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