A Sacred Kingfisher was fishing in the dam and returning to a vantage post in the scrub. It will be heading north soon on its migration back to northern Qld, New Guinea and Indonesia.
It would be really good to hear of other bird sightings and anecdotes, nesting records, etc.
[from Lesley].
Feb 24, 2010
A new plant for our list
Our twitcher, Lesley, has added a new plant to our list this week. It is a small climber called "small leafed Tylophora" (Tylophora grandiflora) in flower. We haven't noticed this plant before.
After the recent rains, there's a lot going on, with flowers and seeds, as well as young plants appearing and new growth.
We have made such a difference to this reserve by removing the asparagus vine from the canopy, although we will continue to need to remove young plants as they germinate and attempt to climb back up.
We hope to see you in 4 weeks time.
Feb 17, 2010
First meeting after the recent rain
A reminder that we are meeting again next week on Wednesday 24th February at 9 am.
With the recent rain, things are growing well in our lovely reserve.
We hope you can find time to join us there.
Bring secateurs, chipping tools and a bag for weeds if you feel inclined to work, or your camera, binoculars, a book to read, or just a chair and smoko.
We hope you can join us to experience our local vegetation as it was before we cleared it.
If you can't make it, we will be meeting again on the last Wednesday in March.
With the recent rain, things are growing well in our lovely reserve.
We hope you can find time to join us there.
Bring secateurs, chipping tools and a bag for weeds if you feel inclined to work, or your camera, binoculars, a book to read, or just a chair and smoko.
We hope you can join us to experience our local vegetation as it was before we cleared it.
If you can't make it, we will be meeting again on the last Wednesday in March.
Jan 25, 2010
A new schedule
We have decided to increase our efforts on our little patch of remnant vegetation and will meet on the last Wednesday of each month this year - except January and December.
We hope this will make it easier for everyone to make it and get to know the seasonal delights which it offers.
Best wishes for 2010.
We hope this will make it easier for everyone to make it and get to know the seasonal delights which it offers.
Best wishes for 2010.
Nov 17, 2009
Birds in Franke Scrub
contributed by Lesley Beaton, a local birdwatcher.
I went down to Franke Scrub one morning recently, though not very good birding weather. However I flushed a Southern Boobook which was very nice to see. It was in the thickest scrub towards the bottom of the gully and only flew to another tree close by. So I skirted around that bit so as not to disturb it any further. The Double‑barred Finches and Rufous Fantails were very active, but it was too windy for the honeyeaters. I didn't see a one! There were a pair of Rufous Fantails following me along the track. They are such an attractive bird.
A male Double‑bar was courting. He sat on a mid‑canopy dead branch flicking a dangling wisp of grass. As soon as the female appeared lower down on the branch, he gave the grass one more flick, dropped it and went over to the female. He wiped his beak on the branch a couple of times and fluffed up her neck feathers, she lay low, and he mounted her. This only happened once. He then wiped his beak on the branch again, she flew of, he wiped his beak a further time and flew off in the opposite direction. The bird books say he does a bit of a dance and sings to the female but I saw and heard none of this behaviour.
Scrub
Southern Boobook S
Sacred Kingfisher S
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike S
Rufous Fantail S
White-browed Scrubwren S
Weebill S
Brown Thornbill S
Lewin’s Honeyeater S
Silvereye S
Double-barred Finch S
Grey Butcherbird S
Australian Magpie S
Torresian Crow S
Road reserve
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike S
White-browed Scrubwren S
Lewin’s Honeyeater S
Silvereye S
House Sparrow S
Double-barred Finch S
Grey Butcherbird S
Australian Magpie S
Overhead/adjacent paddocks
Straw-necked Ibis S
Ground Cuckoo-shrike S
Torresian Crow S
16 species
NOTE: At the time of these observations, there was no water in the scrub, but the farm dam next to it was full.
Nov 12, 2009
Working Bee, 2nd December
9.00am to midday (Morning tea break at 10.30)
The asparagus fern is flowering now, making the plants in the trees particularly easy to find at present. Let's hope it's still as conspicuous by the working bee date, as getting those plants down from the trees before they set seed will be out highest priority this time. there are not too many. We may be able to get most of not all of the plants which are mature enough to produce seed, if we make this our focus this time.
Bring:
* Cutting and digging tools
* Your own safety gear - boots, gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.
* Morning tea and a chair
I look forward to seeing you there!
The asparagus fern is flowering now, making the plants in the trees particularly easy to find at present. Let's hope it's still as conspicuous by the working bee date, as getting those plants down from the trees before they set seed will be out highest priority this time. there are not too many. We may be able to get most of not all of the plants which are mature enough to produce seed, if we make this our focus this time.
Bring:
* Cutting and digging tools
* Your own safety gear - boots, gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.
* Morning tea and a chair
I look forward to seeing you there!
Oct 1, 2009
Spring flowers, birds and butterflies
Two mistletoes are flowering beautifully at Franke scrub this week.
Lucas's mistletoe (Amyema lucasii) is making a great show with its bright yellow flowers, on our favourite leopard ash (Flindersia collina). The Flindersia itself is also flowering, though only
moderately this year.
And the "variable mistletoe", Amyema congener was quite conspicuous.
This plant loves growing on the Boonaree (Alectryon diversifolium) with its holly-like leaves. However it also grows on several other species in the scrub.The flowers on our local Amyema congener are a darker shade of red than the more common variety seen elsewhere.
Expect to see honeyeaters coming for the nectar from these flowers - and, later in the year, mistletoe birds coming for the fruits. Those special butterflies, the beautiful jezebels, which depend on mistletoes for their survival, are beginning to appear in the scrub again as the
weather warms up.
The sandalwoods (Santalum lanceolatum) under the leopard ash are in bud, so we can expect to see flowers there over the next few weeks. It looks as though they will be putting out a good crop of their dark red (edible but please don't eat them) fruits this year.
Trish
Lucas's mistletoe (Amyema lucasii) is making a great show with its bright yellow flowers, on our favourite leopard ash (Flindersia collina). The Flindersia itself is also flowering, though only
moderately this year.
And the "variable mistletoe", Amyema congener was quite conspicuous.
This plant loves growing on the Boonaree (Alectryon diversifolium) with its holly-like leaves. However it also grows on several other species in the scrub.The flowers on our local Amyema congener are a darker shade of red than the more common variety seen elsewhere.
Expect to see honeyeaters coming for the nectar from these flowers - and, later in the year, mistletoe birds coming for the fruits. Those special butterflies, the beautiful jezebels, which depend on mistletoes for their survival, are beginning to appear in the scrub again as the
weather warms up.
The sandalwoods (Santalum lanceolatum) under the leopard ash are in bud, so we can expect to see flowers there over the next few weeks. It looks as though they will be putting out a good crop of their dark red (edible but please don't eat them) fruits this year.
Trish
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
