Three messages about Mt Rogers (top message and photo added 6 February)
6 Feb.
Lyndon Howe writes:
Lyndon Howe writes:
A
"Common Koel", juvenile, I think, on Mt. Rogers , Flynn. Note the stained feathers probably from fossicking in fruit trees.
Photo © Lyndon Howe.
Late January
Stephen Wallace writes:
At least three koels have fledged on the northern
slopes of Mount Rogers this month. While I was filming one of them, an adult
male koel called nearby and the juvenile interrupted its begging to give a
different call. It did this twice but when the host returned to feed it the
juvenile did not respond to the Koel call. Video linked here:
.............
and a farewell sent to Rosemary by former Mt Rogers landcare group members:
"It has been great to work with the Mt Rogers bushcare group. Although it
was brief I enjoyed it immensely. The enthusiasm and dedication of the members
is awesome."
...............
Next working bee...
For the Monday 6th February working-bee we’ll meet at the Wickens
place car-park at 08.30 if it’s going to be hot. We’ll search out SJW to behead
as there’ll still be unripe seed capsules to bag.
............
ATTITUDES
As usual, 24 hours before each working-bee I
ask myself why I do these things, why I involve myself in challenges? All such
qualms evaporate once the day dawns and actual action begins.
Even better, the turning-up of our
enthusiastic volunteers shows their dedication to making a difference on our 65
hectares of bushland. On Sunday 22 January, Ted was chatting to a fellow
dog-walker on the Wickens Close nature strip. Ted has a way with dogs and knows
all the Mt Rogers regulars and most of their attitudes.
Ivan was waiting in his car to avoid the
warm walk back home after weeding on unpredictable terrain.
Anne was on time for 08.30. Ann thought we were starting at 9 am so was a
little later but wisely phoned to find us.
We had not gone far as 15 minutes of
landcaring became dog-caring. A Bull Terrier similar in colour to Marian’s
Jasper joined us in the carpark. He was friendly, panting, seeming to have done
much running, had no collar, possible cancer spots on his white nose but
otherwise looked middle-aged healthy. We looped a lead round his neck. He drank
a lot of water. He responded with a tail-wag when we said “good dog” but
ignored “sit”!! A couple of passing regulars didn’t recognise the dog. Why was
he, an entire dog, on the loose? I phoned 132281 explaining the situation and
asking if they had Domestic Animals Services’ number. “They’re in ‘after-hours’
mode but the dogs can be taken there and put in a holding pen and these pens
will be checked from time to time”. He then said the dog had already been
reported from the Mt Rogers area. We could set him loose to find his way home
or we could take him to DAS at Mugga Lane.
As we were deliberating on what to do a
compassionate woman drove up with the aim of taking the dog with her. She had
noted him earlier but couldn’t do anything as she had her own dogs with her.
Both she and Anne had some treats to offer him but he didn’t understand “Jump
into the back mate”. Ivan lifted him into the very tidy rear of the car and
they left for the next phase of his adventures. What a compassionate and
resourceful start to our working-bee….We knew there were reasons to have diverse
boots-full of items.
WEEDING
Ivan, Anne and Ted, wearing the Mt Rogers
gaiters, went into the long grass after Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola. It’s been said that the Egyptians developed the
lettuces we eat from this species’ ancestors. There are thousands of them
around at the moment wherever their wind-blown seeds have found space around Mt
Rogers and all through the suburbs’ neglected spaces. Previous years’ seeds
have made the most of the good rains we had months ago. We cut off the
flower-heads and bagged them so the flowers wouldn’t continue to develop into
seeds. Some of the plants pulled out and others we cut off low to the ground. This is what it looks like.
I had a brief chat with Peter C who, with
Tops, walks many kilometres around west Belconnen bird-watching. To our
advantage, Peter includes Mt Rogers and he reported seeing a Speckled Warbler
just a few days ago. Always good to know our rarer species are still around.
SJW
Our other weed target for the day was St
John’s Wort which we knew was growing well on the unmown slope and bank 20 m
east of the “white house’s” Frogmouths’ tree. Previously the pretty yellow
flowers were visible and attracting bees and other pollinators. Now they were
browning off but we could see thousands of capsules, still green and containing
millions of seeds. Again we cut off the flower-heads putting them in bags.
Taken to Canberra Sand & Gravel’s Green Waste composting facility at
Parkwood they’ll be mulched and then they’ll decompose at temperature high
enough to destroy the seeds’ viability. This first photo here shows Ted seeking SJW, with silver-leafed yellow-flowered Chrysocephalum semipapposum in the middle of the photo.
Steve D’s done a great deal of back-pack
spraying around Mt Rogers. This volunteering has made a huge difference to the
infestations we might have experienced as a result of the earlier rain.
Here's a photo of the SJW we were pulling out, and one of the slope we were working on.
REWARDS
We enjoyed each others company, reported on
holiday happenings and Mt Rogers sightings. We’d seen Superb Parrots earlier.
We found a few woody weeds to cut & daub. I photographed Mt Rogers’ lone
Sun Orchid. It’s produced about 15 flower-heads this year. Hopefully some of
the minute seeds will find the specific conditions that stimulate germination
and the fungus that promotes the young orchids’ growth. There was a Clustered Everlasting,
‘button’ daisy with many yellow flowers.
We estimated the numbers of people walking
past with dogs and/or family. A few stopped to chat and I wished I’d brought a
few extra brochures to hand out in case any of them had new neighbours who
didn’t yet know about Mt Rogers.
We chatted with at least one couple,
long-term residents, who thanked us for our landcaring. You are all part of that
effort as there are a multitude of ways in which each one of us contributes to
our community and to the special place Mt Rogers is for us and the region.
MAGNIFICENT BIRDS
Some of you may know Lyndon and their
Heeler, Doug. They are Mt Rogers identities as Lyndon has taken thousands of
photos of Mt Rogers wildlife. Working from the mtrogerslandcare.blogspot.com
cumulative list of birds sighted on and from Mt Rogers since 1997 Lyndon has now
presented us with 96 photographs of the 102 listed birds. Steve W has
frequently taken Lyndon on expeditions to find birds in our region. Steve
specialises in videos of them and Lyndon has the photographic images. Thank you
Lyndon for sharing your passion and expertise; including the recent Frogmouths
photos that are on the blog.
Clearly I must ensure that the actual list
on the Blog is as up to date as Lyndon’s.
SILVEREYES
Have you been plagued by thousands of what
I call “fruit flies”? They have been hiding in our Parsley seed heads and the
Garlic flowers that bees also pollinate. Some have been able to crawl through
flywire mesh towards the lights but can’t find their way out again. In the last
few days the Silvereyes have discovered these flies and, with Wrens and
Thornbills been an absolute delight to watch as they dine on the masses. Even
better, we’ve been able to watch the birds’ antics and enjoyment as they cool
off in the shallow bird bath and then preen their feathers perched in the bent
Protea. Should you be interested in taking part in the valuable summer survey
of birds that visit your garden for water and feeding please visit the survey
site and become a citizen scientist at www.feedingbirds.org.au
GRASSES
Peter C mentioned that the excessive length
of the grass and oats around Mt Rogers won’t be ideal for Speckled Warblers
that forage and nest on the ground. That may be true for Quail and even kangaroos
as the latter prefer to graze on shorter grass. Do snakes prefer long grass? No
doubt many of these animals have their own ways and tracks through the tall,
introduced grasses that are a legacy from earlier farming methods. Many native
grass species have tussocky form allowing for spaces between each plant; spaces
for wildflowers, reptiles, small mammals, ground-feeding birds and the
invertebrates the animals depend on.
SNAKES
At Snakes
Alive I came across Canberra Snake Rescue & Relocation service. They
have a Facebook page under that name and their number is 0405 405 304.
We had a Blue-tongue Lizard in the garden
in December. It didn’t need rescuing!
Thank you for all you do and the sightings
you share for everyone’s enjoyment & interest.
Rosemary
Mt Rogers Landcare Group. 6258 4724
