Dear Friends,
Presented with a crisp winter morning we set out with ladders, checklists, compasses, torches and a GPS to complete the nest log surveying. At least that’s what we thought we may achieve! Many logs had fallen to the ground as a result of storm damage and rotting trees so much time was spent locating them and, where possible, replacing them. Two sites remain to be checked and we may be able to complete the activity in August.
Rewards were few this time around. A log on the ground yielded two lovely speckled eggs of a Brown Treecreeper, a nest lost in a storm perhaps. Another yielded a mass of fur and some bones which we took for identification. As we passed some nest boxes en route to other sites we decided to check those. A surprise finding was an almost complete skeleton of a glider with one side of its ribs missing. Hopefully Bruce will be able to ID it for us. Quite a lot of the logs need to be re-attached to the trees, a job for the future.
The lunchtime entertainment at Honeyeater Picnic area was provided by the Brown Treecreepers, Superb Fairy Wrens and Yellow Robins, the treecreepers being quite bold in their quest for crumbs. The regenerating Silver Wattles will hopefully mature to replace the dead and damaged ones and once again provide good habitat.
Around the park:
We were disappointed to see the vandalism at Honeyeater Picnic spot where the BBQ had been forcibly removed from its base leaving a heap of broken concrete. A ghastly pile of household rubbish off Pooley’s Track and car parts dumped on Red Box Track were other negatives. Sadly these actions are a waste of resources and park personnel time.
The Ironbarks continue to flower after the good rains and every honeyeater that should be in the park at this time, with the exception of the Regent, can be found. White-naped Honeyeaters seem to be in greater numbers lately. A walk along Red Box Track provides a good list including Scarlet, Yellow and Flame Robins, the latter along paddock edges where the cow pats are providing a good source of insects. Quite good numbers of Spotted Pardalotes taking lerp, an odd Mistletoe Bird, White-browed Babblers, Grey Thrush and Thornbills. Some nice specimens of Ghost Fungus, Omphalotus nidiformis can be found. This whitish tinged with brown fungus glows in the night, and is poisonous. It grows on a wide variety of native plants. Maybe a trifle cold for night trips at present.
Congratulations to member Mark Carey who has gained his degree, topped the class and been awarded the North-east Catchment Management Scholarship for 2004. Mark studied at Latrobe University, Wodonga Campus. Well done!
Rainfall: Rainfall in June 104.4mm over 15 days. Yearly total: 197.6mm over 36 days.
“Stuffed and Mounted” a traveling exhibition of wildlife is on at the Burke Museum in Beechworth. Sunday July 18th is the day Friends have arranged to go as a group at the group admission of $3.40 per person. We will meet at the museum in Beechworth at 2pm. If you intend to join the group please call Eileen on 0357 261 484
Contributions: Anyone wishing to contribute to the newsletter please email their article to me.
CHANGE TO AGM:
Due to a variety of reasons the AGM has been re-scheduled for SATURDAY OCTOBER 2ND.
Dr Catherine Meathrel will present an illustrated talk on “The Great Albatross”. Details later. Please amend your programme. Thankyou, Eileen.
NEXT MEETING SUNDAY AUGUST 1ST
Meet at Chiltern Post Office at 9.00 am. Leaving the P.O. at 9.10am. Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot national survey day. The lunch spot will be decided on the day. BYO lunch and binoculars. Organiser: Phillip Seely 0260 215 313 If the weather is at all doubtful please phone the organiser to check that the activity will go ahead. Time permitting we may check the remaining nest logs.
FRIENDS OF CHILTERN NATIONAL PARK inc MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
P.O.Box 26 CHILTERN 3683 To assist, please mark the envelope Membership.
Friends have achieved a great deal during the past year. Surveys for plants, birds and monitoring of mammal boxes, tree planting and weed control are just some of our contributions. Your support for our activities is valued and your membership renewal is vital to our cause. Membership expires on June 30th. Thank you.
Please find enclosed my membership of $10 for 2004-5. The fee covers the whole family and includes 11 newsletters.