Of Worms and Birds

Finally, the tracks have been identified! For many years the observers have noted the tracks of large earthworms seen on moist ground at the edge of a local unsealed road. Recently in the early morning they were fortunate to sight not one, but two of these worms some 500m apart. The road has forest on one side, and large trees on the other side with plenty of leaf litter providing good habitat for not only the worms, but many other important insects.

Bird observations have also featured this month. Studying birds around your home environment is indeed an enjoyable experience. It can also be exciting when a new bird, previously not seen from your kitchen window, is identified. A Spotted pardalote has been added to the Observers “seen around our house” list.

Many of the large yellow gums are flowering. The blossom attracts several different bird species. At present sulphur crested cockatoos are enjoying the flowers and associated insects. Their feeding habits drop plenty of small branches, twigs and flowers on the ground below creating quite a carpet. Casuarinas are also flowering and provide a lot of interest for smaller birds.

Orchid leaves are starting to appear. By carefully noting where many orchids were seen last year it encourages the observer to revisit the site more frequently now to watch for any developing orchid plants.

Attending the recent fungi workshop presented by Alison Pouliot has stimulated an increased interest and understanding of fungi species, and in particular just how many can be found in our area. It is exciting to anticipate the proliferation of fungi with the increased moisture in the environment this year. Be observant, look in likely and not so likely places and you will be rewarded with sighting of many of this interesting species.

Wedderburn Conservation Management Network “Observers”

Photo Caption: Large earthworm seen on roadside.

Vulnerable Birds Appear on the Increase

Slowly but surely the high rainfall over the last year and a half is working its miracles throughout the landscape. After a really good year for native grasses and a boom-year for insects, there are now signs the birds are starting to make a comeback as well. There were a lot of bird species suffering in the drought, especially in places where they had to compete for seeds and fruits with introduced and native grazers and browsers. 2008 in particular saw a steep decline in some of the most endangered bird species of the Wedderburn district, the Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata) and the Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), but now these birds are slowly coming back. It is too early to tell if they will make a full recovery, but the signs are promising.

Breeding pairs of Hooded Robins have been reported on the North, Northwest and the East side of town, whereas Diamond Firetails have been reported in little flocks in those areas in the district where the native grasses have been allowed to grow big unhindered. On this picture a small group of them is mingling with a flock of Southern Whiteface (Aphelocephala leucopsis), another species that is generally declining in numbers in Victoria. The photo was taken close to Mt Korong and it is assumed the large volume in native grasses in that area is contributing to these birds doing well. A continued rabbit control program at the mount should benefit these species even further as the competition for their food declines.

The diversity of bird life, or avifauna as it is also called, is a particular natural asset of the Wedderburn district. That our most vulnerable bird species appear to be increasing in number is therefore great news.

Jeroen van Veen

Weed Management Workshop

Weeds – Can they be successfully controlled by any one method?

Several WCMN members attended an informative workshop, Integrated Weed Management, held in Boort and hosted by Landcare and the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

The workshop was presented by Professor Brian Sindel, formerly from the CSIRO and now Professor of Weed Science at the University of New England. He validated a diverse approach to weed control, by research and case studies.

There is evidence to show how weeds have adapted to control methods of :

• No till agriculture
• Grazing
• Slashing/cutting
• Herbicides
• Continued use of one method by survival/resistance

In response to weed adaptability, Brian proposed the use of an Integrated Weed Management (IWM) approach which:

• Combines a series of weed control measures each of which places constraints on weed growth, reproduction & spread.
• Spreads the risk of control failure
• Allows component methods to be mutually supportive
• Employs combinations of physical, ecological, biological, chemical and genetic methods

What are the management aims in weed control?

1. deplete weed seed bank & stop emergence
2. suppress/kill weed
3. stop weed seed set
4. prevent seed addition to soil seed bank
5. prevent spread from outside

Three ‘secrets’’ of successful weed management were identified as:

• DIVERSITY – combine a series of weed control measures, each of which places different constraints on weed growth, reproduction and spread
• DELIBERATION – have a plan based on an understanding of weed ecology
• DILIGENCE – stick at it, as weeds persist and spread if ignored

Take home messages from the day included:

• Weeds must not be ignored, because of their impacts
• Weeds adapt to agricultural systems we create for them
• Understand the lifecycles of weeds and how they spread
• Employ the 5 weed management aims in co-ordination with the weed’s lifecycle

Article - Joy Hick

Home-made mouse baits put wildlife and domestic animals at risk

With mouse numbers increasing in the Wimmera-Mallee the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) has called on landholders not to start making their own baits and inadvertently put wildlife and domestic animals at risk.

DSE north west biodiversity manager Murray Rohde said home-made baits have the potential to cause serious harm to wildlife and pose an increased risk to domestic animals and pets.

“Home-made, grain-based baits don’t use mouse-specific chemicals and so they often don’t work on mice,” Mr Rohde said.

“Home-made baits often have a much higher chemical concentration to ensure the same effect as commercial baits making them much more dangerous to wildlife and pets than the commercial baits.”

“Grain and mice are key sources of food for many species, including native birds, mammals and reptiles, and some domestic animals.”

“Native or domestic animals that eat grain or mouse carcasses in an area where home-made bait has been laid are at risk of off-target poisoning.”

“When trying to control mice, the best way to prevent off-target kills is to use approved mouse-specific baits and to monitor the results.”

DSE advises that it is illegal to use chemical products not registered for the control of mice to kill mice and other pests and asks people to:

· only use registered mouse baits

· keep your pets away from baits and dead mice to prevent secondary poisoning

· monitor for non-target animal deaths when baiting

· report any deaths to the bait supplier and the Department of Primary Industries

· avoid touching or handling the carcasses and keep your pets away in order to prevent secondary poisoning

· report any wildlife deaths that appear suspicious – for example a group of dead birds lying close together - to the local DSE office or call DSE 136 186.

“Last year, DSE investigated several cases of bird kills in the Wimmera and a number were found to have been caused by the misuse of farm chemicals,” Mr Rohde said.

Copied from a DSE media release

Bountiful numbers of birds recorded in survey

Over the long weekend in March, members of Bird Observer Club Australia surveyed five sites in the Wedderburn area. A large list of birds were recorded, with some significant sightings such as the Diamond Dove sighted at Mt Egbert.

Birds numbers recorded at the sites are as follows:

Mt Egbert: 42

Private property: 73

Skinners flat reserve and orchid garden: 65

Stone quarry, Old Boort Road: 50

Korong Vale Reservoir 50

Total Camp List: 114 Species

Report by Annette Robertson

Photograph - diamond firetail

Indigenous group help in line searches for malleefowl mounds

On Tuesday and Wednesday May 23^rd and 24^th, I was involved in searching an area of the Skinners Flat Block of the Wychitella NCR with 9 employees of the Ngurta Werkitya Program, a group of young indigenous people from Swan Hill and Mildura, Rod and Leota from VMRG and Suzie from Parks Victoria. This block contained two known mounds, which luckily we located, (it would have been a bit embarrassing if we didn’t), and we located two unmarked mounds, which will become part of the VMRG monitoring program. It was a really successful few days.

Wendy Murphy

Malleefowl Mound Line Searches

On Saturday May 21^st, Fourteen sturdy souls participated in a malleefowl mound line search through a section of the Wedderburn Block of the Wychitella NCR. The day was jointly coordinated between the WCMN and the Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group. Participants ranged from interested community members, WCMN and VMRG members, Parks Victoria staff and even a lady from New Zealand. The day began with an induction session on the monitoring techniques and equipment used by the VMRG when conducting line searches and how data is collected and stored. Lunch was had at Doug’s property before we all headed off to tackle the bush. The area chosen for the search had not been formally surveyed before so we were heading into unchartered territories! Because it was the first time many of us had participated in a line search, it was taken at a slow and steady pace and frequent stops were made to ensure the line remained reasonably straight. Some of the bush encountered was very thick and difficult to move through, but we were able to locate two unmarked mounds in the search area. These will now become part of the VMRG monitoring program. We had to abandon the search mid walk as it was becoming dark and cold quite quickly. Most of the group were to be involved in another search on the Sunday, but due to thunderstorm activity, it was cancelled.

The WCMN is looking at conducting these searches annually with the assistance of the VMRG and Parks Victoria, and any one who wants to take part.

Article - Wendy Murphy

Photographs of line searchers - Lynton Schreiver and Joy Hicks