A quieter month, for new and interesting sightings. However the observers have enjoyed outings to see other areas of biodiversity. Members of the Wedderburn Conservation Network, Friends of Kooyoora and St Arnaud Field Naturalists had a combined outing to St Arnaud Ranges State Park. The Wax Gardens provided a most interesting diversity of flora. We also had an opportunity to view Grass Trees at two different sites. Although burned in the past two years the grass trees have recovered and other flora has started to regenerate. The grass trees at the burnt site were in flower. WCMN members also attended the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) Riparian land management field day at Appin South, and the Landcare tour of indigenous cultural heritage near Kerang. Locally, Scarlet mint bush plants have been seen flowering. These beautiful plants, with dark green foliage, brilliant red (and occasionally orange) flowers, also have a distinctive and pungent smell. Another plant which is taking on a generalised red coloured hue is the Heath Myrtle. Its flowers will change from red in the early stages, to white in full bloom.
With the rainfall this month some interesting and unusual fungi have started to emerge. Basket fungi have been seen in moderate numbers, mostly in areas of well grazed native pasture. These have not been seen very much during the drought years.
The importance of standing dead trees was demonstrated recently. We were admiring the numbers of hollows in a very large, old, dead yellow gum on the edge of a paddock and adjacent to open woodland. An antechinus was seen running along the branches between three different hollows, at least 10 metres off the ground.
At this time of year many duck species are looking for prospective nest hollows in large trees. It is a good time to observe bird behaviour in all species as it comes closer to nesting time.
Wedderburn Conservation Network “Observers”
(Photograph attached is of a Basket Fungi)
