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Moggill Creek

Catchment Group

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News

Moggill Magic

May 2, 2022 by mccgadmin

Moggill Magic this issue features the Moggill Creek Catchment Group Newsletter which has been published quarterly since the Group was started 22 years ago. The Newsletter has been the main communication vehicle for the MCCG and is widely read by local members and even as far wide as Sydney and Melbourne.

It has covered the efforts of the MCCG Bushcare Groups, the Annual Photo Competition, The Kids Day at the Cottage, Dale’s  Cottage Talks and the recent popular evening presentations at the Showgrounds Hall. It has also included informative local articles on native plants, weed control and native fauna. We are fortunate to have several experts living within the catchment who have contributed authoritative articles on a wide range of subjects from birds, butterflies, frogs, landscaping, platypus and creek health.

The MCCG Newsletters from the first issue on November 1999 to 2012

None of this would have been possible without the dedicated work of our two Editors, the late Graeme Wilson and our present editor Cathi Lawrence.

This issue is Cathi’s 22nd Newsletter and she has brought a professional expertise to the Newsletter that has lifted the publication to an exceptionally high standard. Cathi has not only produced a highly attractive publication she has cleverly cajoled the contributors of articles to supply a newsletter with a regular balance of articles on people and activities in the catchment with topical and informative articles on the fauna and flora of the area.

The work that goes into producing each issue is enormous and Cathi’s highly disciplined approach results in the timely production of the newsletter each quarter.

A recent letter to the MCCG Secretary put it well:

Dear Zoe

Thank you for the latest Newsletter, what a delightful and informative issue. I was really interested in the information on the likelihood of our native wild life survival during the flood. It would seem that Nature is able to cope so much better than the humans.

The article was well illustrated and most informative. As someone who finds using a computer difficult, I really appreciate the Newsletters and can only admire those responsible in producing such an excellent product.

Thank You

Peter Strickland.

The MCCG Newsletter is truly Moggill Magic and a large contributor to the success of the Moggill Creek Catchment Group.

Words and photo by Ed Frazer

Filed Under: News

Just another tree?

May 2, 2022 by mccgadmin

Across Gold Creek from my hide, where I have been monitoring a breeding Platypus in recent years, is a Sandpaper Fig. Its notable feature is that it is old, but apart from that it is just another tree arching over one of the two large ponds of the creek.

I have taken an interest in this tree because there are long periods of waiting between sightings of the platypus, but there are many similar trees overhanging the creek.

How it got to be growing just in this position could probably be because one of the figs from further upstream was washed down the creek and was deposited in a recess in this section of the creek many years ago.

I have no idea how old the tree is, but it has clearly seen better days as it has lost many branches and shows several signs of old age including severe termite attack.  It would certainly have been around in the first half of the 20th century when this section of Gold Creek was the local swimming hole. It was probably around before the land was cleared and used as a dairy farm by the Dart brothers. I can imagine it existed when members of the Turrbal or Jagera aboriginal groups populated the area. Perhaps the aboriginal children snacked on its fruits before lollies were available from the Brookfield store.

Since the cattle went, Chinese Elms have invaded the cleared areas and the swimming hole is no longer used, but the creek banks have a good cover of Sandpaper Figs and Creek Lily Pillies and other natives, so this section of Gold Creek is in good condition and supports a wide range of wildlife.

The Sandpaper Fig has many decayed limbs, and one hole is the resting place of an elderly Northern Mountain Possum. He camps here during the day when he is visiting this part of his territory. The Sandpaper Fig is interconnected with other trees along the creek by several vines. When the possum wakes up in the evening, he climbs upwards and takes off on an aerial highway that covers much of the creek.

He is joined by many other inhabitants who also use this network. Young water dragons sleep along the thinner branches during the night where they are safe from cats and other predators.

If the Water Dragons sense danger, they just plop into the water and swim to safety.

 Many birds frequent the fig’s canopy. Lewin’s Honeyeaters are always present – not for nectar, but insects which form much of their diet. Whipbirds are also common, and the fig produces fruit for a range of fruit eaters including Pale-headed Rosellas, Figbirds, Satin Bowerbirds and Rose-crowned Fruit-doves. Brush Turkeys and Noisy Pittas feed on the figs that fall on the banks of the creek. Striated Pardalotes use the fig as a staging post as they excavate their many holes in the bank of the creek where they raise their young. One parent will wait impatiently in the tree with an insect in its beak while calling incessantly until the other parent leaves the hole and it is their turn to feed the hungry young.

Most of the figs fall into the water and there is always a team of Eel-tailed Catfish waiting below.

As well as fruit the Sandpaper Fig drops a considerable number of leaves throughout the year. These rot down in the water and start a food chain involving bacteria and fungi, which are eaten by worms and aquatic insects such as dragonfly, mayfly and midge larvae, which are then eaten by fish and platypus.

The creek is usually ankle deep in mulm derived from the leaves and fruit and the platypus’s bill with its electrified sensors is ideally adapted to sifting out the insects and worms contained in the debris.

When the creek floods the mulm is washed away and a new cycle develops where the whole process speeds up with the input of minerals and light. Floods undercut the banks developing suitable dens for the platypus and water rats. Here too, roots of the Sandpaper fig stabilise the bank. The underground extent of the fig is just as large as the aboveground branches and trunk and the fig produces two distinct types of roots. The structural roots support the trunk and branches and take up water. The fine roots collect the nutrients to feed the growth.

The trees along the creek are essential for the health of the creek and support an amazing amount of wildlife. Clearing to the edge of the creek destroys this habitat and leads to a breakdown of the ecology of our waterways. The work of the MCCG environmental restoration groups in revegetating our waterways is vital to maintaining Moggill and Gold Creeks in a condition that is as close to pristine as any waterway in Brisbane.

FOOTNOTE

The Sandpaper Fig was snapped off by the recent flood and washed downstream to the bridge at the junction of Adavale St. and Savages Rd. The Mountain Possum hole survived but it is very exposed, and it is doubtful it will be used again. A few young branches remain but the main trunk was severed about 2 metres above the ground. The entire root system survived and held the bank well so the old tree will rise again, but it will be many years before it plays its part in supporting the animals with food and the aerial highway above the creek. In the meantime, other young trees will take advantage of the extra light and take the old fig’s place in the canopy above Gold Creek.

Words and photos by Ed Frazer

Filed Under: Bush Bites, News

Bushcare working bees have recommenced post flooding.

April 28, 2022 by mccgadmin

Post flood site assessments have now been done by Habitat Brisbane and bushcare working bees have recommenced around the catchment.

Why not join in the Rafting Ground Reserve Bushcare site (next to Pullenvale/Moggill Rd traffic lights) on Monday 2nd May 9-11am.  Along with some light weeding, Alex will be sharing information on indigenous history of our bushcare sites.

Filed Under: News

Evening Talk with Monica Richter (WWF) April 20th

April 2, 2022 by mccgadmin

MCCG is very proud to host Monica Richter for an evening talk on Wednesday April 20th at 7pm.

Monica Richter, Senior Manager, Low Carbon Futures, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) will present economic strategies to mitigate climate change. Monica is an economist and social ecologist with extensive experience in environmental sustainability and an interest in the role of business in accelerating the uptake of low and zero carbon solutions.

Please join us for this event at The Brookfield Hall, refreshments provided. Doors open 6.30pm.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: climate change, Monica Richter, WWF

Wildlife Matters – Migration Time

April 1, 2022 by mccgadmin

In our modern world we take little notice of the twice-yearly migrations of huge numbers of our native birds. Knowledge of these seasonal movements was a major part of the Aborigines’ culture. Bird migrations marked the changing of the seasons and were important to their survival. Even our farmers in the past related the comings and goings of the birds to their planting of crops. Our location in Brisbane is right in the centre of four main migrations, north/south, south/north, east/west and west/east.

The next few weeks are the prime time for the Autumn migration when one group of birds is arriving and another group that came in spring is leaving. Shortly the beautiful Rose-crowned Fruit-doves will leave for Northern Queensland and Papua-New Guinea. They will guide their chicks, only a few months old, to the northern grounds to avoid our winter. They will be accompanied by the equally beautiful Sacred Kingfishers and our migrating super star the Latham’s Snipe which goes all the way to Japan.

At the same time millions of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters will arrive from Victoria to feast on Eucalyptus nectar. They fly mainly at night in such huge flocks that they show on the BOM radar. Another southerner that will arrive in a few days will be the Grey Fantail. Not as spectacular, but very friendly and just as common in the suburbs as in the bush where they are easily seen competing for insects with the Willie Wagtails. One spectacular species arriving soon is the Noisy Pitta. A ground foraging bird that breeds on the Dividing Range and migrates to the coast, where unfortunately it is vulnerable to our cats at night.  Small flocks of Pacific Bazas, our Crested Hawk, will also arrive to feed on Stick Insects high up in the tops of Eucalypts.

Many of the Cuckoos species will soon leave to go north for warmer conditions.  Some go to North Queensland and some to PNG and the Coral Sea Islands. How a young Channel-billed Cuckoo (Flying Hockeystick) knows where to go is a mystery as cuckoos are raised by other species. They are parasitic birds laying their eggs in other birds’ nests. As well as other large cuckoos such as the Cooee Bird (Koel) there are several smaller cuckoos that leave for the north at this time, but some individuals of a few species such as the Shining Bronze-cuckoo choose to stay for the winter and we don’t know why.

There is so much more to understand about these migrations. We know little about how they navigate – often to an exact location every year. Many fly during the night probably using the stars or some other astronomical system. How do they know the exact time to leave each year? Why do some migrate while others stay? Some fly non-stop while others have feeding stop-off places where they replenish their strength. Migration is an amazing phenomenon and we are right in one of the best places in Australia to see it unfolding.

Ed Frazer

Wildlife Matters April 2022


Published in

Filed Under: News

Bush Bites – Wildlife in the Wet

March 27, 2022 by mccgadmin

Surviving the floods has been a test of our resilience in recent times, but how do the local wildlife manage the storms and the flooded creeks?

The answer is surprisingly well. Many species have very attuned senses and they are in many cases better forecasters than Bureau of Meteorology when it comes to detecting imminent storms. Most of our birds can easily detect drops in barometric pressure, wind changes, temperature drops, lightning and thunder miles away and either fly off to safer locations or take shelter in dense foliage or in nooks and crannies of tree trunks. Small birds are experts at positioning themselves close to the trunks on the leeward faces of the trees.

The biggest danger for birds is during nesting when eggs or young can get flooded. It pays to check out your area after a big storm. Several years ago I was out inspecting the damage from a particularly heavy rain period and I heard some tiny chirps at the base of an Iron bark tree and found a pair of small chicks with only pin feathers. I knew they were parrots but after feeding them for several days I was amazed to find they were Major Mitchell Cockatoos. I was aware of the parents who regularly visited us after they were expelled from a flock of 6 that lived up near the Gold Creek dam. After the chicks were fully grown they flew up into a Grey Ironbark  and one re-joined the parents and the other cried for three days until I climbed about 12 metres up the tree to retrieve it.  After another storm I found a Black Bittern, a seldom seen bird in Brisbane, resting after sheltering from a particularly bad storm.

Many of the larger birds just sit out in the rain and take advantage of the feast of worms flooded out to the surface. Generally, the birds manage the storms quite well.

A bedraggled but very satisfied Australian Magpie after feasting on worms brought to the surface by the flooding rain.

With the huge volumes of water flowing down Gold and Moggill Creeks during the recent flooding you might wonder if all the fish were washed down the Brisbane River into Moreton Bay. Fish are also adept at handling the conditions. The main defence of the Eel-tailed Catfish is to find deep spots in the creeks where the water flow is less strong. Other species move to the edges of the water where they find slower water behind obstructions such as clumps of refuse, large tree bases and side channels. It is well-known that the small mosquito fish, Gambusia, swims up the edges of the flow in floods and this is how they successfully populate farm dams where they were never intentionally introduced. Some natives such as Firetailed Gudgeons also use this method. Flooding can be a bountiful time for fish as fast water can dislodge aquatic insect larvae such as Dragonflies and Mayflies making them easy food for the waiting fish.

Fish are also highly streamlined and coated with mucus which reduces the friction and makes them highly capable of swimming against strong currents.

Frogs are very well adapted to flood periods, which actually stimulate their breeding as their  calling  during the recent rains will testify. The constant wet weather makes it easy for them to travel and some species make use of flooding conditions. The Great Barred and the Great Brown Brood-frogs lay eggs well away from creeks under stones or in clumps of grass and rely on flood water to wash their eggs into the waterways. Other species such as the Ornate Treefrogs and Ornate Burrowing Frogs lay their eggs in temporary ponds where there are fewer predators. These species develop very rapidly with the Ornate Treefrog taking only three weeks in the tadpole stage as they feed on the algae and micro-organisms that develop rapidly in the ephemeral ponds.

The Ornate Treefrog lays eggs in temporary water after heavy rain. They go through metamorphosis in 6 to 8 weeks.

For our two aquatic mammals, platypus and water rats, big floods can cause some problems. Both are highly intelligent animals and they also have some heightened senses and quickly adapt to changing conditions.

The Platypus have two types of dens. Breeding Den entrances usually are at normal water level and rise upwards and go back a metre or two. Fortunately the young were out by about the end on November so there would have been no losses of pugs during the recent flooding.

The Platypus have several other dens where they hole up during the daytime during the rest of the year. Along our part of Gold Creek there are lots of places where the banks are undercut from earlier floods and many go back a considerable distance and are well above normal water level. The Platypus use multiple dens along their range depending where they are feeding. During the recent flood most dens would have been underwater and the Platypus would have to move out. They are extremely strong swimmers and would have skirted around the edges of the flood and probably made temporary dens in the flotsam pushed up from the flood.

An undercut bank in Gold Creek which a Platypus has been using for several years. It goes back at least 1.5metres. The Platypus’ senses are so acute that it can detect movement at the lookout above.

The Water Rats are not as committed to needing an aquatic environment as the Platypus. They regularly raid our nursery buildings well away from the creek and steal goldfish and ornamental snails. They are very clever animals and would have had no difficulty in finding cover for their daytime sleeping quarters while the flood was raging. They would not have any problem keeping warm as they have one of the most dense waterproof furs of any animal.

A Grass Skipper butterfly sheltering from the rain

Butterflies are rather delicate creatures and small enough that a raindrop in comparison to their size would be like a 10-litre bucket of water hitting us. They have a number of defences, but foremost is simply perching on the undersides of a good strong leaf. Some shelter in nooks and crannies of trees and the common Evening Browns shelter under clumps of grass. Ladybirds also shelter on the undersides of leaves and some species congregate in large numbers under loose bark of Eucalyptus trees.

After the Flood.

Mostly our wildlife survive these periods quite well if they don’t coincide with their breeding season. But after the flooding there can be a period of where feed can be in short supply. Nectar and insect eating species can have problems, but unless it is just before winter it usually doesn’t take long before things get back to normal.

For seed eaters there can be a feast on the ground.

Fish in the creeks may have a shortage as the insect larvae live in the debris and mulm that will have been washed out. However, in a few weeks the build-up of mosquito and midge larvae will result in plenty. Without these periodical flooding events the creeks get overgrown and the water quality goes down so the cleanout and inflow of water from the land loaded with nutrients results in a bloom that starts a flush that benefits the environment and the animals living in our creeks. This recent event fortunately was during the warmer months so the recovery will be rapid.

Photos and  words by Ed Frazer.

 

 

Filed Under: Bush Bites, News

The Autumn Newsletter is out now!

March 27, 2022 by mccgadmin

Get your cuppa and sit down and enjoy this jam packed Autumn issue with a focus on Floods, Birds and Trees!

Click on the Newsletter Link to read all of the below and much more … including solving the mystery of what these strange objects pictured are that appeared in many places after the flood!

An Industry of MCCG Secretaries (p6), Birds Queensland Survey Report (p7-8), Bush Bite (p5-6), Chairman’s Report (p2),Congratulations, Jenny (p6), Flood Reports (p3-4), If its Flooded, Forget It? (p4), MCCG ‘Photo Comp’ (p6-7), Registering a Significant Tree & National Trust Registration (p9), Seeds & Weeds (p8).

As always a massive thank you to Cathi for all her efforts in putting together another excellent newsletter and to all the contributors.

Filed Under: News

Bushcare Working Bees ‘ON HOLD’

March 5, 2022 by mccgadmin

Habitat Brisbane has requested we do not commence works on our Bushcare sites until they have been assessed by Habitat Brisbane staff. The safety of Habitat Brisbane volunteers is the main focus at this time.

Along with the obvious hazards of flood debris and unstable surfaces, the flood waters across Brisbane were contaminated with sewage overflow, chemicals and fuel from cars and machinery.  Floodwaters can also contain disease organisms such as Giardia, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella, etc.  Soil and silt deposited by flood waters may retain these contaminants for some time, significantly increasing the risk to bushcarers working on-site.

With more rain predicted this week, including the possibility of severe thunderstorms, there is also the chance that flood debris caught in trees may be dislodged, or that large trees with roots systems weakened by erosion or waterlogged soils may fall over.

The Habitat Brisbane program will make every effort to assist us to recover our bushcare sites when it is safe to do so, and they are preparing resources and information to assist with this e.g. lists of plant species that we can stand up again and which are better left as they are. They aim to view and assess all damaged sites as soon as possible, however many Habitat Brisbane staff are currently being redirected to other emergency activities.

As soon as we are able we will commence bushcare working bees again.

Rowena St bushcare site following Feb/March 2022 floods.   Photo: Alex Berghuis

Filed Under: News

Wildlife Matters! Where have all the native geckos gone?

February 28, 2022 by mccgadmin

Six native species and one invasive gecko are found in Brisbane. Of the natives, dubious dtella (Gehyra dubia) are common in outer western suburbs of Brisbane and look like Asian geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus). Dtella geckos have irregular darker mottling which becomes pale and almost pattern-less when hunting at night. Asian geckos also become pattern-less at night but are distinguished from dtella by a series of spines that run along the edge of the tail and lower back and their toes have claws.

There are three species of velvet geckos (Oedura species), the zigzag (O. rhombifer), robust (O. robusta) and spotted (O. tryoni) geckos. The robust velvet gecko is the most abundant of the three species, while the zigzag velvet gecko and spotted velvet gecko are uncommon. Stone geckos (Diplodactylus vittatus) and thick tailed (Underwoodisaurus milii) geckos can also be found in Brookfield but are uncommon.

At home, geckos were in most rooms in the house, running up walls and across ceilings. Leaving their tell-tale droppings behind pictures and occasionally on pillows. No problem, as they fed on insects in the house. However, late last year I was aware that I hadn’t seen a native gecko for a while, but started to hear the chuck-chuck-chuck sound of an Asian gecko, calling outside the house. I posted on the local Upper Brookfield Facebook page “Where have all the (native) geckos gone”? A quick survey from the local community produced a snapshot of some of the six species of native geckos described in “Wildlife of Greater Brisbane”. The most common were the velvet geckos, followed by dtella and the Asian gecko. The numbers described, ranged from “millions” to a few. So why are some folks knee deep in geckos and I’m just hearing one or two Asian geckos and no longer seeing any natives. The Asian gecko is a successful invasive reptile. The female lays two eggs every four to six weeks and can breed all year round. Once established they frequently become the most prevalent and widespread species, often at the expense of native species. Some of our community members seek out the Asian geckos at night and remove them so the native geckos can re-establish. Some studies suggest that the Asian gecko is a benign threat and unlikely to become an environmental pest, but others claim they can spread to bushland habitats and throughout Australia.

I live in hope of the tell-tale signs on our pillows!

Phil Bird

Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) ©photo Qld Museum

 

Dubious Dtella (Gehyra dubia) photo ©Qld Museum, Jeff Wright

Filed Under: News Tagged With: asian geckoes, invasive geckoes, velvet geckoes

New date for the MCCG AGM – Tuesday February 15th

February 10, 2022 by mccgadmin

Please join us for the rescheduled 2021 AGM

Tuesday 15th February 6.30pm for 7pm (finish 9pm)

Brookfield Hall (Showgrounds)

Welcome our incoming Chairperson Alexander (Sandy) Pollock with Zoe Bishop-Kinlyside as Secretary and Chris Bruton as Assistant Secretary.
Our guest speaker is Gordon Grigg who will introduce the Old Gold Creek Sawmill Forest Walk.
Doors open 6.30 for 7pm.
COVID changes: no refreshments (sorry), the meeting will also be on Zoom (please lookout for the zoom link via email)

Filed Under: News

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