Here are some jottings from the Damper Creek diary of sightings in the reserve: November 2010 Bounty with November Rains by Judy Borg The native grasses that Friends of Damper Creek and others planted have flourished wonderfully and add a softness in dry places. The bulbs too, with yellow and four-petalled pink flowers are a lovely show too. While the wild life and especially ducks, are joying in the abundant food in this wet season. The lake is full and yesterday there were three types of duck on it: black duck (with four ducklings) nearest the rock face, then chestnut teal (and five dark babies with yellow spots) and at the far end a pair of paler wood ducks with three large grown ducklings. Most mornings a pobblebonk chorus begins about 10am, and if it is warm the long necked tortoise pair venture down the little stream through the rushes with their two young. (Watch for bubbles: small ones for pobblebonks and larger for tortoise.) On shore you may see a kookaburra or butcher bird hoping for a meal, while an old rotting tree trunk near the far end houses rainbow lorikeets. (As I looked two young flew off for a morning adventure, while the mother bird dug vigorously for parasites around the neck of the third little nestling, who seemed to be in two minds whether to struggle or stay!) Fauna Sighting in the Reserve Updated 17.11.10 Here is the latest diary entry extracted from the Damper Creek Newsletters over the years. November 2010 Bounty with November Rains by Judy Borg The native grasses that Friends of Damper Creek and others planted have flourished wonderfully and add a softness in dry places. The bulbs too, with yellow and four-petalled pink flowers are a lovely show too. While the wild life and especially ducks, are joying in the abundant food in this wet season. The lake is full and yesterday there were three types of duck on it: black duck (with four ducklings) nearest the rock face, then chestnut teal (and five dark babies with yellow spots) and at the far end a pair of paler wood ducks with three large grown ducklings. Most mornings a pobblebonk chorus begins about 10am, and if it is warm the long necked tortoise pair venture down the little stream through the rushes with their two young. (Watch for bubbles: small ones for pobblebonks and larger for tortoise.) On shore you may see a kookaburra or butcher bird hoping for a meal, while an old rotting tree trunk near the far end houses rainbow lorikeets. (As I looked two young flew off for a morning adventure, while the mother bird dug vigorously for parasites around the neck of the third little nestling, who seemed to be in two minds whether to struggle or stay!) July 2009 Birdbrain, me by Robert Yates Heading home around the corner of Belbird reserve from High Street Rd into Sunhill Rd a few years ago, I was approached by a clearly distressed black duck. It came within about a metre of me, appearing to be injured. When I tried to pick it up it backed away towards the storm water drain. There was no way it would let me catch it so I started to head home. Seeing this, the duck approached me again and as I started to head to the drain it moved even faster towards it. Clearly this was desperation on behalf of the duck as it approached me again when I started moving away. I began to notice it's wing was drooping and it was hobbling. I followed it all the way to the drain. This was no injured bird! It was desperate. Coming from the drain were these high pitched squeaks. When I looked inside, from the height of the guard rail, eight one day old ducklings were scurrying backwards and forwards, unable to get out. Yep, the old "bird with the injured wing" trick, and I fell for it. There's a sucker born every day I guess. No dumb bird this little black duck, it was a cry for help. Thanks to the local wildlife carer with an extendable pool scoop, a cat carry box and much effort, mum and the chicks received a chauffeur drive to be rehoused in Damper Creek. All true. Oh, and one more thing, the next day there were storms. If it wasn't for this quick thinking bird, all would have been lost in a deluge. New and Unexpected Visitors by Judy Borg Warm and sunny days in late May and June have made for much joy in bird life at Damper Creek. In late May I encountered my first family group of Yellow tailed black cockatoos: a family group of eight in the trees up from Tarella Bridge. I was on the mulch covered, high path opposite them across the creek and able to observe them closely, at tree top level. They were eight in all: parents and four young birds, with two juveniles on a bare tree beside. Their calling - a "creaky gate" sound, kept a regular beat. The female parent looked good natured but dowdy, with dark brown breast feathers and low, dull cream cheeks. Two young birds challenged the juveniles for their vantage point on the bare tree and were immediately shooed back. Family groups and larger numbers of the Yellow tailed black cockatoos visited through June - while on that wonderfully warm and sunny day June 19 (almost winter solstice) I came across perhaps 40 birds in the trees opposite the fern gully and the remnant bushland on the east side - a lovely sight as the afternoon sun caught the long yellow tail feathers and contrasting black of some birds that were constantly moving, joying in the sun and plentiful food. We've had other exotic visitors too - including a young Crimson Rosella on Queen's Birthday, her brilliant red and purple equal to any livery. (Our one only Crimson Rosella is overjoyed with his mate!) But the most exotic bird I noted that week was a beautiful LARGE duck with French-grey head and silvery collar and a brown and white body: certainly not a native. It was paddling in the lake with our resident breeding black duck pair and later flew with them to their favourite pool past Tarella Bridge. Next day I saw it sleeping on one yellow leg on a reed bed, beside a comatose chestnut teal! It kept company with Junior too, when he put in an appearance. (Junior's mate may have returned to her old haunt, since June is the one month between February and November when Black Ducks don't breed!). Let's hope the advent of the breeding season doesn’t disturb the blood line or serendipity on Damper Creek pond. January 2009 Tortoise Spotting by Judy Borg At Damper Creek, the summer of 08/09 might be called Year of the Tortoise, for everyone who stops to look across the lake from the new little fence will see the young long necked tortoise on the opposite shore, neck extended, sunbaking. (It is here, too, that the young duck, Junior, and his new mate, brought their brood of ten hatched ducklings down to try the water, for the first time.) Last year the young tortoise was a new hatchling and if you knew where to look on the opposite shore, you could see him warming himself in the sun beside his dinner plate sized parents. But I must admit I wasn't good at tortoise spotting initially. Often times, walking through the wetlands, I would pass the upper, breeding pool, to hear a splash - and sometimes glimpse a brown shape disappearing off a half submerged tree trunk. "Dash it! I've missed it again", I'd say, thinking it was a duck - but never thinking "tortoise"! Sometimes I'd see large bubbles near the bank - though never a duck emerging. This year we've seen ducks aplenty, with now two breeding pairs of black (read "brown") duck and occasional visits from chestnut teal and even a pair of wood ducks. (Have you seen the male posing, halfway up a tree trunk?!) But where is the tortoise pair, I wonder? Could it be that with this year's slow beginning to mid summer heat, they haven't warmed up yet? Keep an eye open for more developments across the lake! December 2008 POBBLEBONK FROGS (Banjo Frogs) by Judy Borg A large number of pobblebonk frogs inhabit the lake (or large pond) 100 metres from the Park Rd. entrance. Through warm mid days in late spring and early summer, their off-beat "bopping" makes wonderful music. There is an increasingly urgent chorus as the noon days heat up and then a female chorus, higher and lighter, starts in over the top: wonderful music! (I wonder if their syncopated rhythms haven't been copied by bush bands.)I haven't seen the mating orgy, but noted the outcome viz. a floating island of fertilized pobblebonk eggs and sperm loosely threaded with vegetable matter, about 120 centimetres across. The frogs themselves are usually invisible, though there is one character that joins in early, with a loud bop from below the dam wall. But rain on a hot night recently (Dec.2008) brought the frogs out in force to feed along wet paths and banks. Probably the brown grubs (flashing orange), spilling from decayed branches - and so prevalent this summer, after four years of drought - were a special delicacy. There are a few other pobblebonk characters that inhabit small pools further along the track. You might wonder why they choose them - for the pools often dry out in summer. They don't worry: they just estivate (opposite of hibernate) ie. They bury themselves deep in sand and clay until heavy rain! November 2008 Bird Spotting by Judy Borg Today, as I looked closely at the colorful poster display of native birds (on the west side of the Stephensons Rd. board) I realised that, bar the lyre bird and the shrike tit and maybe one or two others, I'd seen all those birds on my walks through the Reserve in the past two years. What a bright display they make - though I think the Eastern rosella pair I saw today - brilliant scarlet flashing above green grass - outshone the ones on the poster. I think it was all of two years ago when I encountered the goshawk pair near their nest in a tall gum atop the Tarella Rd. bridge - and later saw their fluffy, French grey babies. More recently, I came across a blue wren and his mate along the high path just north of the bridge. With his quick movements and flirting tail he was a delight to watch - while I smiled to think that some of the early Friends group, who still talk of the blue wren's nest, safe in a big blackberry patch beside Middle Bridge, later cleared, would be pleased to see them too. A few days later I saw an elegant masked spinebill, sipping nectar from a yellow flowering bush along the path - then he flew to a branch nearby and burst into brilliant song. While at first I never noticed the larger red-brown pilot birds who feed on the slopes above the bridge, so well camouflaged against the mulch as they quietly dig for grubs and insects in groups of six or eight. (Frequently all you may notice is the cup sized holes, left behind.) One day recently I stopped short in my walk along the wetlands path to peer at something- then turned to look at the little waterfall on my left, just as a pipit popped out onto the rocks beside it. They must be shy, I thought - wondering how many little birds might wait for walkers to pass by. I'd never seen a pipit before and wondered how many shy small birds we might see if we suddenly freeze. But one unusual visitor to Damper Creek: a yellow crested bronze wing pigeon, was not shy at all - or, at least, not with me. I encountered him one morning in late summer, when I'd gone down to photograph the dawn ceremony at the lake. The ducks were scarcely visible in the dark, but the bronze wing, with his little floppy hat of purest yellow, certainly was. It seemed to me that he was humming a little tune too, as he worked away beside me, foraging in the leafy mulch, in a companionable way. I met him again later that week - foraging at noon on the path beside the gate down to the lake. But he didn't seem to know me - or, at least, went on working as before. Then the sun caught his wing as he rose in the air - and shot it with bronze and slate grey and pink - and I went on my way feeling privileged. "Common bronze wing"? Not to me! While now I'm thinking we should all feel very privileged for the beautiful Reserve we sometimes take for granted - and thankful for the brave ones who worked to save Damper Creek and establish the Friends of Damper Creek group long ago. Previous diary entries may be found at: Diary Entries all November 2008 Bird Spotting by Judy Borg Today, as I looked closely at the colorful poster display of native birds (on the west side of the Stephensons Rd. board) I realised that, bar the lyre bird and the shrike tit and maybe one or two others, I'd seen all those birds on my walks through the Reserve in the past two years. What a bright display they make - though I think the Eastern rosella pair I saw today - brilliant scarlet flashing above green grass - outshone the ones on the poster. I think it was all of two years ago when I encountered the goshawk pair near their nest in a tall gum atop the Tarella Rd. bridge - and later saw their fluffy, French grey babies. More recently, I came across a blue wren and his mate along the high path just north of the bridge. With his quick movements and flirting tail he was a delight to watch - while I smiled to think that some of the early Friends group, who still talk of the blue wren's nest, safe in a big blackberry patch beside Middle Bridge, later cleared, would be pleased to see them too. A few days later I saw an elegant masked spinebill, sipping nectar from a yellow flowering bush along the path - then he flew to a branch nearby and burst into brilliant song. While at first I never noticed the larger red-brown pilot birds who feed on the slopes above the bridge, so well camouflaged against the mulch as they quietly dig for grubs and insects in groups of six or eight. (Frequently all you may notice is the cup sized holes, left behind.) One day recently I stopped short in my walk along the wetlands path to peer at something- then turned to look at the little waterfall on my left, just as a pipit popped out onto the rocks beside it. They must be shy, I thought - wondering how many little birds might wait for walkers to pass by. I'd never seen a pipit before and wondered how many shy small birds we might see if we suddenly freeze. But one unusual visitor to Damper Creek: a yellow crested bronze wing pigeon, was not shy at all - or, at least, not with me. I encountered him one morning in late summer, when I'd gone down to photograph the dawn ceremony at the lake. The ducks were scarcely visible in the dark, but the bronze wing, with his little floppy hat of purest yellow, certainly was. It seemed to me that he was humming a little tune too, as he worked away beside me, foraging in the leafy mulch, in a companionable way. I met him again later that week - foraging at noon on the path beside the gate down to the lake. But he didn't seem to know me - or, at least, went on working as before. Then the sun caught his wing as he rose in the air - and shot it with bronze and slate grey and pink - and I went on my way feeling privileged. "Common bronze wing"? Not to me! While now I'm thinking we should all feel very privileged for the beautiful Reserve we sometimes take for granted - and thankful for the brave ones who worked to save Damper Creek and establish the Friends of Damper Creek group long ago. Oct 2008 2008: Year of the Currawongs by Judy Borg This year the currawongs came very early. It was scarce autumn - but right after that cold snap that covered the Dandenongs in a deep fall of snow. We are accustomed to their winter presence- quietly feeding on the ground or in the gum trees, distinctive white spots on their tails. (I recall seeing one in silhouette, late one evening, stripping bark to extract a long stick insect - that was transparent, bright orange against the sunset sky.) I would come across them in daytime too: small family groups, working their way up the gully. They were a strong presence only at dusk, when they seemed to call the whole reserve into order, from the middle bridge to the extremities. (Even if the kookaburra would come and sit high on the small branch of a gum beside the steep path to Alice St., with smaller birds arranged wither side of him obedient to their vale call.) But this year the currawongs came suddenly in a large number, impossible to miss, and their repeated double call "galang, gelang" was part of the background music of the bushland. The one night after committee meeting in mid September, Kevin Ryland (one of the original Conservation and Development Group) told of their massed calling around mid day around the middle bridge. Next morning I was down there soon after 11am and was amazed at the show. From the trees either side of the upper path as far as the transverse roadway down, the currawongs were calling in wild, musical tones and flying to and fro from the gums as they did so. The major music was coming from the thick break on the high side, but with some similar calls from the low and occasional single note: a female voice perhaps - like the female line above the pobblebonk chorus? I walked to Park Road and back, to find their music unabated. I walked then to Tarella bridge - and on the way back found the chorus was breaking up and some along the path to the fern gully were beginning to feed. I came down again at 11am. There was no wild currawong music - and I realised I hadn't seen or heard a currawong for some two weeks. Presumably they are happily rearing their families now in the high timber of the Dandenongs - or further north. But 11am is roughly the time the frog chorus starts in the lake. Today I heard one or two voices joining in chorus - and an answering "bop". It didn't sound like pobblebonks yet - but in another few, warm days, who knows? (I missed them last year - did I never go down at midday?). This year we are having a very special celebration at midday on 30th November. Let's hope it will be marked by a full pobblebonk chorus from the lake. p.s. The lake's return to health is signalled by the frequent visits of the chestnut teal pair and two resident breeding pairs of black duck. One male is slightly smaller than his partner. Is it Junior - found a new mate? I hope so! September 2008 No diary entry Aug 2008 No diary entry July 2008 Kookaburra and Grey Butcherbird Reflections by Judy Borg Last time I promised to tell you something of the eating habits of the kookaburra and grey butcherbird, and I will broaden that to tell of other things. Before even first light – when the magpie calls to welcome the dawn - the kooka has a first, short laugh. Towards noon, when all the other birds are resting, he sits besides his lady on a branch near his fishing pool and they enjoy a chorus. Last thing, when all the currawongs have called in evening (and what a splendid number we have this year), when all the bush is black, he has a final laugh at the world. I've never seen him eat more than a 15cm. lizard - or swoop down to the water for more than a yabby - but ... The grey butcherbird - who last season frequented the lake area at duck hatching time - is of a different colour. While he wears a morning suit: grey waistcoat, white shirt and tie and black tails. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about him, besides his glorious song, is his "human" feet. He has no reverse toe, as other birds have. I once saw him alight on a small bush (where the path turns down from Alice St.) and step inside, presumably for small bird prey, like a concert performer stepping behind the curtain. And when he opens his throat to sing he is like Caruso. Once I found him courting his lady from a chest high branch in a small tree above the fern gully. The glorious notes and the passion were equal to anything I'd heard in Grand Opera. I stood transfixed for some minutes. Then they flew off together down the fern gully pathway, he rotating around her, surrounding her with song, as they went. June 2008 No diary entry May 2008 More of Water and Water birds by Judy Borg Much has happened since the big March rains, following which I saw (on different days) a large heron and an egret in the wetlands. A little later, when the water had subsided, I stood and watched an ibis nosing in the creek bed below me, just down from the middle bridge. The wind storm of Wednesday April 2nd bought many young and old trees down, but little rain. The lake has been turgid since, perhaps the result of a sewerage leak on Easter Sunday morning. Though I've encountered the duck pair on the lake, I'd not seen the young ones (or the chestnut teal pair, Junior etc.) for some time. I was delighted, then, one day early in April, to see the duck family -parents and three nearly grown youngsters- paddling in fresh water in the small pool above the breeding pond and main lake. It's a narrow space: two metres by five, perhaps, and they were doing tight manoeuvres in evident enjoyment, while feeding or maybe just drinking, too. Clear Water Day again! But alas, the lake remains foetid. Overnight rain has continued to keep the upper pools clear and yesterday (Thursday April 17th) I glimpsed our "one and only" red and purple Crimson Rosella. (Usually seen in Sherbrooke Forest) bathing in the deep, clear pool near the fern gully. But where have the season's ducklings gone? I suppose three out of eight ducklings is a reasonable survival rate if you don't want overpopulation. But in fact (see "Duck Piece III Oct '07) the female once paddled with 14 under her wing. Well 8 tiny ones of her own and 6 she fostered. (you may, perhaps, hear the whole story from Sue Nicholls, the wonderful wildlife rescue lady, when she speaks at our FODC meeting later this year.) But what happened, then, to the tinies? Maybe a fox? While our resident lake side Kookaburra and the grey Butcher Bird both looked in uncommonly good condition at the time - and the Butcher Bird in fine voice. The latter is arguably our best Australian song bird. I shall speak something in his defence…perhaps next time. p.s. I have since seen three Crimson Rosellas feeding together on the high lawn near Bengal Crescent, perhaps our regular resident plus an additional pair. There have been two young ones in the vicinity of the fern gully; khaki with splotches of incipient red and purple-blue. April 2008 No diary entry March 2008 No diary entry February 2008 Clear Water Day by Judy Borg I suppose most of us can remember the light rain that fell early in the morning of Thursday 29th January, after a mini drought, following the rains that brought in the new year. When I went down to Damper Creek for my morning walk, the first flush of clear water was just coming through into the top pool, below Stephensons Rd. It must have taken a long time to fill the pools down each level, for I'd reached Park Rd. and returning, passed the lake. I was almost as far as the seat and Wetlands sign, when I saw the fresh water pouring into the empty sandy-bottomed pool below me. I decided to retrace my steps to the lake - hurrying now. I just made it to the lake when the first flush of fresh water came through. Suddenly there was a flotilla that passed me at speed as ten ducks paddled swiftly on the stream. There were the two pairs and Junior - and the three half-grown ones from the first batch. And last was the chestnut teal pair (like footmen in their livery). They all kept pace, together, until they reached the dam wall, where they dispersed and began to feed. Next day I stopped near the lower ford before the fern gully, to see the young male rosella bathing in a fresh pool. (Usually I walk on - which may make him cut short his ablutions and fly off, I decided - for now he continued while I watched, keeping quite still.) I was spellbound by the luster of his red, green and yellow feathers against the dark mulch and rock of the shady bank behind him. (While atop was an English blackbird, quietly waiting his turn.) Today (Saturday) the lake was still clear and the female duck showing off her thriving second batch of five, below the rock wall. November 2007 Rainbow Lorikeet News by Judy Borg Yesterday (8/11), walking down to the lake from the high path along the lawns, I came across a greenbacks' prep school, I think. (I usually call them greenbacks because when an adult pair "buzz you", what you see is greenbacks speeding off into the distance!) In the late-flowering wattle arching overhead, I counted eleven tiny rainbow lorikeets, feeding on the cream blossom and chattering softly. I stopped and looked for several minutes, recalling that once I came across a real school of older, immature birds, in a tree across the dam wall. They were all busily grooming and I looked on as one by one they came up to be inspected and approved by two adult birds. On another occasion I'd come across young greenbacks noisily feeding in a small gum beside the creek path - to find an old, old greenback, apparently keeping an eye on them, secreted in a small tree nearby. (I had a similar experience with the pink flowering, black trunked young gums on Crow St. across Highbury Rd. Was it the same crowd? At any rate, I apologised to the ancient bird. Some birds may choose not to send their offspring to pre-school, for last year. I was entertained daily by a bright young bird (already showing red and gold) after his parents had left for the morning. There was a shortage then of suitable nesting hollows and this one was brought up in a nesting box, but with a thin horizontal branch beside it: just right for small claws - and with a hollowed out log attached at an angle, that he loved to climb in. But one morning I was earlier than usual and came to find the parents still at home. The father was incensed and at first I - and junior too, I thought - treated the whole thing as a joke. But then the father came at me, diving - to stop short, wings and claws at full stretch, an angry glory of red and gold! I felt ashamed at the trouble I'd caused and slunk off. You may remember I started my stories this year with an account of rainbow lorikeets in formation, helping to drive off a large hawk. This morning I went back to check on the babies and found them chattering and feeding happily on a wattle further along the top path. Serendipity was broken by a wattlebird, who flew in and chased a couple of the lower feeders off. Again he came to repeat the action, while the chattering had stopped but the others were still feeding. He swooped in again to chase off more - while three of the others returned, to feed on higher branches. The wattlebird flew off, not one to be made a fool of. Field to the babies! Rainbow lorikeets - masters of manoeuvres! October 2007 Duck Piece by Judy Borg Much has happened in the lake and breeding pond since the family was three. There have been visitors, too. On Sunday, September 2, there was not one, but two pairs of chestnut teal on the misty lake; the smaller pair were perhaps offspring - the young male in full colours, though, of chestnut, blue-green and red eyes. The adult pair remained and over several days the male had prime place on the breeding pool's floating island, head tucked to one side, his chest like burnished copper in the sun. The visitors disappeared then, though making a brief reappearance one day - do they, perhaps, live down on Damper Creek below Alvie Hall? (You might like to take the willow path sometime and peer through the grating: there are dainty wood ducks there, as well. Occasionally, I saw junior on his own, usually in a pond below the dam. But one warm morning there was something strange happening in the little inlet to the breeding pool on the far side: fuzzy orange and black amongst the brown - that suddenly became four little ducklings, who had just walked down from where mother duck had hatched them, in a hidden part of the sanctuary. Walking, they looked like wind-up toys, but then they took to the water and paddled together as if they'd always done it. Next day, at about the same time - or, rather, a little earlier, I saw the female duck fly up to a spot halfway up the hill, and hover, flapping her wings. (Was she checking them? I think so, but I didn't stop to look. Best not to make her anxious, I thought.) But next day (10/9) I stopped by the lake and looked, astonished, to see mother duck cruising with not four, but eight little ducklings around her skirts. Some of the first four ducklings were noticeably bigger - while one new one seemed smaller than the rest - and reeling from an accidental brush with another as they came into shore, in formation. I remembered that junior, too, had been the smallest of eight - and when his father rallied them to lead them up to the top pools, he would rise up and run on the water, not to miss out! Today (12/9) has been cold - and I saw no little ducklings when I passed the lake. But I saw three grown ducks flying together high above the tree tops. Was it parents and junior? I think so. September 2007 No diary entry August 2007 Duck Piece II by Judy Borg Several people have asked for a sequel Duck Piece and here it is: A day or two after the previous incident I was walking along the wet lands path, just past the breeding pool, when there was a sudden whoosh as the male duck flew just above my head, presumably on a mating flight. Abruptly he was ambushed from the left by the young duck. He braked heavily with a sharp intake of breath - his wings tips just before my eyes! He recovered and flew on, leaving the young male behind. Next morning I saw the three at the top end of the pond: the pair together and the young male coming to join them from the breeding pool. For the first time I wondered if they were a family group. (With a galloping Oedipus problem?!) As they paddled near there was a soft clacking of bills, each turning to each: Clack, clack, clack. "How charming", I thought - until I noticed the young duck was being side lined upstream and the others took off without him! It was a warm, wet morning next time I saw them (26/7). There were pools of water on the path beyond the dam wall and mother and son were happily padding through them, finding tidbits to eat. The big male, down beside the stream, rushed up quickly to defend them from danger. I stood still. Not taking any chances, he lead them across the mulch and up the sloping path along the fence line, junior turning back momentarily to toss a pod of red blackwood wattle seeds into his bill with a typically nonchalant air. July 2007 Duck Piece by Judy Borg "Just a couple of ducks", we tend to say, as we pass them on the pond. But when I looked out my window in the midst of that great wind storm (26/6), fierce dark clouds scudding by, I was amazed to see the pair flying close by me and into the wind, he shielding her a little from its force. The next day was very wet, but the following morning I passed the pair - relaxing on the reed bed - on my morning walk. There was a lighter coloured young male in the breeding pond and shortly he paddled down and made advances to the resting female. The male roused himself and shooed him up the pond. He circled round and approached her again. This time her mate was angry and chased the other all the way to the rocks and over them. He turned back, stood up in the water and flapped his wings in victory - to find the other had changed direction suddenly and was making straight for his mate across the reed beds. Outrage! He screamed across and struck him at the last moment, followed him into the pond and up to the rocks, biting at his rear end all the way - that seemed to be raised in surrender. All the pool was awash. The young duck staggered up the rocks and made a bee-line on an angle for the top path and never looked back. The male duck flew back to his mate, who hadn't moved from her spot. She stepped down to the water and paddled off serenely, he following behind. Just a couple of ducks. June 2007 No Diary entry May 2007 No diary entry April 2007 Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos by Doug Scott Once again Damper Creek has been visited by a flock of Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos. Other members have probably sighted these birds but my sighting was early on the morning of April 2nd in the vicinity of the Tarella Rd bridge. I was surprised to see a couple of the birds in the bushes at about head height. One of the birds took flight and, amazingly, headed straight for me. I was able to fully appreciate the immense size of these birds as it passed within a couple of metres of me. As I walked on I noted a number of birds foraging within metres of the path, there were five or six of them and they were largely unconcerned by my presence. These birds usually inhabit the mountain areas, moving into the coastal scrub as winter approaches. It seems likely that Damper Creek is a temporary stopover in their seasonal ramblings. Their usual food is the seed pods of banksias, hakeas and casuarinas. They also feed on grubs such as those found in Eucalypts. The cockatoo's large, powerful beak is used to tear the wood an sometimes considerable holes may be found in branches of trees where these birds have been grub hunting. I doubt there is a more spectacular visitor to Damper Creek and I welcome further observations of their habits in the reserve. March 2007 High Flying Drama near Damper Creek by Judy Borg Ever wondered why bands of rainbow lorikeets do those high flying aeronautics on the horizon? Well, on a high cloud morning (Feb.14th) I got an answer. As I turned down Emerald Street (east of the Stephensons Rd. carpark) I saw the sky filled with whirling birds of many kinds. Whatever could be happening? High up, crows were scrapping and bawling, while a flock of rainbow lorikeets sped through the fracas - and three magpies were in there too, calling wildly. The magpies peeled off and flew eastwards over my head with their warning "Pew, pew" and I knew something was seriously amiss. As the bigger birds came overhead and caught the light, I saw that one was a large hawk (cream with brown wings) trying to fix on prey below - while the plucky team of lorikeets banked and zipped past westwards within inches of its beak, diverting its attention. Back they came - this time joining with the crows to force the intruder eastward and away from Damper Creek!