Before we walked up the gully we noticed the Bottlebrushes in flower near the concrete drain. The plants’ flowers are greenish-cream but we thought the plants themselves would have been planted there in the seventies.)

The three main Eucalypt species on Mt Rogers are *Eucalyptus blakelyi, **E. melliodora, E. bridgesiana  (Apple box) though we did find three Eucalyptus rossii (Scribbly gum), and two of them hosted honeybee nests.

We had a look at one of the groups of planted Snow Gums. The veins on their leaves are almost parallel. Just beyond the iconic “Benchmark tree” we came across an Echidna. It tried burrowing in the hope that we’d not seen it but several cameras clicked away busily to capture the moment.

Thanks to Kirsty for arranging to have Laurie as our Eucalypt leader and to Steve, Aidan, Barbara, Mike, Kevin, Ivan, Peter and Olga who each made valuable contributions to the discussions and willingly shared knowledge and experiences both on and beyond the topic of eucalypts.

WORKING BEES

Claire and Lorraine did detailed Monday-weeding amongst the Guides’ plantings and then pulled some smaller Patersons Curse plants.

Flemming, Ivan, Kirsty and Ann cut and daubed woody weeds on Sunday 28^th - an effort we’ll return to in the new year. Chris, Margaret and Anne work when they can during the week with their own favourite target weeds.  Volunteers rule!

THE NEXT WORKING-BEES WILL BE THE LAST FOR 2012.

FOR SUNDAY 25^TH NOVEMBER MEET NEAR THE NEWSLETTER NOTICE BOX.
Parking in the north arm of Rechner place, Flynn would be the closest for drivers. Please bring sturdy scissors as we will be cutting off grass flowers and bagging these before digging out the  ST tussocks.

FOR MONDAY 3^RD DECEMBER MEET AT THE WICKENS PLACE, FRASER CAR-PARK. We’ll continue work against Patersons Curse by bagging the flowering head before the seeds are ripe.

IN EACH CASE MEET BY 9AM UNLESS THE FORECAST IS FOR A HOT DAY IN WHICH CASE 8.30am WILL BE WISER.

MORE ON WEED GRASSES
Today I had occasion to walk through Mt Rogers rather than strolling around it.
I was delighted to see that some accurate spraying of Chilean Needle Grass (CNG) had already happened. Opening emails later revealed that Steve had been active over the weekend (and after the Eucalypt walk). He’d worked on CNG and African Lovegrass  (ALG) infestations uphill from the path. This is most important as we’ve already had one pass at the ALG and the CNG is a new situation or rather newly-noticed situation.

As I walked through and updated two notice boards a TAMS ute came through with weed-spraying equipment on the back. Fortunately I was later able to have a chat with them; they were “checking out what needed doing”. I’m not sure how much they could see just driving round but at least some message has got through.  What should be happening is that the EnviroAg team will be spraying within the reserve and especially ‘uphill’ from the gravel path and TAMS people will be spraying in the area of the carpark at Wickens Place. Only time will tell when these tasks are scheduled.

THE DAISY FAMILY
We’ve had concerned walkers commenting on Capeweed flowering along the path and also flowers on Salsify and Goatsbeard. It’s really beneficial to have these reports so we can adjust our weeding efforts if possible.
In the case of the Capeweed it’s important to try removing plants which are isolated so that new infestations deeper into the reserve don’t make the weeds situation worse. I’ve noticed Rosellas feeding on the Capeweed seeds elsewhere  and it’s always a bit of a shock to come across native birds eating “the wrong thing” - but they have to eat! Superb parrots have been eating Chickweed seeds…another example of birds adapting to changed habitats and food availability.

Salsify and Goatsbeard belong to the same huge 'daisy' family as dandelions, flatweed, thistles, fleabane and a range of actual daisies. Compositae was the name given to this group because the flowers are composite. There’s a ring of advertising florets surrounding a mass of tiny individual flowers in each centre.
We found Salsify and Goatsbeard growing close to each other when Eucalypt-walking. Goatsbeard has yellow flowers and Salsify, purple. Salsify  Tragopogon porrifolius has Oyster plant, vegetable oyster and Jerusalem star as other names. Originally from Southern Europe and North Africa Tim Low’s Wild Herbs of Australia… says the large taproot can be eaten like parsnip when the plants are younger. When cooked these roots are said to have a “seafood flavour” hence the oyster connection from its aroma. Initially the leaves emerge looking like grass. But they’re tough to pull up and exude a milky sap when the stems are broken.  Both species end up with magnificent large brownish flower-heads and huge seeds which float away like parachutes when ripe. Some years the two are everywhere and after other seasons there are fewer around. Interesting and attractive weeds which, in the scheme of things,  we don’t have the resources to deal with.

Petals and seeds
The other day I watched a David Attenborough program  that showed that insects see daisies’ familiar colours quite differently to humans. The large outer ‘petals’  focus the insects' attention on the central flowers which need pollinating before seeds can be produced. You’ll have noticed a range of insects including honeybees, native bees, butterflies and hoverflies moving over the flowers seeking the rewards of nectar and gaining a dusting of pollen as they walk.

Tear apart a dandelion flower-head and examine the individual florets. There are five fused petals, a stalk which will elongate, a pappus which will help the seed blow away and the seed.  I counted 153 potential seeds on one old dandelion-head, 154 florets on “one” dandelion flower and 125 florets on a flatweed “flower” recently.
I’m regretting teaching the grandchildren to blow away dandelion parachutes as the plants are now entrenched in the grass with difficult-to-reach taproots that only succumb to deep digging or leverage when the ground’s really damp.

Flatweed
The investigation was triggered by the swathe-like masses of Flatweed flowers on un-mown nature strips.  The sight was quite pretty. Most people see the plants as dandelions but the differences are quite noticeable. Flatweeds form rosettes of leaves close to the ground. Each leaf spreads out into the light so they can photosynthesise food to store in the taproot. They are very good at preventing other plants from growing - or at least squashing other plants' efforts.  A smaller similar species is  Catsears, miniature flatweeds, which pull out reasonably easily but still have many seeds blown by the wind.

Asters later gave  their name to the Compositae with botanists using the word Asteraceae.  Wikipedia cites 23,000 species of Asteraceae worldwide, those numbers rivalling numbers of Orchid species apparently.

Edibility
Dandelions, flatweeds and catsears are edible with the leaves being used in salads. Prickly lettuce, another Asteraceae and a Mt Rogers weed, is also edible when young and is said to have been the ancestor of our lettuces. “The earliest grown lettuces bore close resemblance to this weed, as shown by 6500-year old Egyptian wall paintings…..In China lettuce cultivation extends back 1000 - 1300 years…”

One native daisy that is easily confused with the shorter-stemmed dandelion is the Yam Daisy. For some reason there don’t seem to be any specimens on Mt Rogers though they are "having a good year” in other areas of the ACT bush. Microseris lanceolata  were a staple food for Indigenous people; they used digging sticks to harvest the thick tap roots before roasting them.

FAUNA

 

Echidna

As I said above, on our Eucalyptus walk we encountered an Echidna not far from the Benchmark tree. This sighting confirms several reports of Echidnas being seen recently. Some evidence came from quite “deep” into Fraser some 500m from the reserve and with roads to negotiate.

Kangaroos

How do the kangaroos fare when the grass is so tall? I’ve seen Rosellas and Cockatoos eating the seeds from any wild oats they could reach whilst perched on low branches or fence-wire but surely roos need to graze grass close to the ground. I’ve also had concerns raised about dogs chasing “our” kangaroos. Let’s hope “our” dogs aren’t guilty and that the roos’ geography is better than the dogs’.

Nesting

After Lyndon’s and Kirsty’s photos and others reports of Kookaburras trying to enlarge the nestboxes’ entry-holes by crash-flying towards them, I don’t know of their having been successful. Crimson Rosellas have been interested in a smaller hole not far from the Flynn playground.

No sign of Frogmouths this morning (19th November) about 9.30, but perhaps other people have looked further afield from their usual roost trees and found them?

Reptiles

Ross Bennett is advertised as the speaker at the Botanic Gardens at lunchtime on Thursday  22^nd November if you need to become less scared or more appreciative of snakes and reptiles. That’s 12.30 for the gold-coin presentation plus a few dollars for parking.

Rosemary
Mt Rogers Landcare Coordinator
19 November 2012