Nature notes

SEANA

From the member clubs

Unless otherwise indicated, dates of items from club newsletters are the dates of Club newsletters. For further information, contact the club concerned.

Angair Wildflowwer Weekend and Art Show

The anual ANGAIR Wildflower Weekend and Art Show will be on Sat 19 September and Sunday 20 September. Features include

Guided wildflower bus tours and walks which are included in the entry fee.
Displays of local wildflowers and fauna, and particulalrly orchids of the Anglesea and Aireys Inlet region, and Australian Native wildflwers grown in local gardens.
Hands on activities for children, including win a plant quiz.
Plants, art and craft, and second hand books for sale.
Art show.
Light refreshmenst.

Frogs

Angair Frogs The Angair Newsletter July 2009 features Frogs in our Area - do you know the difference? . Description and illustrations are given for the Southern Brown Tree Frog, Growling Grass Frog, Striped Marsh Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog, Banjo Frog, Common Froglet, Common Spadefoot Toad, Victorian Smooth Froglet and the Southern Toadlet.

Ecology

Weeds to Mulch. Surf Coast Shire has trialled Weeds to Mulch in two Anlesea streets. The Shire is removing environmental weeds from road reserves, and providing landholders advice regarding removal of environmental weeds on their property. Landholdes can remove weeds from their garden, have them mulched by the Shire, and the mulch returned for use in the garden. Removal of environmental weeds has reduced the fire load in some areas by 75%. (Carl Raynor, Angair newsletter May 2009).

The effect of extreme heat and prolonged dryness. During the very hot days in February, some heat-stressed and dehydrated animals, including Ringtail Possums and King parrots came into gardens and onto decking. Koalas were affected; in very hot weather gum leaves dry out, and many koalas wwere seen seeking water to relieve their distress.

Many animals have been rescued from fire-affected areas. Often the animals have burns or other injuies, and are being cared for in wildlife shelters. The wildlife shelters provide a wonderful service, and any help would be much appreciated. (Angair Newsletter Mar 2009, from an note from MT).

Bird reports

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. Over the past few years, Yellow=tailed Black Cocjkatoos have frequently been recorded in Castlemaine Township. Formerly they were found much further south. This year they have moved north to Bendigo. (EP)

Birds recorded by Albury-Wodonga Field Naturalists during a field trip to Lake Kerferd included a Black-chinned Honeyeater, Red-browed Treecreepers, Striated Thornbills, Yellow Robins, and the usual Kookaburras, Coots, Currawongs, Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, Magpies, Superb Fairy-wrens, Masked and Black-fronted Plovers, Great Egrets, Grebes, Pied Cormorants and a lone Black-fronted Dotterel. (A & DA, Albury-Wodonga FNC Newsletter 105)

White-throated Gerygone was seen in a Port Fairy garden, in a plum tree. This bird is rare south of the Divide. (MG, Warrnambool FNC, June 08)

A garden riot at Port Fairy. 10 Magpies, 2 Redwattlebirds, 5 Crimson Rosellas, about 6 New Holland Honeyeaters and a couple of ravens were all setting up a riot chase through the shrubbery. (AT, Warrnambool FNC, June 08)

Glossy Black Cockatoo. Two seen at the Rock Nature Reserve, July 2008. (AS, Albury-Wodonga FNC)

Blue-winged Honeyeater. Reported from North Castlemaine, Mar 2009. This bird is seldom seen in the Castlemane area. (RM, Castlemaine FNC).

White Goshawk An ANGAIR member had an interesting experience while riding a bicycle along the Anglesea River Track. A White Goshawk was disturbed, and fluttered just above her head. She had an excellent view of the bird as it flew away with a Wattlebird in its talons. (LB, Angair Dec-Jan 2009)

Mammals

Echidna at Yambuck and near Ralph Illidge Sanctuary. The sighting at Yambuck was on the Princes Hwy, mnear Goose Lagoon. (LK and HL, Warrnambool FNC newsletter, Non 08)
Pygmy Sperm Whale was found near the beach at Moggs Creek, It was about 2.5m long and had bruising and facial lacerations. Although alive when found, it died a short time later. Sightings of Pygmy Sperm Whales are rare in this area, the last one about seven years ago.(Angair Inc Nov 08)
The November 2008 Angair Newsletter features Cetaceans; this issue deals with Humpback, Southern Right and Killer Whales,
An Eastern Pygmy Possum was found in a backyard of a house in Warrnambool. This is notnormally the species range. It was possibly brought in in a load of firewood from Timboon, (JS, Warrnambool FNC, June 08)

Plants

Ants helping to spread weeds. . Ants were seen to carry seeds of Panic Veldt-grass Ehrharta erecta for a distance of at least 5 metres, to their nests, where the seeds were stockpiled. The seeds were collected and sown, and a thriving crop of Veldt Grass and Sow Thistle Sonchus oleraceus resulted.
>Ants have also been seen to collect seeds of Chilean Needle-grass. The seed may be carried for a distance up to 10 metres. The ants chew the small nutritive kernel. Some seed is shallowly buried by the ants, and at least some of the stockpile can germinate when conditions are suitable. Ants are also known to stockpile seed of Onion Grass Romulea rosea (from Angair Newsltter, April 2009, CR)
Orchids at Anglesea. 109 orchid species have been listed for the Anglesea district. The most recently recorded is the Green-striped Greenhood (Pterostylis chlorogramma. It differs from the Tall Greenhood by the dark-green stripe down the emerald green labellum. This compares with the Tall Greenhood (P. melagramma) which has a dark stripe down a brownish labellum. (MM, ANGAIR Inc Newsletter Oct 08)

Club activities

Indigenous wildlife of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.. ANGAIR has produced an attractive brochure with photographs of many of the birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies of the district. It has been distributed free to to students of local schools and to those attending the ANGAIR flower show. Brochures are available from ANGAIR. (ANGAIR Flora and Fauna Interest Group, ANGAIR Inc Newsletter Oct 08)
Plant Propagation. The Angair Plant Propagating Group's aim is to propagate Anglesea native plants. A planned extension is to work with students and staff at the Angleaa primary School. This wil include collection of seed and growing the seed.(Angair Nov 08)
Flowers of Anglesea and Airies Inlet. The new flora guide is at the printers. (Angair Newsletter Mar 2009) Newsletters

Club newsletters

Do you know these early wattles? The ANGAIR newsletter Aug 2009 features a guide to the earliest flowering indigenous wattles. These are Sweet Wattle, Spreading Wattle, Ploughshare wattle and Narrow-leaf Wattle.

Angair Heaths . The ANGAIR Newsletter June 2009 features local tube-flowered heaths. Each has a description and illustraion. Heaths feaured are Cranberry Heath, Prickly Broom Heath, Common Heath and Peach Heath.