More on bird-baths …
Continuing the saga of bird-baths, we received these unusual pictures of a Short-beaked Echidna from Landcare Fire Recovery Coordinator Chris Cobern, taken with a remote camera at Kinglake West. Having taken a dip in the heat of the day, the echidna returned the following day for a drink in the relative cool of the evening.
Meanwhile, back at Flowerdale, the possums and gliders continue to regularly visit the bird-bath featured in previous posts, as shown in the following video clip, which may take a few moments to load.
Where’s Wally ?
More on the bird-bath featured in the 15th January post Not just for the birds! …
Ron and Kate, owners of the bush block where the bath is set up, have been fascinated by the little frog (which appears to be a Southern Brown Tree Frog – Litoria ewingi) which has regularly turned up in various locations among the numerous remote camera images that have been recorded. It’s been a case of spot the frog among the Sugar Gliders, Common Ringtail Possums, Common Brushtail Possum and Black Rats that are also using the bath.
“Wally” is too small to trigger the camera alone, so only appears after a larger animal has set off the infra-red flash sensor. He has so far managed to evade the rats, but is clearly not happy when they go for a swim !
Look closely for the tiny frog’s eye-shine in the sequence of photos below.
What rat is that ?
Photo by Alan Robertson
This Laughing Kookaburra, photographed on a property at Reedy Creek, has captured a fair-sized meal, but what exactly is it ? Judging by the relative proportions of the bird and the prey’s tail, our guess is it’s a Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes) – any other ideas out there ?
A kookaburra’s diet can include snakes, lizards, rodents, frogs and small birds, but they live mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Not just for the birds !
Following our recent post on bird baths (click HERE to view), a pair of enthusiastic landholders at Flowerdale modified the bird bath in their garden and set up one of our remote cameras to see who was using it. Not only were a total of 14 bird species recorded drinking and bathing, including this delightful group of Brown-headed Honeyeaters, but both Common Ringtail and Common Brushtail Possums used the bath, as well as a Black Rat and House Mouse.
The videos may take a few moments to load.
Koala at Strath Creek
The latest report was from the heart of Strath Creek – a Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) was spotted high up in a youngish River Red Gum in a farm garden, but was unwilling to turn around for a good photo opportunity. The koala spent at least two days in the tree before moving on. We set up a remote camera near the base of the tree, and managed to capture a few images of it leaving at around 3.30am.
Birds beat the heat
With the recent heatwave, and the promise of more extreme heat on the way, spare a thought for the birds, particularly around your garden. A bird bath (or 2 or 3) will be greatly appreciated by a wide range of birds. Over three sweltering days, a total of 16 species of birds were observed using 3 shallow baths in our Strath Creek garden. A few of these are shown below.
Some tips for bird baths:
- locate the bird baths close to shrubbery for protection and shade
- choose shallow baths or place a rock or two in deeper baths to avoid accidental drownings
- clean out the baths regularly – birds should have clean water for drinking and washing
- keep the baths topped up – water is rapidly depleted on hot days through evaporation (or being splashed out by larger birds!)
- keep cats indoors!
Highly desirable residence !
The value of artificial nest boxes, especially in fire-ravaged areas, was highlighted this week when we received this photo. The owner of the tail, presumably a Common Ringtail Possum, is the third known occupant of this particular box in the last 15 months. The first tenant was a White-throated Treecreeper which successfully raised a brood in spring 2010.
Then an Australian Owlet-nightjar regularly used the box during 2011 (click HERE to view previous post) and is apparently now quite peeved at the new arrival, judging by its constant calling.
As the landholder said “… this sort of revolving tenancy is probably quite common with natural tree hollows – it’s been fascinating to watch!”. Thanks to Ron and Kate for their many interesting wildlife reports.
Natives 80 Ferals 1080
One of our remote cameras has been in action on a bush block just to the east of Flowerdale. Over a 3-week period, the camera recorded well over 1000 pictures, including some of a Common Wombat, Australian Magpie, a Grey Currawong and a Laughing Kookaburra – as well as many images of European Rabbits and a Fallow Deer (see slideshow below).
However, the great majority of pictures were of a Red Fox family, including 3 well-grown cubs. The camera seems to have been fortuitously located right at the site of the family’s regular gatherings. While they may be helping to keep the rabbit numbers down, they would undoubtedly be a great threat to native wildlife on the property (but probably not to the wombat which they took little notice of as it passed by at night).
Survival of the new arrival
The female Common Wombat featured with a joey in the pouch in a previous post in June (click HERE to view post) has been seen several times since then, but always on her own. It was feared the offspring had not survived. But just over 6 months later, there she was with a healthy young one in tow, in almost the same spot as in the original photographs.
More possums and gliders
Ringtail Possum drey - Photo: David Laurie
Those who attended the Focus on Fauna talk last month on Possums and Gliders would readily identify the bundle of sticks in this photo as a ringtail possum’s nest, or drey as it is known. The possum’s face can be seen poking out from the entrance, looking a little sleepy!
Although our regular survey schedule has now finished, the remote cameras have not been completely idle, and recently managed to capture many pictures of Sugar Gliders and both a Common Ringtail and a Common Brushtail Possum on a property over towards Reedy Creek.
The short video below may take a few moments to load.
Focus On Fauna 