Geelong Naturalist : monthly magazine of the Geelong Field Naturalists Club

RANCE A FTRT
MUSEUM OF VICTORIA LIBRARY

GEELONG NATURALIST

MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE GEELONG FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC

Vol 33 No. 2 JUNE 1997
ISSN 0726-7363

GEELONG NATURALIST

June 1997 Vol 33 No2
ISSN 0726-7363

CONTENTS
Excursion Notice - Otway Rainforest 1
Excursion Notice - Timboon Bushland 1
Club Campout - Lake Eppalock 1
‘June’ 2
Committee Notes 3
Excursion Report - Surf Coast Bushland 3
Plant Group Report . 3
‘A Beetle Witi Many Secrets’ Dave King 4
Bird Group Report 5
Bird of The Month - Red-browed Finch 6
‘Swift Moths’ Ade Foster 7
Library Notes 7
May Meeting Report - Insects for Biological Control 8
Biodiversity Notes 9
Bird Observations 11
COMING EVENTS
JUNE
3 General Meeting Gretna Weste ‘Cinnamon Fungus - Is it declining?’
8 Biodiversity Group Excursion + Ironbark Basin
7,8,9 Club Campout Lake Eppalock Leader: Dick Southcombe 5243 3916
10 Plant Group Meeting Box/ Ironbark Forest Plants
15 Club Excursion Otways Rainforest Leader: Graeme Tribe 5255 2302
24 Bird Group Meeting Ken Simpson “Cuckoos'
25 Biodiversity Group Workshop Meeting
JULY
1 General Meeting David Cameron Victoria's Rainforests'
6 Biodiversity Group Excursion Bannockburn Bush
8 Plant Group Meeting ‘Myrtle Beech, Ferns’
20 Club Excursion Timboon Bushland Leader: Barry Lingham 5255 4291
TBA Winter Wader Count
22 Bird Group Meeting Lawrie Conole ‘Birdwatching in Java and Bali’

23 Biodiversity Group Workshop Meeting

* CHANGES TO PROGRAM
+ ADDITIONS TO PROGRAM

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

EXCURSION NOTICE

... Barry Lingham

July Excursion -
Preliminary Information

Timboon bushland.
July 20th.

You may not know it, but as a
member of the GFNC, you are also
a part owner of 71 acres of bushland
near Timboon.

This land is one of the few remaining
patches of bush left after the
clearing of most of this area for dairy
farming. The block was privately
owned, but was purchased by the

Trust for Nature and will be resold to |

purchasers of shares in a
cooperative. The GFNC purchased
one share. Some $43,000 has
been raised leaving only $17,000
more to find.

This bushland contains a
mixture of forest types from
Manna Gum/Swamp Gum
habitat in the wetter gullies to
Messmate forest in the hill
tops. Rufous Bristlebirds,
Long-nosed Bandicoots and
some eight species of ferns
have been noted at this site.

This is an opportunity to visit
a new area, so we have
arranged for a larger 23 seat
bus to travel in.

Bookings can be made
tonight, or contact Barry
Lingham (5255 4291). Cost

will be about $10-00

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE
WILL DEPART AT 8:30 am
TO ALLOW MORE TIME AT
THE SITE AS IT IS ABOUT
2% HOURS DRIVE TO
TIMBOON.

JUNE CLUB CAMPOUT
AT LAKE EPPALOCK

Refer May Geelong Naturalist
Page 7.

The camp is available form 4 pm.
Friday 6th - 2 pm Monday 9th

Saturday and Sunday depart
camp 9.00 am. for excursion in
the heathlands area with local
naturalists.

Saturday - mainly geology with
good opportunities for flora and
fauna enthusiasts.

Sunday - mainly birding:

Monday - general excursion in
nearby forests and/or Heathcote
Insectorium and a detour or two
on the way home.

Further information:
Ph. 5243 3916.

Ericaceae Gaultheria hispida R.Br.
Snow Berry: Erect much-branched shrub to a
2m. branchlets and mid-ribs of leaves covered
with rigid, reddish bristles; leaves ellipse to

EXCURSION NOTICE

... Graeme Tribe

Otway Rainforest
Sunday 15th June.

We will leave Karingal at 8.30 sharp,
yes, that is right 8.30, and travel via
Colac to Triplet Falls. Independent
travellers should meet the main
party at Ferguson - Cnr. Beech
Forest Road and Charleys Creek
Road (2km. west of Beech Forest).

We will spend the greater part of the
day around Hopetoun Fails and the
Aire Valley Road.

This excursion will be extremely
interesting as we wil have on board
the senior botanist of The Arthur
Rylah Institute, (our guest speaker
for the July meeting) David
Cameron and perhaps an FJ Holden
full of fellow botanists to
firstly show us the specialist
flora of the rainforest.

Also, we will be searching for
perhaps the rarest plant in
Victoria, an ‘endemic’ from
Tasmania found in possibly
two places near Hopetoun
Falls recently.

This is a great chance for
some exciting research and
to become famous. We will
return to Geelong along
Turtons Track - Forest etc.

A bus will run; bookings
tonight.

See inset for details of
mainland Australia’s new
plant (not being a weed) -

- the Snow Berry .

lance-shaped, 4-8 cm. long; flowers white in
O terminal or axillary groups; capsules enclosed

by white, fleshy false fruits.

Tasmanian endemic; occasional in alpine
heath and alpine sedgeland at lower altitudes.

JUNE

. . With Joe Hubbard

Ubiquitous Sparrows; Winter
Flowers; Black Cockatoos;
Crimson Rosellas; And Also:

Ubiquitous Sparrows:

| know what you are going to say!
There are better things to do and see
in June than looking at sparrows.
Well that was my attitude to these
street urchins until | read a recent
article written by a gentleman who
has made a 50 year's study of these
birds. That certainly encouraged me
to look at them with ‘new’ eyes.

“That humble looking little bird is one
of the natural world's high achievers
- a member of a great empire
building species and a master at the
art of exploiting mankind.”
Dennis Summers-Smith.

There are 20 species of
sparrows but the House and
Tree Sparrow are
ubiquitous. House
Sparrows range through
North Africa, Europe to
Asia, and as we know, were
introduced to many other
countries.

What has made these birds such
great survivors? Well this is where
you can do some research on this
matter. If you have a bird feeding
‘centre’, open to all comers, well you
are up and running. If not, set one
up! Maybe someone through the
Geelong Naturalist could remind us
of better ways to set up nature bird
feeders and the correct foods to use.

| got my lot used to bread and seed
(they are natural seed eaters) then
changed it to boiled rice. They
treated it like an unexploded bomb.
Keep watching their antics until one
plucks up enough courage to sample
the new food. Maybe Lesson 1 in
survival skills? (They do like rice)

Further observing should identify
other survival skills. Introduced
birds are pretty common place and
easily observed, but are good
vehicles for the study of bird
behaviour e.g. territorial, courtship,

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

diet, nest construction and
situation, voice (alarm and
contact calls) and song.

What do sparrows feed their
young? For sparrows read
Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and
Turtle-Doves - all worth watching.

Our local Song Thrush is just
turning up. Is yours? Listen for its
quiet, single note ‘tick’ call in the
undergrowth - this can be heard all
year.

You have to be lucky to see the
recluse-like Song Thrush. Look
for an elegant, blackbird sized,
brown backed bird with a spotted
breast.

Remember share your
observations - even if it is only
with your diary.

Good watching.

“Maybe someone through the ‘Geelong
Naturalist’ could remind us of the better

Winter Flowers:

Hakea, Correa, Brisbane Ranges
Grevillea, Mosquito Orchids,
Striped Greenhoods, Dusty Miller,
at and beyond the Bert Boardman
Reserve near Steiglitz.

Greenish orchids tend to merge in
to background so it is a good idea
to look for their ground-hugging
leaves. Mosquito Orchids have a
single heart shaped leaf, green
above, purple or green below.
The Striped Greenhood has a
rosette of 4-10 ovate leaves.

Black Cockatoos in flocks.
Check for the yellow tail feathers
in flight.

Crimson Rosellas - feeding in
gardens and parks. Are quiet
feeders, immatures are more
green.

Long-billed Corellas - maybe! A
drive through farmlands in the
west of Geelong could turn up a
flock of these feeding on the
ground, seeds, roots and bulbs.

And Also:

Swift Moths emerging from ground.
If you see them beating against your
lit window, next morning look for the
pupa cases protruding from the
ground. Ours emerge from under a
lemon tree, about the same time
each year, in late May or early June.
Ironbarks flowering. Take in a
cacophony of Red Wattlebirds in the
Ironbark Basin, and all the other
birds attracted by the bountiful
supply of nectar with some insects
for protein.

Sweet wattle Acacia suaveolens, a
heathland shrub, winter flowering
and thick erect straight leaves.

Cormorants - Geelong city, flying to
roosts late afternoon, stringing
across the sky. Remember Balyang
Sanctuary roosting?

Fungi. Look for Shaggy Caps and
others along Wal Whiteside Walk.
Common Correa should
be flowering. This walk is
across the river from
Belmont Common.
Access via Breakwater
Road or Barwon Terrace.

ways to set up native bird feeders and
the correct foods to use”

O

More from the Jarosite-
Ironbark Basin excursion
... Lorraine Preston

What an experience our last
excursion to the “Surfcoast
Bushland” was! There were many
highlights. | had hoped to see a
Rufous Bristlebird, but unfortunately
| was too slow.

The Jarosite Mine was most
interesting. The striking red ochre
soil was mined in the early 1920"s
and used to paint the ‘red rattlers'. It
is intriguing to attempt to visualise
the thriving opencut type mine in this
rather remote bush area. Would the
ochre be transported by sea, or were
there roads into the mine?

o

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2 |

COMMITTEE NOTES
... Dick Southcombe

Our club - Your say.

The committee - indeed our club
membership - needs to know who is
responsible for the 101 or is it 111
necessary tasks for our club to
operate effectively. Are you able to
continue helping? What do you feel
we should be doing? Please respond
now. Response sheets are required
by 15th June at latest.

Special General Meeting, Karingal
8 p.m. Tuesday 29th July.

Guest Speakers: Richard Boekel -
DNR&E, Andrew Greystone - Parks
Victoria.

Richard, who is Senior Flora and
Fauna planner, based at Geelong, will
discuss the Sites Register, which is a
database of areas of conservation
significance. It lists sites with
significant flora and fauna, important
ecological communities and contains
maps with corresponding information.

It is constantly updated and is on trial
by the City of Greater Geelong as a
means of council staff accessing
information for forward planning.
Other municipalities are likely to use
the database also.

Andrew who is Chief Ranger - Anakie
District, based at Bacchus Marsh will
discuss the role, structure and
operation of Parks Victoria as it
relates to his district, which is roughly
bounded by Williamstown,
Blackwood, Meredith, Inverleigh,
Breamlea, Swan Island, Portarlington
and across the bay back to
Williamstown.

As environment, conservation and
friends groups are being invited to this
special general club meeting, our
members are urged to make the
meeting widely known and to bring like
minded people along with them.

O

EXCURSION REPORT
Surf Coast Bushland. May 18.
Rachel Keary and Gordon McCarthy.

The day was cool and overcast but
thankfully rain and wind free. Sixteen
members met at South Side car park
at Bell's beach then moved to the
entrance to the walking track on
Jarosite Rd. We followed the track
over heathland and downhill through
ironbarks to the old Jarosite mine
site. As the ironbarks were flowering,
there were most of the local species
of honeyeater feeding. Unfortunately
no Emu Wrens showed themselves.
There was very little in flower on the

heathland. Spyridium provided one:

of the few changes in colour and
several correas were flowering.

Beside the track in the heathland Joe
Hubbard and some others found
something for the biodiversity
people; an unidentified spider, with
leaf-cutting habits, had woven a
small Horny Cone-bush to make a
home. The Cone-bush was suffering,
but we expect the spider was
satisfied.

After lunch at the Ironbark Basin car
park we walked through the ironbarks
to the coast. A surprise was water in
a dam at the junction of the Ironbark
Track and the Nature Trail. Winston
informed us that the dam had been
cleaned out and lined with special
clay by Angair members. The White-
naped Honeyeaters and spinebills
were making full use of it. The
honeyeaiers repeatedly flew down to
the water and up again - we were
amused by their antics for quite a
while.

There was no sign of the Powerful
Ows which are usually resident but a
pair of Peregrine Falcons were flying
around the cliffs.

Several bristiebirds were seen
fleetingly as they ran from bush to
bush showing us how very important
it is to conserve this area for the
future. Other birds were in good
numbers, but there was a limited
number of species.

a

See Rachel’s species list on
page 10.

PLANT GROUP REPORT

... Dick Southcombe

The few members who attended on a
cold, wet might in May were treated to
an excellent slide show by Gordon
McCarthy. Gordon’s selection of
slides certainly provided an
introduction to and a lively discussion
on the vegetation of the coastal
heathlands and woodlands of Bell’s,
Jarosite and Ironbark Basin. A slide of
a correa species elicited comment and
many questions and no doubt it will be
sought and closely examined to
confirm its identity. The
interdependence of flora and fauna in
the natural world was highlighted by
many slides which illustrated
interaction between plants and fungi,
birds and insects. A series of slides of
a Grass-tree Xanthorrhoea australis
emphasized the relationship.

Next meeting:
Plants of the Heathcote area will be
the subject of our June meeting.
Once again, bring books etc to study
plants which took the eye of members
during our club campout at Lake
Eppalock.

O

Seaview Park

Consultan Bill Johnson has produced
a draft management plan and City of
Greater Geelong are inviting
comment from the public and
community groups. Plans and
documents are available for
inspection at council's 2 Colac Road
office and at the Belmont Library.

A plan is also displayed at Seaview
Park. Some time ago, GFNC
suggested that the area be developed
as a geological, flora and fauna
reserve.

Submissions should be sent to Mr.
Chris Lewis, City of Greater Geelong
by 19th June.

O

4 | j GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

A BEETLE WITH MANY SECRETS

By Dave King

This beetle, though of spectacular appearance, has many secrets yet to be unravelled. It is not found in great
numbers around the Geelong area, which is not surprising, because the literature maintains it to be a member
of a sub-tropical family, and confined to northern New South Wales and Queensland.

It belongs in the superfamily Dascilloidea and family Rhipiceridae,and goes under the name Rhipicera
femorata. The writer has only come upon two specimens in the Geelong area, the specimen illustrated was
collected in the garden at Portarlington, whilst the other specimen was found at Anglesea some years ago. It

is a matter of some conjecture as to whether these beetles have migrated from the north or they are rare
residents in the Geelong area.

Little is known of the biology of this species, the larvae being unknown. Larvae of related species in America
are known to parasitise immature stages of cicadas.

Male R. femorata, as illustrated, have spectacular flabellate (fan-like) antennae. The female, unfamiliar to the
writer, has an antennae of pectinate form. The beetle is entirely black, with the exception that the proximal
portion of the femora is yellow, blending into a black apex. The elytra and pronotum are marked with a series
of spots consisting of white setae. Each individual beetle appears to have a unique pattern of these spots.

Both sexes having elaborate antennae suggests that they must be highly sensitive to extremely low
concentrations of chemicals. Whatever these chemicals might be, it is possible they would be the main key
to their biology, i.e. for sensing suitable food source, a prospective mate, etc.

References
Clarke,K.U. (1973), Biology of the Arthropoda, Edward Arnold, London.

Lawrence, J.F. & Britton, E.B. (1994), Australian Beetles, Melbourne University Press.

Rhipicera femorata

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

(a a

BIRD GROUP REPORT

... Barry Lingham

May 27th 1997

Our speaker for this meeting was
Jonathan Starks who discussed the
Orange-bellied Parrots. Jonathan
hopes to enlist our help in the study
of these birds and the other local
Neophema parrot, the Blue-winged
Parrot.

Jonathan has been involved in
helping coordinate the thirteen years
of Orange-bellied parrot (OBP)
surveys that have been undertaken
by Birds Australia (previously the
RAOU) .

The OBPs nest in eucalypt hollows
in South Western Tasmania. They
lay 3 to 6 eggs in November and the
young generally hatch out in
December. The adults feed the
young on the seeds of local grass
species, although many birds take
advantage of the seed left on
feeding tables established to
supplement their natural food

supply.

The young fledge in late January or
early February and they are ready to
fly north to the mainland by mid
March to early April. The adult birds
actually depart a few days before the
immatures. They fly up the western
coast of Tasmania and on to King
Island. From there, they pass on
towards Cape Otway and disperse
along the coast of South Eastern
Australia.

The birds go as far as the Coorong
in the west and to Jack Smith Lakes
to the East. Early records show that
the OBPs once travelled as far north
as Sydney, but this is no longer the
case.

Around the Geelong region, most
OBPs make for Lake Connewarre to
feed on the seeds of the ripening
Beaded Glasswort Sarcocornia
quinqueflora. They tend to start to
move on to Swan Island or Point
Wilson near the end of May.

These two sites have large stands
of Shrubby Glasswort
Sclerostegia arbuscula which is
the other main food source of the
OBPs in the Geelong area. Other
local food plants include Austral
Seablight Suaeda australis and
Sea Heath Frankenia pauciflora.
The OBPs eat a wde variety of
seeds from native and introduced
plants.

The general decline in the
population of OBPs is believed to
be due to the loss of suitable salt
marsh habitat over the past fifty
years. The birds are adaptable
(they feed on the fairways of Swan
Island Golf Course), but they have
experienced a decrease in
population until less than 200
birds were in existence at the
beginning of the 1990s.

A recovery plan was adopted by
the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife
and this plan was implemented
with the cooperation of Victoria
and South Australia. Surveys of
the OBP were begun and habitat
protection was undertaken. Nest
boxes were established and these
proved to be successful. A
banding scheme allowed the
monitoring of the movements of
individual birds.

A captive breeding program was
begun to act as insurance against
the extinction of the birds due to a
major natural catastrophe such as
a bush fire or storm. This
successful program also allowed
study of the birds. Some of these
birds were also released to help
supplement wild populations.

Survival rates of the birds are a
cause for concern. It appears that
only about 45% of young birds
survive their first year to be able
to return to Tasmania. Of these
birds, only 46% survive their
second year. The average life
span is approximately three and a
half years.

The Lake Connewarre, Point
Wilson and Swan Island sites
have been regularly surveyed
each winter. Although the
population of birds at the nest
sites in Tasmania has stabilised
over the past few years, the
numbers of OBPs at these three

5

sites has shown a definite
downwards trend for the past ten
years.

There are several possibilities as to
where these missing birds are now
going. Jonathan believes that the
OBPs are probably still in the local
area, but they have either found a
new food source or they are utilising
salt swamps that have not been
visited by bird watchers.

The decline has been matched in the
populations of Blue-winged Parrots
over the same time period. As these
closely related parrots tend to use
the same general food sources, they
may be also hanging out with the
missing OBPs.

Jonathan is requesting details of
all records of OBPS and Blue-
wings that our members can
supply. Historical records will
help to show any trends and
preferred sites, whilst current
records may provide the clues as
to the whereabouts of the birds
that are not being counted in the
winter surveys.

Please pass on your records to Barry
Lingham or Valda Dedman so that
we can send them to Jonathan.

Jonathan has been a regular
speaker at the Bird Group and once
again he delivered an interesting
and informative talk. Maybe
Jonathan's next talk will be about
where the missing OBPs have gone.

Next Month’s Speaker

Our June meeting speaker is the well
known author and naturalist, Ken
Simpson.

Ken will be talking about that
intriguing group of birds, the
Cuckoos, Those of you who took the
tour of Port Phillip Bay in February
will be able to attest to Ken's skills in
ornithology and entertainment.

O
Did you read about the
Special General Meeting ?
If not, see the Committee
Notes on page 3.

o

BIRD OF THE MONTH

...Valda Dedman

Red-browed Finch

Name Red-browed Finch Neochmia
temporalis

Description Greenish-brown above,
greyish beneath. Conspicuous crimson
patch over eye and at base of tail.Stout
red bill. Immature birds are duller and
browner with no red eyebrow and a
black beak.

Length 12 cm. Slightly smaller
than a sparrow.

Voice High-pitched tsee tsee

Food Seeds and small insects.
Can suck water without having to
raise head to swallow. Will come to bird
tables. At the Ocean Grove Nature
Reserve and at Torquay they have
been observed extracting seeds from
casuarina cones.

Habitat Shrubbery and undergrowth at
edges of forest and woodlands.
Suburban parks. Like areas of grass for
feeding and cover close by. Need water
(food is dry).

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

Range Common in Eastern Australia,
coast to highlands from Cape York to
Adelaide, including Kangaroo Island
but not Tasmania. Small introduced
population in Darling Range, W.A.

Geelong Common where suitable
habitat and water.Often seen in small
to large flocks. Look for them near the
Barwon River in Highton and Belmont
and on the golf course at Belmont
Common, where up to 200 have been
seen feeding on the fairways.Watch for
them from the observation hides at the
Ocean Grove Nature Reserve where
you may see them coming in to drink.

‘look for them near the Barwon
River and on the golf course at

Belmont Common”

Nest Flask-shaped with hooded side
entrance, often in dense thorny bush
such as Acacia paradoxa. Built of long
grasses, not woven together.4-5 pure
white eggs are laid. In the non-breeding
season flocks build special roosting
nests in which to spend the night.

Other Local Related Species
Beautiful Firetail (Otways), Diamond
Firetail (You Yangs, Brisbane Ranges),
Zebra Finch (You Yangs, Brisbane
Ranges, nomadic)

Red-browed Finches usually mate for
life, after a courtship display, in which
the male stiff-leggedly bobs up and
down on a branch, with a long piece of
grass in its beak.

Belcher in his Birds of Geelong (1914)

saw these finches in small parties in

autumn and winter and thought they

were becoming rare, but now they can

be seen around Geelong, often in large
numbers, at almost any time of the
year.

Belcher found them very tame at the
nest:

“So closely does the bird sit and so
long is the entrance spout that as
boys we found it quite easy to catch
the sitting hen by approaching the
nest quietly and placing a hand at the
entrance, when she would fly right into
it. We probably enjoyed the
subsequent harmless examination of
her beautiful little form better than did
the bird.”

We don't encourage such treatment
today, but can still enjoy this lively little
bird as it forages on the grass or flies
rapidly to cover. O

Red-browed Finch
Photograph by Gordon McCarthy

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

A DLL

SWIFT MOTHS

... Ade Foster

Autumn, after the first decent rain, is
the time of the swift moths. Their
distinctively shaped brown pupal
cases are often seen at this time of
year, sticking up from the larval
tunnel, the only indication most of us
have that swift moths are about.
Adults males come readily to lights
on misty nights, sometimes in
surprisingly large numbers.

Swift moths belong to the family,
Hepialidae, a cosmopolitan group
with about 100 species represented
in Australia. Most are endemic,
although members of the genus
Aenetus are found in New Zealand,
New Guinea and New Caledonia.
Most of the local. swfts are various
shades of brown with sometimes
striking markings of black, white and
silver. Many of the tropical species
are very brightly coloured in blues,
greens and pinks. They are a very
diverse group and my collection has
specimens ranging in size from 30
mm to 170 mm. The Splendid Ghost
moth of northern Australia is one of
the most spectacular Hepialids with a
pale blue male, a green and pink
female and a wingspan of 250 mm!

Females lay vast numbers of eggs,
over 20,000 in some species. Eggs
may be broadcast over grassland
while the female is in flight, or
sprinkled over a smaller area as she
flutters among the grass and low
shrubs. Larvae of Hepialids are all
burrowers. Some burrow directly into
the ground, coming to the surface at
night to feed on living leaves, others
are borers into roots and stems of
plants. Hosts include, eucalypt,
melaleuca, callistemon,
leptospermum, acacia and others.
Some have taken to introduced
apples and even the canes of
raspberries. In eastern Australia
Hepialids may be serious pests of
pastures.

Pupation takes place in the tunnel,
and the pupae, equipped with dorsal
spines and movable ventral plates,
are quite mobile. Adults hold the
wings in a tentlike fashion over the
abdomen, and have a curious habit
of hanging from vertical surfaces by

the tarsal claws of their fore-legs.
If you are lucky enough to
encounter a swift moth, you will
notice just how well those tiny
claws can grip.

Reference: Moths of Australia.
LF.B. Common. Melbourne
University Press. 1990.

O

LIBRARY NOTES

.. Betty Moore

The Bird Observer April 1997
“Birding in the West:” by Simon
Neviil, an article on endemic
species of W.A. and where to find
them. Simon names places to
visit in south west of W.A. on a
suggested two week tour. Birds to
be looked for include Noisy Scrub-
bird, Western Corella, Western
Bristlebird, Short and Long-billed
Black- Cockatoos, Red-tailed
Black- Cockatoo, Red-capped
Parrot, Western Rosella and Blue
Bonnet.

Fred T.H. Smith of Kew, Victoria
in “Was it the Weather?“ gives an
interesting account of the many
birds seen on a BOCA outing to
the Western Treatment Plant,
Werribee.

Trees and National Resources
(Natural Resources Conservation
League of Victoria) March 1997 -
Interesting articles on Vertebrate
Pest control, Biological Control of
Pests and Weeds and Breeding
Resistance in Eucalypts to
Insects.

Habitat Australia (ACF) April
1997

“A Winning Place in the World”
Lincoln Siliakus, ACF councillor
who in the early 80's represented
the 1400 Franklin boicades and
acted for The Wilderness Society
in the high court case, returned to
Hobart early last year as lawyer
with the Environment Defenders
Office. This article gives his
impressions of life in Tasmania 15
years on.

Special habitat supplement is
“Protecting our Unprotected Land”
by Michael Krockenberger and
Rowena McLean. This article

7

deals with the challenges of off-
reserve conservation.

Driftwood

The resurrection of the Coast
Newsletter for Port Phillip West and
the Bellarine Peninsula - May 1997.
There is to be a Winter Seminar
Series wth a range of expert
speakers. One location being the
supper room at Geelong West Town
Hall, the first Wednesday of every
month from June to September.
Subjects include - Indigenous
Culture on the Coast, Coastal
Planning and Policies, The Who,
What, Where and Why of Coastal
Plants and your Garden.

See the newsletter for details.

News is also given of the Swan Bay
Integrated Catchment Management

Project.
O

An Ironbark Basin Plant
... Bob Preston

Acacia verniciflua
Varnish Wattle

This plant is the most prominent
understorey vegetation of the Basin.

It has a mnipstick appearance, with
an average height of about 2.5 m. (in
some areas Of its distribution it can
reach 5 m.)

The phyllodes (leaves) vary from
lanceolate to narrow elliptic 50-90
mm. long and 5-10 mm. wide,
having one main or mid-nerve (vein)
with a secondary nerve in the upper
section of the phyllode.

There is one main gland on the
upper edge near the base of
phyllode and a peppering of small
glands spread over the surface
which is also covered with a sticky-
looking glaze giving the appearance
of being varnished.

The blossoms appear on simple
peduncles (stalks) from the phyllode
axils, with one to three in each axil.
These should open about mid-June.

Distribution is from the border area
of Queensland through mid N.S.W.,
eastern Victoria spreading west to
the Grampians with an offshoot
about Ballan to the Otways.

MAY MEETING REPORT

. . Roy Whiteside

Report of illustrated talk on "Insects
for Biological Control" given by
David McLaren at the General
meeting on 6 May 1997.

David is employed by the Keith
Turnbull Research Institute and the
work of his organisation is outlined in
a quarterly magazine. The Institute
has a quarantine facility which uses
a specialised building based on the
Animal Health Laboratory in
Geelong. Computer-controlled
environmental conditions enables
insects to be put through life cycle
tests and to be contained.

Biological control involves the
actions of parasites, predators and
pathogens to maintain the density of
particular other organisms at a lower
level than that which would occur in
their absence.

Biological control of weeds is
required when these weeds are not
controlled by their natural parasites
and predators which were present
overseas and when the use of other
control methods (eg herbicides) is
uneconomical.

Conflicts of interest sometimes occur
eg. in case of Paterson's Curse
which is a benefit to apiarists as a
source of nectar but a great problem
to the viability of pastures for the
beef industry. However the economic
losses to beef industry far exceed
gains in honey production.

Stages in a biological control
programme:

A weed is first identified and then
studied in the country of origin with
regard to its taxonomy, distribution,
biology and ecology. Insects that are
doing the most damage and that are
the most host specific are identified.
Once considered safe to use, these
insects are propagated and then
released. The reduction in the
‘viability of weeds allows native
species to out compete the weed
species and gradually replace them.

The eradication of Prickly Pear
cactus represents the best example

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

of a successful biological control
where the infestation was so large
at its peak. After looking at many
different agents with no success a
caterpillar species combined with
a bacterium enabled the plant to
be demolished.

Some of projects being worked on
at the Research Institute include:

RAGWORT Senecio jacobaea a
toxic weed which can kill horses
and cattle. One unsuccessful
control method was the
introduction of the Cinnabar Moth
where the caterpillars of this moth
were attacked by Scorpion flies.
Two flea-beetle species have
been successfully used where the
larvae kill the plant by eating the
roots. A small moth whose larvae
eat leaves and crowns has also
been successful in controlling
Ragwort since its release nine
years ago.

BLACKBERRY: A Research
officer spent 5 years in France
studying this environmental and
ecological weed. Six species of
rust fungus were identified which
attack blackberry plants. Rust
spores are produced on leaves in
summer and in autumn the rust
builds up causing dieback. During
winter the spores continue and
attack the plants in the following
spring causing defoliation. The
control is less effective in a
drought year.

St JOHN'S WORT Chelidonium

majus is an environmental and

agricultural weed in Victoria. A
beetle was introduced in the
1930s and control has been very
successful both here and in USA.
A mite has recently been
released which stunts the growth
and gradually produces less
seeds over a number of years.

PATERSON'S .CURSE Echium
lycopsis: This is a big project
working in conjunction with
CSIRO. An introduced moth
whose caterpillars feed on the
leaves and cause blister like
lesions only works well in areas
where the plant grows all year eg.
in irrigation areas. Two weevil
species have been introduced
recently one attacking the crown
and the other the roots. This has
been funded by meat and wool

industries. Two flea-beatle species
which feed on crown of root and fine
roots respectively have also had
some success in controlling the
weed. A seed beetle has proved to
greatly damage seeds.

HOREHOUND: Biological control
of this wide-spread environmental
and agricultural weed is achieved by
the defoliation by larvae of the
Plume Moth.

BONESEED Chrysanthemoides
monolifera: Control is through the
larvae of the Tip Moth which lays
eggs on tips of leaves. Control has
been less successful in Victoria than
in NSW and Qld. Other parasites
being investigated are three species
of beetle (Black Boneseed beetle ,
Painted Beetle and Blotched
Boneseed Beetle), a Tortrix moth, a
South African seed fly.

VARIEGATED and SPEAR
THISTLES: Are being controlled by
weevils which lay eggs in flower
heads and a species of a Urophora
fly that produces galls.

O

Next month...

David Cameron will speak on
Victoria's Rainforests’.

David is a Senior Botanist with the
Flora section of DNRE at the Arthur
Rylah Institute where he is
responsible for the taxonomical side
of the department’s database - Flora
Information System.

David researched East Gippsland’s
rainforests for five years and is also
very familiar with the Otway
rainforests. He will discuss the
characteristics of cool temperate,
warm temperate and dry rainforests
with emphasis on diseases and other
management issues of the Otway
rainforests wth which we are more
familiar.

David's presentation will be all the
more pertinent as he is able to be
with us on our rainforests excursion
prior to his talk.

O

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

BIODIVERSITY NOTES

... Ade Foster

The topic of the meeting was galls,
the swellings that occur on many
plants. The twelve members present
were treated to a fascinating evening.
About forty different galls collected
around Geelong, were dissected and
their many and varied contents
examined under microscopes.

Galls are found on many different
plants in Australia and throughout the
world. They are caused principally by
insects, and used as a food source
and shelter for the larvae. Many
insects from diverse orders are
responsible for galls, with beetles
(Coleoptera), flies and midges
(Diptera), bugs (Hemiptera), wasps
(Hymenoptera), moths (Lepidoptera)
and thrips (Thysanura) all
represented in Australia.

By far the commonest cause of galls
is wasps. Members of the
superfamily Cynipoidea are
responsible for galls world-wide, but
are poorly represented in Australia.
The niche has been filled by many of
the Chalcid wasps. They attack
many native and introduced plants
including eucalypts, acacias, figs,
melaleucas and casuarinas, and
even introduced oaks and
dandelions.

Midges from the family
Cecidomyidae , are responsible for
galls on several valuable food crops
including wheat and sorghum. One
species is successful as a biological
control agent for St. John's Wort.
Beetles are well represented with
species of Buprestidae, (Jewel
beetles), Cerambycidae, (Longicorn
beetles), and Curculionidae,
(Weevils) all forming galls on native
plants. In Hemiptera, the true bugs,
gall-formers are found in the
superfamilies Cocciodea (Scale
insects and Mealy bugs), Aphidoidea
(Aphids), Psylloidea (Lerps) and
Tingoidea (Lace Bugs). Moths are
represented with numbers of small
moths from the families
Incurvaroidae, Gracillariidae,
Coleophoridae, Cosmopterigidae and
Alucitidae. Thrips are responsible for
galls on acacia, callistemon, ficus,
geijera, melaleuca, myoporuri, and
pittosporum.

The actual process of gall
formation is difficult to determine.
Some galls form at the time of
egg-laying and it would seem that
the adults secrete a substance
with the egg causing abnormal
tissue growth. In other cases,
there is no abnormal tissue
production until the larvae hatch.
Here it is thought that the larvae
produce some substance which is
responsible for the gall's growth.
Whatever the process, the adults
oviposit into usually new tissue on
the host plant. This tissue is then
stimulated to grow rapidly, and
into a form which Is in many cases
specific to the insect in question.

Some species of gail wasps are

not gall forming, but are inquiline —

in the galls of others. The adults
seek out new galls formed by
another species and lay their eggs
inside. This means that the larvae
of these wasps are in effect
parasitic upon the galls produced
by another species, but without
Causing harm to the host larvae.

Galls on certain plants were a
food source to the aborigines. The
galls of the eucalypts known as
bloodwoods, for example, grow
quite large and are called
bloodwood apples. The tissue of
the gall can be eaten, and
apparently tastes not unlike
coconut. The larvae were eaten
raw and were reportedly very
sweet and much sought after.

We found at least six different
larvae in our galls, as well as
beetles, weevils and evidence of
parasitic wasps. Other interesting
specimens included some
honeycomb from the native black
bees, collected in northern
Australia, and a beautiful little
scarab beetle, called
Elephasmus, named for its trunk-
like proboscis.

The topic of our next meeting is
fungi. Any-one interested in
attending should try to collect
some specimens and make spore
-prints by leaving the cap on a
sheet of white paper for a day or
two.

Excursions:
Our next excursion, June 8th, is to

- Ironbark Basin. Anyone interested in

attending should notify Ron Mole,
ph. 5243 4651. This excursion will
not take place if the weather is bad.
Meet at Green Grub nursery,
Waurnvale shopping centre at
9.00am.

Our July excursion is to
Bannockburn Bush. Meet on the
road reserve at the main entrance to
Kardinia International College
(Formerty Morongo) at the top of the
hill on Ballarat Road, Bell Post Hill at
9.00 am.

a
Rail Trail Planting
... Dave King
The working bee originally

scheduled for early May has now
been arranged for Sunday, 22nd
June. Time 10am, at the trail
crossing of Jetty Road, Drysdale.

lt is planned to plant trees and
shrubs along the Rail Trail section
betweem Jetty Rd. and Curlews.
Planting: tools will be provided, but a
spade or mattock might be handy if
you wish to bring them. Two hours is
the maximum time to be spent
planting and then refreshment will be
provided in the form of a sausage
sizzle amd hot beverage.

This is a worthwhile cause so we
look forward to seeing as many as
possible of you there, together with
those from other organisations.

O

Birds on Golf Courses

Valda Dedman advises that the first
of these surveys is to take place on
Sunday, June 29th at 10.00am.

Being a ‘fifth Sunday’, there is
nothing on the GFNC program.

To show their interest and
appreciation for your help the golfers
are going to put on a sausage sizzle
at 12.00 noon.

Location: Barwon Valley Golf Club
on Belmont Common. If you have
any queries kindly ring Valda.

O

10

SPECIES LIST

. . . Rachel Keary

(Surfcoast Walk track to old Jarosite Mine Site)

Jarosite Road

Dicots

Acacia paradoxa
Acacia pycnantha
Acacia verniciflua -
Acacia vernicillata
Acrotriche serrulata
Allocasurina miseraa
Allocasurina verticillata
Alyxia buxifolia
Billardiera scandens
Cassytha glabella
Cassytha melantha
Centaurium erythraea
Correa relfexa
Dichondra repens
Dillwynia sericea
Drosera pygmaea
Drosera whittakeri
Epacris impressa
Eucalyptus obliqua
Euc. sp.aff.cypellocarpa
Euc. sp.aff.goniocalyx

Eucalyptus tricarpa
Euchiton involucratus
Hakea ulicina

Isopogon ceratophyllus
Leptospermum continentale
Leptospermum myrsinoides
Melaleuca lanceolata
Olearea ramulosa

Olearea teretifolia

Oxalis corniculata
Pomaderris oraria

Senecio minimus

Spyridium vexilliferum
Stellaria pungens

Viola hereracea

Monocots

Burchardia umbellata
Denthonia setacea
Dianella revoluta
Dichelachne crinata
Gahnia radula

Juncus procerus
Lepidosperma filiforme
Lepidosperma laterale
Patersonii fragilis
Pinus radiata

Poa sp.

Pteridium esculentum
Schoenus breviculmis

Birds

Rufous Bristlebird
Peregrene Falcon
Superb Fairy-wren
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Crescent Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Red-rumped Parrot
Eastern Yellow Robin
Brown Thornbill

Red Wattlebird

Silvereye

Hedge Wattle

Golden Wattle
Varnish Wattle
Prickly Moses
Honeypots

Dwarf She-oak
Drooping She-oak
Sea Box

Common Appleberry
Slender Dodder-laurel
Coarse Dodder-laurel
Common Centaury
Common Correa
Kidney Weed

Showy Parrot-pea
Tiny Sundew

Scented Sundew
Common Heath
Messmate Stringybark

with affinity also to Anglesea
Stumpy Grey-gum

Red Ironbark

Star Ironbark

Furze Hakea

Horny Cone-bush

Prickly Tea-tree

Heath Tea-tree

Moonah

Twiggy Daisy-bush

Cypress Daisy-bush

Yellow Woodsorrel

Coast Pomaderris

Fireweed

Winged Spyridium

Prickly Starwort

Ivy-leaf Violet

Milkmaids

Bristly Wallaby-grass
Black-anther Flax-lily
Long-hair Plume-grass
Thatch Saw-sedge
Rush

Common Rapier-sedge
Variable Sword-sedge
Short Purple-flag
Monterey Pine
Tussock Grass

Austral Bracken
Matted Bog-rush

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

a

.lronbark Basin:

Dicots
Acacia dealbata

Chrysanthemoides monilifera

Correa reflexa

Daviesia brevifolia

Lasiopetalum baueri

Olearea lirata

Olearea pannosa
ssp.cadiophylla

Prostanthera nivea

Thomasia petalocalyx

Monocots

Pterostylis longifolia
Themeda triandra
Xanthorrhoea australis

Silver Wattle

Boneseed (removed)

Common Correa (green)

Leafless Bitter-pea

Slender Velvet-bush

Snowy Daisy-bush

Velvet Daisy-bush

(Pt Addis Road)

Snowy Mint-bush (Pt Addis
Road)

Paper-flower

Tall Greenhood
Kangaroo Grass
Austral Grasstree

Birds

Rufous Bristlebird
Peregrene Falcon

New Holland Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeater
Pardalote sp.

Crimson Rosella
Eastern Spinebill

Golden Whistler

Striated Thornbill

Joyous Sighting
At the dam in Ironbark Basin during our May
excursion:

. .. Nola Haines '

Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris

The Eastern Spinebill is a truly handsome bird. This small
active honeyeater, with black aw-like bill and red eye,
showing glorious plumage colours of shiny black, white and
rufous, rushes about with noisy wing whirr foraging within a
metre or two of the ground - a joy to behold.

The female differs in colouration with a crown of satin grey.
Lifespan is up to seven years.

Feeding in the shrubberies of eastern Australia and
Tasmania, mainly on the flowers of correa, banksia,
billardiera and eucalypts, the Eastern Spinebill has a long,
protrusible, almost tubular tongue tipped with short
serrations, better fitted for licking and capillary flow than
brushing. While primarily a nectar feeder the adult does eat

some insects. The young eat insects almost exclusively for
protein.

Breeding August to March, the nest is a cup of grasses and
plant fibre, 1-5 m. above ground in a bushy shrub or tree.
Eggs are buff-pink with red-brown spots towards larger end.

An early common name for this bird is Cobbler's Am.

Refs: Readers Digest, Complete Book of Australian Birds
Every Australian Bird Illustrated
O

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2 jal

BIRD OBSERVATION REPORTS May 1997 -- compiled by Barry Lingham.

Observations were submitted by Polly Cutcliffe (PCu), Ray Baverstock (RBa), Bob Preston (RP), Gordon McCarthy (GMc), Craig
Morley (CMo), Kevin Ryan (KRy), Valda Dedman (VWD), Barry Lingham (BL), Ron Mole (RMo), Rachel Keary (RK), Penny Smith
(PS), David King (DK), Joe Hubbard (JH), Kay Campbell (KC), Nola Haines (NH), Frank Scheelings (FS), Bev McNay (BMc), Laurie
Drinnan (LD), Kevin Price (KP), Rolf Baldwin (RBal)

Darter 1female 22/05/97 Barwon River. Shannon Av. Bridge . KC
White-faced Heron 2 4/05/97 Portarlington. Urban garden. DK
Cattle Egret 2+ 18/05/97 Bellarine Highway, east of Wallington Road CMo
Little Egret 2 17/05/97 Queenscliff Jetty KC

3 25/05/97 Avalon Saltworks KC
Ibis species many May Geelong region generally. Return after autumn rain. VWD
Mallard Duck 12 12/05/97 Balyang Sanctuary RBa
Maned Duck 50+ 28/04/97 Stonehaven on farm dam. RBa
Brown Goshawk 2 14/05/97 Newtown JHu

1 22/05/97 Newtown JHu
Little Eagle 1 5/05/97 Highton FS

1 5/04/97 Portarlington Reserves DK

1 28/04/97 Ocean Grove Nature Reserve DK

1 9/05/97 Werribee Treatment Farm. CMo

1 27/05/97 Pollocksford PCu
Spotless Crake 1 30/03/97 Jerringot CMo
Masked Lapwing 35 30/03/97 Jerringot CMo
Banded Lapwing 22 17/05/97 Stonehaven near Hamilton Highway. GMc

22 27/05/97 Stonehaven near Hamilton Highway. PCu
Black-fronted Plover 8+ 30/03/97 Jerringot CMo
Mongolian Plover - 2 27/04/97 Mud Island. Part of Friends Group trip. NH, NH,PCu
Hooded Plover 2 15/05/97 Breamlea Creek Mouth JHu
Double-banded Plover 30+ 15/05/97 Breamlea Creek Mouth JHu
Red-capped Plover many 15/05/97 Breamlea Creek Mouth JHu
Red-necked Stint 3 15/05/97 Breamlea Creek Mouth JHu
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo 3 18/04/97 Regent Street playground. In Pinus radiata BMc

40+ 25/05/97 Highton. Flying NE. RMo

60+ 26/05/97 Highton. Flying NE at 9:30am. Others heard at 1:45 pm. RBa

40 26/05/97 Stan Lewis Walk . Flying towards Queens Park11:30 am RBa

12 7 & 9/4/97 Highton. PS

50+ 4/05/97 Highton. Flying towards coast after thunderstorm PS

2 23/05/97 Newtown LD

2 8/04/97 Wallington. Grubb Road. First sighting here. KP

5 5/05/97 Highton. Flying NNW at 1:45 pm.

Other sightings on 3rd, 8th & 14th VWD
20 - 40 May Leopold. Only two at beginning, but now up to 40.
(L. Connors) VWD

Gang-gang Cockatoo 2 9/04/97 Highton PS

3 22/04/97 Newtown. "The Heights" PS

20+ 26/04/97 Highton. Helena Street RBa

10 13/05/97 Highton. North Valley Road. VWD
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo 3 28/03/97 Newtown. "The Heights" CMo
Musk Lorikeet 4 17/05/97 Newtown CMo
Purple-crowned Lorikeet 2to4 Mid May Newtown CMo
Little Lorikeet 12 2/05/97 Highton. Helena Street RBa
Crimson Rosella 2 Mid May Newtown CMo
Red-rumped Parrots 29 14/05/97 Freshwater Creek GMc
Powerful Owl 2 27/05/97 Brisbane Ranges. Pair in tree. Male eating a rabbit. KC, NH
Tawny Frogmouth 1 19/05/97 Eastern Park. Immature bird, Roadkill. CMo
Welcome Swallow 25 30/03/97 Barwon River. Merawarp Road CMo
Skylark 2+ 19/05/97 Breakwater. KC
Bassian Thrush 1 6/05/97 Ironbark Basin JHu
Blackbird 1 12/05/97 Botanic Gardens. White cap and white rump. RMo
Song Thrush 1 11/05/97 Newtown. KR

1 9/04/97 Highton. PS
Flame Robin 1 11/05/97 Belmont. Fairbrae Avenue. GMc

1 27/04/97 Mud Islands. NH, PCu
Golden Whistler 1 28/03/97 Newtown. CMo
Restless Flycatcher 1 19/04/97 Pollocksford VWD
White-plumed Honeyeater 2 17/05/97 Highton. Helena Street. RBa

1 17/05/97 Newtown CMo

(Continued on pagel 2)

12

GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 33.2

(Continued from page 11)

White-naped Honeyeater 1
Grey Fantail 1

1

2
Little Grassbird 1
Yellow-rumped Thornbill 2
Yellow Thornbill 10+
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater 1
Yellow-faced Honeyeater 15

8+10
Honeyeaters - general Many
White-naped Honeyeater 1
New Holland Honeyeater 1
Eastern Spinebill 4

1

2
Mistletoebird 2
Spotted Pardalote 2
Striated Pardalote 1
Silvereye 15
Australian Magpie-lark 40+
Grey Butcher-bird 2
Australian Magpie 4

10
Pied Currawong 5+

30

1
Grey Currawong 1
Australian Raven . 1

Notes on the observations
... Barry Lingham

The Australian Raven, seen by Craig
Morley, is an uncommon visitor to
urban Geelong but it can be easily
mistaken for the more common Little
Raven.

The Australian Raven has a deeper
call of ‘Ark ark arrrrk’ slowy fading
away. It also has distinctive long
throat hackles. Keep an eye out for
the Australian Ravens.

Pardalotes are common in our
gardens but find it difficult to find
suitable nesting sites. They will use
tree hollows, sand banks, compost
heaps. and even hanging plant
baskets. It is interesting to note the
nesting of pardalotes in a nest box.
Perhaps we could encourage these
delightful little birds to our gardens by
the provision of suitable nest boxes.

It is coming on to winter and many
_ birds are now establishing territories
for spring nesting. Watch their
behaviour and note calls,
aggressiveness etc in your records.

O

18/05/97 Breakwater gardens KC
23/04/97 Highton. North Valley Road. Also on 26/4 and 1/5 VWD
12/04/97 Moorabool Street in the City CMo
10/05/97 Highton. Helena Street. RBa
30/03/97 Jerringot CMo
18/05/97 Belmont. KC
29/04/97 Highton. Helena Street RBa
13/05/97 Belmont. Oberon Drive. RP
9/04/97 Newtown. CMo
9/04/97 Austin Park. Two flocks. CMo
26/04/97 Anglesea (small swamp). Crescent,White-eared,

White-naped,White-plumed, Eastern Spinebills FS
18/05/97 Breakwater gardens KC
April Belmont. Kyle Avenue. White specimen RBal
18/05/97 Newtown KRy
24/05/97 Newtown CMo
17/05/97 Highton. Helena Street. Feeding in Swamp Mallet RBa
22/05/97 Newtown. In street trees. JHu
April Wallington. Grubb Road. Nesting in a nest box. KP
23/04/97 Highton. Helena Street. RBa
24/05/97 Newtown CMo
13/05/97 Breakwater Road. BL
27/05/97 Barwon Valley Golf Course. (Karen Robbins) VWD
20/05/97 Highton. Helena Street. Territorial disputes occurring RBa
15/05/97 Belmont. Oberon Drive. Territorial disputes. RP
28/03/97 Newtown. CMo
19/05/97 Newtown. KRy
24/05/97 Kardinia Park. CMo
March-April Newtown. Seen from 23/3 to 12/4. CMo
26/03/97 Newtown. Bird calling in hunched position.

Throat hackles obvious. CMo

Le
Editor's notes... Birds ain't birds...
In an effort to streamline the As Charles Dickens once said, ‘put

recording of observations both for the
magazine and the club database, the
editor almost lost these last two
pages. Barry Lingham had been
reluctant to entrust his notes to the
new process, but luckily, all was not
lost and at the last moment he was
persuaded to write them up. As you
saw, they were most interesting and
not to be missed.

Marilyn Hewish has suggested that
the telephone numbers of group
conveners be printed to make
member contact easier and that her
number be given for members
wishing to submit articles in the
Geelong Bird Report. The inside rear
cover will now carry this information.

Thank you for the suggestions
Marilyn. | am looking at the third one.

Did members notice that you
are being invited to two
sausage sizzles this month?
See page 9.

the case’ that you are walking along
Hovell’s Creek and on the edge you
observe two large birds so close as to
be almost touching. “A pair’, you say.
Both have white bodies and long black
bills. They are water birds, but that is
where the similarities end.

One is, not to put it too bluntly,
shabby. His black looks like a coat of
paint after about ten years. As for his
white, he looks like a footballer who
has played a game in the pouring rain.
He is an Ibis.

The other, in contrast, looks as though
he has dressed up for a wedding.
That long flattened bill is jet black and
looks so fresh that you wonder how he
can keep it that way while feeding on
the muddy bottom. His white feathers
are incredibly white. No soap powder
could achieve this result. The only
description is vivid white and in the
bright sunlight they seem to have a
sheen. This magnificent bird is the
Royal Spoonbill and aptly named.

No, birds ain't birds.

GFNC OFFICE BEARERS (1997-1998)

President Dick Southcombe 5243 3916
Vice-President Barry Lingham 5255 4291
Secretary Valda Dedman 5243 2374
Treasurer Ray Baverstock 5243 7025

Immediate Past PresidentClaire McCormick 5243 7047
Committee Member Madeline Glynn 5248 6332

E 5 Peter Hackett 5229 4642
“ a Diana Primrose 5250 1811
E y Graeme Tribe - 5255 2302
E s Donna Wood 5221 2956
Honorary Librarian Betty Moore 5288 7220
Editor Alban Lloyd-Jones 5243 3704

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP CONVENERS and GEELONG BIRD REPORT EDITOR

Biodiversity Group Ade Foster = 5243 9478
Bird Group Barry Lingham 5255 4291
Plant Group Dick Southcombe 5243 3916

Geelong Bird Report Marilyn Hewish (Pri) 03 5367 3196

DISCLAIMER

Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this magazine
rests with the author of the article. ‘Geelong Naturalist’ may be quoted without
permission provided that acknowledgement of the club and the author is made.

Geelong Field Naturalists Club Inc.

ROSTER
LIBRARY SUPPER HALL

Valerie Lloyd-Jones Noreen Arthur Bob Preston
Edna Harris Dick Southcombe

Lorraine Preston Betty Quirk Bob Preston
Betty King Ron Mole

Front cover artwork by Fay Wray.

GEELONG FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB Inc.
PO Box 1047
Geelong Vic 3213

Printed by Ken Jenkin.

GEELONG NATURALIST

GEELONG FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC
PO BOX 1047, GEELONG, VIC. 3213
PRINT POST APPROVED SURFACE | | POSTAGE

PAID
PP 333139 / 00016 MAIL AUSTRALIA

¿The Librarian
Museum of Vic Library

285 Russell Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000