For instance: switch from shower gel to bars of soap.
Use leaf tea instead of tea bags ….
It’s that simple!
We can each make a positive and lasting impact on the environment.
The time to start is NOW!
To find out how, head to the Plastic Free July website.
Marine litter (taken by Bo Elde in Norway, 2020)
Image provided by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
In fact, birds of different species engage in mutual “mobbing” behaviour, usually to ward off predators.
In his latest issue of Feather Fascination, Jim Butler describes calls exchanged in collaboration between Noisy Miners and Magpies. Remarkably, there is clearly a common code of communication between them.
And it appears that this innate understanding is global.
To find out more, head to Jim Butler’s Feather Fascination July 2020.
Research shows that the humble Noisy Miner communicates with other bird species – © Ed Frazer
Test your skills each month with Jim Butler's Wildlife Identification Quiz!
You'll find Know Your Wildlife towards the back of every month's The Local Bulletin.
We will provide the answers to each quiz right here in the first or second week of every month!
So, do you have your answers ready for the July quiz? The correct answers are:
ps: If you need some help, we'd recommend searching our digital field guides! Open them from the side menu:
These alphabetical lists provide a wealth of local information about wildlife. They feature thumb-nail images which expand to a larger view when you click upon them.
Keep an eye out for next month's quiz!
That’s the best way to describe our latest newsletter for Winter 2020!
This issue has something to please everyone! It’s loaded with photos and great articles.
We meet our new PR Officer Sam Bayford-Brown who certainly hasn’t let the Corona Virus lockdown get in her way!
And another new member Dr Manda Page, who works for the Queensland Government, will educate us about threatened species here in the catchment.
Are you struggling with the scourge of Balloon Vine? Bryan Hacker can help you! And he also profiles the native Binung Fern which is available for members from the Nursery.
As if that’s not enough, Bryan shares a lovely photo of a very special spider’s web.
Ed Frazer never fails to astonish with his dazzling photos. In this issue Ed’s shutter is focused on Scarlet Jezebel butterflies, their pupae and the adult butterfly – a great read and a feast for the eyes! Ed has also written a wonderful profile about longstanding MCCG member and horticulturalist Andrew Wilson.
Phil Bird brings us up-to-date on the number of frog species recently surveyed in the catchment. Have you heard of a Bleating tree frog? Go check out Phil’s article!
And our Chairman Jim Pope delivers a call to arms to double the area of protected land in Queensland from 8% to 17%.
GRAB A CUPPA AND HEAD TO OUR WINTER NEWSLETTER!! Just click the link at the top right of your screen! You’ll be glad you did!
Our sincere thanks to Newsletter Editor Cathi Lawrence for delivering such a vibrant issue, and to our loyal and hard working contributors for their diverse and quality content. We acknowledge the skills and effort of so many MCCG members – we are indeed fortunate.
The stunning Scarlet Jezebel – © Ed Frazer
With the support of Cody Hochen, Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Program Officer at Brisbane City Council, a group of MCCG members set up a motion-sensor camera in the Kenmore High School grounds near McKay Brook over the last couple of weeks (June 2020).
They have graciously shared the results with us. The images were surprising in many ways, showing that some fauna is highly active at night. Only a few different species were recorded, but there was plenty of activity from them on most nights. In all, over 500 images were captured!
There were shots of a couple of possums, with one of them a short-eared possum.
Lots of bandicoot interest! Unfortunately the camera was a little too high and every image is of its back. Cody believes it is a long-nosed bandicoot.
There was the usual brush turkey activity and sadly, also a very healthy fox. It was only captured on one occasion. This is particularly disappointing as it has only been a month after unsuccessful efforts by a BCC trapper to trap feral cats and foxes in the area.
There were high hopes for a photo of an echidna as there are clear signs of activity but unfortunately, it was camera shy and managed to evade the camera.
On a more encouraging note, on a check on Saturday 6 June, a micro-bat was found in one of the group’s purpose-built bat tubes installed last year. There have been a couple of previous sightings in these tubes but the regularity of sightings seems to be improving.
Here is a selection of photos from the night. The first two feature the long-nosed bandicoot, and the remainder show the possum and fox.
A group of MCCG members has been busy creating micro-bat tubes, nine of which were installed in the McKay Brook vicinity near Kenmore State High in 2019.
…. and they’ve had some SUCCESS !!!!
On Saturday 6 June 2020, a micro-bat was found in one of the group’s purpose-built bat tubes!
There have been a couple of previous sightings in these tubes but the regularity of sightings seems to be improving.
This tube has contained a micro-bat in the past but on the previous most recent check, it was empty. Others of the nine tubes have contained lizards and large spiders (mainly huntsmen).
These micro-bat tubes are made with recycled materials.
The one shown in the second photo below (with the year 7 class block in the background) was the one which we believe housed the micro-bat.
We’re hopeful more micro-bats will take residence!
This is Micro-bat Tube No 5, installed on a Stringy Bark in May 2019
Checking Bat Tube Nbr 8, home to an occupant
Frogs are disappearing. Declines in frog numbers have been reported around the world and Brisbane is no exception.
Would you like a frog haven in your backyard?
It’s not too difficult to create conditions to attract frogs. They need insects to eat, humidity, hiding places and a suitable place to breed.
And there are plenty of resources available to help you!
The RSPCA has some great tips for frog-friendly habitats. Head to their website to learn more.
The Queensland Frog Society website also offers comprehensive advice.
To read more about the decline of frogs, visit the Queensland Museum website.
Here are some colourful amphibians who call our catchment home:
Southern Orange-eyed tree frog © Phil Bird
Eastern Sedgefrog © Phil Bird
In response to the Corona Virus lockdowns and to celebrate World Enviornment Day on 5 June, over 30 organisations have collaborated to create Earth School.
Earth School is a website directed at young people. It offers a month of daily adventures (Quests) to encourage young people to connect with nature and their environment.
Each quest explains and challenges our notions of real world concepts like the t-shirts we wear, the water we drink, the trees in our forests or the food on our plates.
We’re never too old to learn! Some of the videos may even appeal to an older generation as well! Why not check it out?
Click here to take a look.
On Sunday 31st May, our section held the first working bee after the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions (see photos below). We were limited to 10 volunteers, were required to maintain social distancing of 1.5m and unfortunately were not allowed to share morning tea. We cleared masses of weeds from an area in Blackbutt Place park, Brookfield, which now looks greatly improved (see the second photo). Unfortunately the weeds included large areas of ‘Cobblers Pegs’ (Bidens pilosa – see https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/cobblers-pegs), so we all ended up looking like hedgehogs (or perhaps echidnas). Habitat Brisbane had issued us with copious quantities of hand sanitiser and disinfectant to clean our hand tools, but they were in very similar-looking spray bottles, which caused some confusion among the volunteers, but overall we were all very happy to get back to some practical on-ground bushcare work.
Working Bee Group & Before the Working Bee Commenced
After the Working Bee Photo
A post from Jim Pope
A week or so ago a brush-turkey pecked at a couple of my (extremely hot) habanero peppers that were in a pot in my garden. The next time I saw it, the brush-turkey looked like this (see photo attached). Is this some weird reaction to very hot chilli, or have the local kids been using it for paintball target practice? Or perhaps it’s a side effect of coronavirus in birds. Since then the brush turkey seems to have gone into hiding!
A post by Jim Pope
