Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc.
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THE RINGWOOD FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB Inc. NEWSLETTER
Issue No.20 - April, 2005
EDITORIAL: The catastrophic earthquake on 26th December 2004 and the resulting tsunami that devastated countries to the north of Australia reminded us once more of the awesome power of the geological forces operating within our planet. Formed from an accumulation of space debris four and a half billion years ago, Earth has been continually evolving ever since. This ongoing process of change has produced a unique world of breathtaking beauty and diversity. So, despite the sometimes destructive nature of these events, it is nevertheless a world we should treasure and respect, because it’s the only one we have.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Loch Sport Campout September 2004
Although 21 members attended this campout, the weather put our best-laid plans into disarray. Heavy rain fell during the Friday night and into Saturday morning causing the morning activities to be revised. We spent much of the morning indoors. We were fortunate Jean Galliott had a large house on the shore of Lake Victoria. Our time was spent chatting and watching nature videos including Jean’s trip flying over Antarctica.
In between showers most members undertook small walks including a stroll along Pelican Track. From the safety of a swamp, a very large kangaroo and his harem watched members walking by. Having just had a mistletoe talk, members were delighted to find healthy, non-flowering plants of Muellerina celestroides (Coast Mistletoe) growing on Banksias.
With the rain easing it was agreed to move into The Lakes National Park and lunch at Point Wilson. This was followed by a leisurely circuit around Balfour Swamp. Mistletoes, some fungi and a few orchids were found on the walk.
Sunday morning dawned fine and normal activities were resumed. Members met at the Lookout, just inside the National Park, and enjoyed the view offered from the platform. We then moved to Emu Bight for the morning walk. The track wound around Cygnet Swamp passing through various vegetation types. Highlights of the walk included a pair of Black Swans with half-grown cygnets on the Swamp, an Owlet Nightjar sunning himself on a limb and the large patch of luxurious Brachyscome multifida.
From here we drove across the causeway to the 90-mile beach. The idea was to have a quick look at the beach before lunch. The wind was howling and quite cold. The rain started falling and a huge black cloud was approaching. In view of this the proposed outdoors lunch was abandoned with some members returning to their various accommodations before packing up and heading home.
Although wild and wet weather occurred most of the weekend we still found time to enjoy ourselves and find things of interest. Our bird count was 49 with the highlights being the Owlet Nightjar, Pied Oystercatcher, Red-capped Dotterel, and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.
Baw Baw Excursion - January, 2005 Leader - Peter Rogers
Our excursion to Mt Baw Baw was planned for January when the weather is usually hot and sunny. This was not the case with showers and overcast conditions greeting all members before they had left home.
To further put a dampener on the excursion the road into Tanjil Bren was cut and members had to undertake a lengthy detour. Most members arrived early at the picnic ground in Tanjil Bren and, despite the rain, wandered around looking for orchids.
Although it continued to rain on and off, members were all for journeying to the village at Mt Baw Baw. Arriving at the village still in rain we decided on an early lunch in warm cars. With the rain easing and longer dry periods, members agreed to spend time walking the slopes to see what was around.
Our first discovery was that, after 5 years, the place had changed. Not only was there a new ski lift but considerable building had taken place in the area we had normally walked. Earlier pathways were now covered or narrowed with Richea continentis being a dominant prickly plant to push through. Still, we enjoyed rambling around, getting wet feet from the boggy patches but remarkably keeping warm. Some of the highlights included the bronze colourings of the wet trunks of the snow gums, the dainty Sky Lily (Herpolirion novae-zelandiae) and the Pretty Grass-flag (Libertia pulchella). Despite the late start and the rain, 26 members and 2 visitors spent a couple of hours enjoying the beauty of the Baw Baw bush. Birds were not numerous on Mt Baw Baw but our bird count was swelled by sightings at Tanjil Bren.
12 February, 2005 - Excursion to Badger Weir Leader - Alison Rogers
At 1-00pm on a cloudy but fine day, 20 members met in the top carpark of Badger Weir. We headed off over the stream and started up the hill, finding ferns and birds straight away. Unfortunately due to the huge summer storms that we had experienced in previous weeks, some of the tracks were cut off by huge eucalyptus that had fallen and not been cleared. Our fern experts Ella and Doug Thomas as usual shared their wealth of knowledge on their favourite plants. Hopefully everyone learnt at least one new fern during the afternoon.
Back to the carpark for afternoon tea and then a walk along the track up to the weir via the aqueduct track. Prickly Currant Bush (Coprosma quadrifida) was in berry and showing crops of its tiny red fruit. Many members indulged in this bush tucker, getting their daily dose of vitamin C. A good find was Muttonwood, (Rapanea variabilis) which had branches densely covered with dark purple berries.
Highlights of the excursion were finding all but four of the listed ferns on the day. Also a close look at a pair of rufous fantails attending their nest, a sighting of a lyrebird and the fruiting forest plants. Eighteen members (with some yellow tailed black cockatoos) stayed for a bbq/picnic tea, which was enjoyed by all.
Badger Weir is a favourite place for the RFNC and is appreciated at all times of the year.
REPORTS FROM MEMBERS
A SHORT INTERLUDE FROM THE DAILY GRIND Compiled by Graeme Fernandes and Peter Rogers
Rarely does a field naturalist go on a holiday without seeing something interesting. This was no exception for Helen & Graeme Fernandes and Peter & Alison Rogers, travelling together for a week in June, spending a little time in Renmark followed by a few more days in Broken Hill.
Leaving St. Arnaud on a fine Saturday morning, we moved to a lunch stop at Hattah National Park on our way to Renmark. Many interesting birds were sighted along the way including Varied sitella, Southern whiteface, Blue bonnet, Black eared miner, Spiny cheeked honeyeater and Yellow rosella. A late afternoon walk along the riverbank at Renmark and Peter & Graeme were fortunate to find a Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) hiding among the reeds.
Heavy rains overnight made back roads quite sloppy and almost curtailed our plans to travel along part of the Wentworth back road. But we persevered for an enjoyable day checking out the bush and the Chowilla River. Along the way, Black box (Eucalyptus largiflorens), Coolibah (Eucalyptus microtheca) and River Cooba or Eumong (Acacia stenophylla) provided interest. Again birds were plentiful with highlights including a flock of 13 adult and half-grown emus and Chestnut crowned babblers. A late afternoon trip to Lyrup Flats just outside Renmark provided a sight of over 2 dozen Whistling kites circling in the thermals.
The next morning found us visiting the wetlands system associated with Banrock Station Winery just past Berri. The extensive reclaimed billabongs were swept on and off during the morning by skiffs of rain. Birds were still plentiful though with flocks of Regent Parrots in the trees, Red necked avocets, Black swans, a multitude of various ducks in the water and a Black falcon swooping over the trees and waterline. The afternoon was spent at Moorook Reserve, again a variety of birds with a flock of Caspian terns sheltering on the mudflats.
Lunch the next day found us at the Great Darling Annabranch, Bunnergungee Bridge, on our way to Broken Hill. Numerous birds kept us company including Chestnut-rumped thornbills and (for Helen a first sighting) a male Mistletoebird. Along the road over 50 Apostlebirds in one flock foraged amongst the low herbage including Cottony saltbush (Rhagodia gaudichaudiana), Pearl bluebush (Maireana sedifolia) and Streaked povertybush (Bassia tricuspis).
Broken Hill is home to many art galleries and a day was dedicated to visiting a few - notably the Mint & Gallery, Jack Absalom and Pro Hart. We saw some beautiful paintings and prints of Australiana. The day would not have been complete without a trip to the Silverton art galleries where Graeme could not resist a beautiful print depicting a Wedge tailed eagle soaring over Mundi Mundi Lookout. A side trip at the end of the day to Umberumberka Reservoir provided a few new birds for the list including Chirruping wedgebills and a Little falcon.
The next day dawns as a fine day for a long trip to Mootwingee National Park. This area has some beautifully rugged escarpments in wonderful colours. The vegetation is also interesting with the motley trunks of the Leopardwood (Flindersia maculosa) often festooned with the Yellow flowered mistletoe (Amyema lucasii) and the Dead finish (Acacia tetragonaphylla) playing host to the Pale flowered mistletoe (Amyema maidenii ssp maidenii). Birds are also plentiful including White winged wrens (in particular a male in his splendid blue and white), White fronted chats, Crested bellbirds and Slender billed thornbills.
Kinchega National Park is 110 km south east of Broken Hill and well worth a visit, although at present there is only a little water in the lakes. A trip to the park is not complete without checking out the historic woolshed situated near the dry Emu Lake. Variegated wrens, Singing honeyeaters, Mistletoebirds abound. We were then fortunate to be paid a lengthy visit by a Black breasted buzzard who delighted in soaring low over our heads to show of his markings. A side trip to the saltpans around Menindee revealed an incredible sight. A wave of thousands of Little corellas, well over a kilometre long, passed across the road and settled in the saltpans, all talking and screeching at their loudest.
The trip back into Victoria and down to Wantirna was, we thought, going to be quite dull in comparison to our last few days. But the bird sightings kept on coming. At Lake Boga, thousands of Welcome Swallows were swooping in a continuous stream just 2 feet over the water, 3 Brolgas were feeding in a paddock outside Lake Charm with another 2 Brolgas just south of Kerang. A quick visit to the ibis rookery outside Lake Charm provided a White breasted sea eagle and Swamp harrier for the list. A stop for afternoon tea in Knowles State Park was a haven for the noisy Fuscous honeyeater and Black chinned honeyeater.
In all, this was too short a week but was packed with a host of memories. For the record we sighted 111 different birds during the week with Crested pigeons, Galahs, Magpies, Welcome Swallows and Willie wagtails sighted every day. Wedge tailed eagles also figured prominently with 29 birds sighted for the trip.
SEANA Campout at Eildon Holiday Lodge 11-14 March 2005 by Lynn Smith
The campout was hosted by the Upper Goulburn Field Naturalist’s Club and attended by about 60 people representing 15 clubs. The program consisted of 4 different excursions each day to choose from followed by dinner and evening talks by a variety of speakers.
The speakers included Andy Miller, Chief Ranger at Eildon, Dr Kevin Tolhurst from University of Melbourne, Fire Ecology and Management and Dr Brett Ingram Senior Scientist at Dept of Primary Industries talking about native fish.
On Saturday I joined the excursion to Goulburn River at Thornton to view the river revegetation project overseen by Goulburn Broken Catchment. Our leader Jeanette Currie explained that money from fishing licences was being used to remove the willows from the river’s edge and to replace indigenous plants. Access by local farmers has been restricted with the river bank fenced off and planting works planned. This ongoing program of reclaiming the Goulburn River banks should produce excellent results in the future. In the afternoon we visited the Perfect Cure Creek trail in Fraser Block of Lake Eildon National Park. This area contains mine shafts from gold seekers, gold was found in 1867. The walk covered dry sclerophyll forest with red, yellow and long-leafed box, red stringybark and broad-leafed peppermint. Several butterflies were seen, also golden whistler, rufous whistler and grey fantail.
On Sunday we travelled to Rubicon Historical area along dusty roads with no toilets available (find a bush). Our leader was Lorraine Pyke who organised for us to access restricted areas. It was another hot day but luckily in an area of tall trees for shade. Rubicon was the first hydroelectric power station in Australia with high rainfall of approximately 157 wet days. The dams and pipelines are still used today to generate power. We visited the Rubicon station at both top and bottom of the pipeline and saw the hand built channel system. Starting from 1906, timber was removed from this region by tramways until 1939 fires. Many of the timber mills and tramways were not rebuilt after they were burnt. We visited the trestle bridges with tramways old metal rail lines still in position. After lunch the walk was to the stand of large Mountain Ash trees.
On Monday we met for lunch at Rotary Park in Alexandra. The excursion before lunch was to McKenzie Flora and Fauna Reserve led by Joan Edwards. This area was originally set aside for timber for the gold mines resulting in a heavier tree canopy than normal. Two orchids seen were Genoplasium despectans (Autumn midge orchid) and Eriochilus cucullatus (Parsons Bands). Birds included rainbow bee-eaters, white-throated treecreeper, grey fantail, yellow robins and little eagle and butterflies also seen.
A great time was had by all attending this campout especially important was the contacts made with other people of similar interests and outlook. Other members from Ringwood attending were Pam Faragher, Moira Minty (and her sister Heather), Dorothy Mahler and Noel Schleiger. Footnote: Members Marion King, Alison & Peter Rogers attended the Cathedral and Candlebarks walks on the Saturday.
NATURE NOTES
Loch Sport Highlights - September, 2004
* The ever-changing view from the windows of the houses overlooking Lake Victoria
* Welcome Swallows over Lake Reeve feeding on mosquitoes
* The numbers and diversity of orchid species
* The Wedge-tailed Eagle being chased by Ravens
* The profuse flowering of Thryptomene micrantha
* Monotoca = one birth
* Prolific flowers on Banksias
* Searching for Banksia fungi - and finding one
* Seagulls “swanning” around and diving repeatedly
* Tree identified as the Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus teretiformis)
* Different features of habitats and plant growth (Tea-tree, Banksia)
* Muellerina celestroides - Coast Mistletoe - unusual
* Colony of bright orange fungi
* Bronzewings on the wire
* Sighting a huge kangaroo
* Good company - discussion and sharing expertise
Bird List - Loch Sport - September, 2004
Magpie; Rainbow lorikeet; Red wattlebird;
Pelican; Welcome swallow; Pacific gull;
Silver gull; Crimson rosella; Pied oystercatcher;
Eastern rosella; Common bronzewing; Masked lapwing;
Yellow robin; Kookaburra; Grey thrush;
Fantail cuckoo; Caspian tern; Superb blue wren;
Black swan; Grey butcherbird; Little pied cormorant;
Galah; Mudlark; Yellow winged honeyeater;
Raven; Willie wagtail; Black cormorant;
Brown thornbill; Emu; Little wattlebird;
Swamp harrier; Crested tern; Eastern spinebill;
Wedge tailed eagle; Grey currawong; Little egret;
Red capped dotterel; Chestnut teal; White faced heron;
Brown falcon; Grey fantail; Sharp tailed sandpiper;
Owlet nightjar; Yellow faced honeyeater; White browed scrubwren;
Great egret; Gannet; Spotted pardalote;
Bird List - Mt Baw Baw Excursion - January, 2005
Eastern spinebill; Grey currawong; Flame robin;
Richards pipit; Crimson rosella; White eared honeyeater;
Lyrebird; Superb blue wren; White browed scrubwren;
King parrot; Kookaburra; Crescent honeyeater;
Magpie; Grey fantail; Red wattlebird;
Bird List - Badger Weir - February, 2005
Crimson rosella; Yellow robin; White browed scrubwren;
King parrot; Magpie; Yellow tailed black cockatoo;
Lyrebird; Kookaburra; Sulphur crested cockatoo;
Pied currawong; Common bronzewing; White throated treecreeper;
Silvereye; Brown thornbill; Yellow faced honeyeater;
Superb blue wren; Rufous fantail and nest; 17 species
FIELD CARE DAYS - 2005
Saturday, 23rd July, 2005 Warrandyte Common, Haslam Rd, Warrandyte SP
Friday, 19th August, 2005 Hochkins Ridge Reserve
Dates for your Diary
14-15 October, 2005 - Ringwood FNC Annual Camp-out Castlemaine