Kinglake West has Phascogales too!
Our Focus on Fauna remote cameras are proving very successful at spying on these nocturnal gymnasts. Fire Recovery Coordinator with the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network, Chris Cobern, got these images last night at a nest box in Kings Rd, Kinglake West.
Mid-February frog choruses – Spring Valley Rd
Peron's Tree Frog
Six species of frog were calling from dams in Flowerdale in mid-February. These recordings were made on properties in Spring Valley Rd and Old Spring Valley Rd.
Roos, hare & family dogs
Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) are an all too common sight in the district. Their numbers can build up quickly, yet population control through predation is almost nil. With the good season that we’ve had, numbers are likely to increasing rapidly.
The Brown Hare (Lepus capensis) is another herbivore that’s probably doing well this season.
Birds returning to forests
Sacred Kingfisher
Brief surveys in burnt areas of forest on two Flowerdale properties recently revealed a good range of bird species. As part of the Focus on Fauna project, standard 20-minute, 2-hectare bird surveys are being conducted at each site at the time of setting up remote cameras.
At one site, a block under a Trust for Nature covenant, 16 species were recorded in 20 minutes, a feature being quite a large flock of Dusky Woodswallows.
At the other site, a very extensive bush block backing onto State Forest, which was completely burnt out in 2009, the survey netted 13 species, with the highlight being a pair of Sacred Kingfishers. Earlier, Scarlet Robins were seen on the edge of a cleared house site on the block.
Phascogales love their Three Sisters!
Three Sisters, on the Flowerdale-Strath Creek Rd also appears to have resident Brush-tailed Phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa) in a patch of remnant Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) woodland, much to the delight of the proud owners!
Common Wombat nosing around
A Common Wombat moves through its territory and triggers the remote camera into action. Among ground-dwelling animals wombats probably survived the fires better than most. Having deep, often extensive burrows, they could at least escape the flames and heat of the fires, though that may not have been enough to save them.
Common Brushtail Possum at the woodheap – Flowerdale
Here we have a very inquisitive Common Brushtail Possum (Trichpsurus vulpecula) inspecting a wood-pile on a Flowerdale property. The stake in the foreground is a bait station, containing a mix of peanut butter, golden syrup & rolled oats.
The first 11 pics are at 5 am and the last 5 are 10 pm that night. This site, or the bait, is clearly attracting this possum. The site was set up in the hope of catching a Brush-tailed Phascogale, but no luck here yet.
Phascogale in Strath Creek.
Look what’s using a nestbox in Strath Creek!
This nest box was installed several years ago in unburnt bush (Yellow Box woodland, to 15-20m). Its a small nest box with internal dimensions of 11 x 11 x 20 cm, a 60 mm opening and placed 4 m above ground. These are amongst the first images that our remote cameras have taken. Such success early in the project is heartening.
Focus on Fauna – information evening.
Flowerdale Hall, Friday 28th jan. 2011
7.30-9 pm, followed by a night walk in a local reserve.
Learn about the project and the remote survey techniques being used, meet like-minded people interested in wildlife and contribute your own wildlife observations. Light refreshments provided.
Contact David Wakefield 5780 1225, or focusonfauna@gmail.com
Focus On Fauna 