Mt Rogers news and observations - February 2007

The major change since the November 2006 update is the new burnt area between the westerly section of the path and the previous arson from 19.01.03. The fire happened at about 11pm on Saturday 20^th January and burnt most of the Phalaris patch (Phalaris is a pasture grass which prefers dampness). To the south of this trees were scorched or burnt and the rough exotic grasses beneath them burnt to soil level. To the south again an area of good quality vegetation was burnt even though there was only a shallow litter-layer of bark, twigs and native grasses. As the remains smouldered the next day several Mt Rogers-regulars observed crews felling twin 200-300 year old Eucalypts. It’s to be hoped that we’ll receive an explanation to help us understand this loss. It will be interesting to watch the recovery process in these three different zones.

By Saturday 27^th January some of the dirt tracks had been re-graded. Drainage should improve as a result of most of this work. One of the few ‘good’ aspects of the extended drought is that the introduced, weedy grasses have not grown tall. This means that some of the ‘cross-country’ tracks are much more accessible to walkers than usual. However, a metre-long Brown snake has been seen near the burnt zone so caution is still essential. I was lucky enough to see a reasonably large, shy Kangaroo on 1^st February.

One of those odd cold mornings, on 12th December, saw Pam and I setting-up a ‘Clayton’s breakfast’ for early-morning walkers. Grapes and fruit salad weren’t ideal refreshment for those who came over but Pete’s Myna Trap proved very popular. The two decoy birds attracted the attention of local Mynas and Magpies whilst people were very pleased to have their questions answered. There were printed information flyers, Mt Rogers brochures, bird lists, charts and other details available. Several people gave their email addresses as a way of staying in touch. We hope to have a similar evening ‘gathering’ but finding a ‘cool’ evening may be a problem.

Several people reported seeing large flocks of Superb Parrots during their early morning walks. For most of us, however, there were several weeks when we could watch family groups especially in the car-park/Avery trees area. There have been numerous reports of these parrots in suburbs north of Lake Burley Griffin and they’ve been seen in Mulligans Flat and Goorooyaroo Reserves. By mid-January most had probably left the ACT to head back to their breeding places. Perhaps a few will remain as, for example, there’s been 2 sighted occasionally in the Hawker area for a year or two.

Cat-free gardens adjoining Mt Rogers continue to be vital for small birds. Their supplies of insects have decreased markedly as plants become more desiccated. If you’re able to supply and replenish a shallow dish of water for birds that’ll help greatly if its siting keeps birds safe from predators. Another threat to native birds is the increasing population of Indian Mynas. There’s an estimated 250 per square kilometre in Canberra to challenge trappers in 54 suburbs. Many Myna family groups spend time being aggressive on Mt Rogers. Even Possums can face eviction from their tree hollows by Mynas. In the course of a November conversation a Possum’s tail was observed dangling from a hollow branch so there’s still hope!

Chris has made a search of Mt Rogers for Serrated Tussock and mapped it and other persistent weeds. Serrated Tussock has been successfully sprayed over several winters but his effort will help the contractors locate stubborn re-growth. The map has been sent to the Pest and Weeds Officer who organises weed control strategies. Sue has been helping with informal watering. An unobtrusive, but very effective, group of walkers collects litter and rubbish as it’s dumped around the place. The Litter Patrol cleans up Wickens Place regularly though it’s probably best if we report the larger items that the lazies jettison there.

We have offered copies of the Mt Rogers brochure from time to time. It’s wonderful to see that, in spite of the relentless heat, there are many new faces enjoying ‘our hill’. Let’s hope we all continue to make exercise, fresh air, nature and camaraderie a vital part of our well-being!

Rosemary

Useful contacts

• Ginninderra Catchment Group  at Kippax  The umbrella group for Landcare 6278 3309.
• Canberra Indian Myna Action Group www.indianmynaaction.org.au  or 6231 7461.
• Canberra Connect  132281 Initially for illegal activities, litter, rubbish dumping.