The Noisy Miner Bird

Phil Moran - Friday, December 16, 2011

The Noisy Miner or Mickey [Monorina melanocephala] is a very common bird in our area. It is conspicuous by its constant chatter. They also make a racket when other birds, humans, or cats are around. They are also an early detection system for snakes, although in my experience they are not as reliable as a butcher bird where snakes are concerned! They just chatter all the time...like the little boy who cried snake! They are a very territorial species that have no problem taking on much bigger birds, even hawks or kookaburras.

Noisy minors are predominately grey in colour, with a yellow bill and black cheeks. They occur from Atherton Tableland right down to Tasmania, mostly close to the coast. They are nectar feeders, but will also eat insects, caterpillars and fruit. They are very gregarious, with groups of 20 or more individuals common. When they find a garden full of grevilleas and bottlebrushes, they will claim it as their own. They are therefore well suited to suburban backyards often to the detriment of other bird species. We have created 'Mickey heaven' by planting all these flowering, nectar producing shrubs in our gardens!

The female builds a nest and usually incubates the eggs alone. However both sexes will care for and feed the young. Often more helpers will assist in raising the chicks...commonly males.

This is what was happening outside our office in Pomona recently...

It should be noted that the mickey is native, and is not the Indian Mynah [Acridotheres tristis] which is quite a feral pest and is gradually increasing its habitat in Australia. This bird is native to Turkestan, India & Sri Lanka. It was introduced into Melbourne in 1862, and North Queensland in 1883. These birds are aggressive, taking over nesting sites, displacing native birds and even killing small birds, mammals and bats. They have chocolate brown heads and neck, a fawn colour on their body and white tips on the wings. Beak and legs are yellow.

I heard an unusual noise the other night

Phil Moran - Friday, November 04, 2011

I know my 'night noises' pretty well. But I had never heard one like this. So I grabbed my torch and started looking for the origin of this guttural 'gurgle'. When I looked up into a native frangipani that I had planted near my shed, I saw two reflective eyes, and an absolutely beautiful little animal.

It was a Squirrel glider [Petaurus norfolcensis]. I was not sure at the time...I thought it was either a Sugar glider [Petaurus breviceps] or a Squirrel glider. They are very, very similar. The Squirrel glider is bigger [about twice the size- body around 210 mm long] than the Sugar. Both species nest in leaf lined hollows in trees. They have a similar diet also, feeding on the sap of eucalypts and wattles as well as eating invertebrates.

The squirrel glider is relatively abundant locally, however it is rare to endangered in southern areas. Habitat destruction, cats, owls and vehicles have all contributed to this decline in numbers. They can glide [volplane] for up to 50 metres. I have seen this previously, and it is a real thrill. I was very excited to see one on our place.

Our local fauna expert and wildlife carer tells me that she gets quite a few Squirrel gliders, and not many Sugar gliders at all. She also told me that if we have 1, we probably have 10! They are communal and also quite territorial. They will attack other gliders coming into their turf.

So, if you here a strange noise, have a look. It was well worth it for me

Green vs Brown

Phil Moran - Monday, October 17, 2011

I took these photos in my shed last night. The frog is a green tree frog [litoria caerulea]. This is a very common frog in the Biosphere. They can grow up to 100mm long, and be green or brownish, and be quite chunky. They have a really 'dreamy' look to them. They can live for up to 20 years. It is a very popular 'pet' throughout the world. Very docile, they are generally nocturnal: with a distinctive call....a sort of Waark, Waark noise, which often echoes in downpipes. They also have an alarm call which is a loud screech. They mainly eat spiders and insects. Predators include snakes, birds and some lizards, however we can add cats and occasionally, dogs to this list.

 

 

The snake is a brown tree snake [Boiga irregularis] probably my most common snake. They are nocturnal, can grow up to 2 metres long and tend to have a prickly personality. They have  a large head, bulging yellow eyes, a slender body with orange underbelly and dark bands above. Wildlife of Greater Brisbane by the Qld Museum has a lovely description..."Pugnacious if provoked, rearing head and neck in "S" posture and striking with mouth agape." They are Colubridae, meaning either no fangs or fangs at the back of the mouth. They do have poison, but you would need a really large individual to inject venom into human. They also have notoriety in that they are one of the few reptile species that has become an introduced pest. The brown tree snake was introduced into Guam in World War two, where it has multiplied to great numbers...much to the detriment of bird fauna on Guam. Guam did not have snakes, and this skilful predator has had a field day.

Anyway, the good news was that this small brown tree snake had a look at the frog and decided it was too big for him, and just kept on going....

Community helps out at Noosa North Shore

Phil Moran - Thursday, May 26, 2011

Thursday 19th May saw a hardy band of volunteers gathering at the ferry ready to take on some of the weeds causing havoc on Noosa North Shore. Noosa Integrated Catchment Association [NICA] have been successful in securing funding under the Federal Government's Caring for our Country program to treat weeds on a large area down towards the Noosa River mouth.

The funding was specifically targeted at Lantana [Lantana camara var. camara], a Weed of National Significance. There are plenty of other weeds in this area, with Umbrella trees [Schefflera actinophylla], Groundsel bush [Baccharis halimifolia],Basket asparagus [Asparagus aethiopicus cv. Sprengeri], Corky passionfruit [Passiflora suberosa] and Fishbone fern [Nephrolepis cordifolia] featuring prominently! Noosa & District Landcare group [NDLG] have been doing the contract weeding on the site, commencing from the northern end of the work site.

Our crew found a very heavy infestation of fishbone fern, that we thought would benefit from the attention of the volunteer labour force. These people are no strangers to killing weeds, and came prepared. About 18 people turned up, including Dave Burrows from Sunshine Coast Council. After an explanation of the project by Tony Haslam [NICA] and an update of progress to date by Dylan & Joel from NDLG, we all marched off to attack the fishbone fern. It is amazing how much work these good people can get through! And how thorough they are... Not only do they know how to weed, they really appreciate the importance of this vegetation to the North Shore. 

Soon mountains of hand pulled fishbone fern started to appear...quicker than our guys could collect it. A brief halt was called for a cup of tea/coffee, and back to work. By lunchtime, a once weed infested area was free of this weed, uncovering many native plants that were struggling to survive under the fern. A sumptuous lunch followed [courtesy of Tony and NICA] where discussion ranged from other weeds to kill[!], to the importance of this area to the Noosa Biosphere. This end of the beach is home to many migratory bird species, as well as some magnificent littoral rainforest on sand. Dave took the group for a brief walk after lunch and pointed out some of

the interesting plants surviving in these harsh conditions. It is hoped that with ongoing support from the Sunshine Coast Council, and Qld Parks & Wildlife rangers more work can be done to return this area to its former glory. For the NDLG contract crew, it was an opportunity to kill some weeds in one of the most beautiful and fragile areas of our Biosphere.

Thanks to Tony and the mob at NICA, and to all the volunteers that contributed to such as successful day.

Raring to go...

 

The work begins...

 

Lawrence of Arabia, aka Dave Burrows, talks to Jill Campbell

 

NICA North Shore Coastal Dune Restoration and Weed Eradication Project

Molly's Cuckoo

Phil Moran - Wednesday, May 04, 2011

My partner's 10 year old daughter, Molly has grown up in the bush. She has been able to see lots of animals that city kids don't get to see. Sometimes we forget how wonderful our Biosphere really is.

My son, who is now working in Brisbane grew up in the bush and I know that he will never forget the things he saw all the time. He had some mates up recently, and one of them had never seen a kangaroo 'in the wild'...

On the weekend, as we were enjoying some fantastic sunny weather, we heard a thump outside. Molly was the first on the scene. She came running in with a little bird in her hands. It was a Fan tailed cuckoo [Cacomantis flabelliformis]. They are a beautiful bird. It is slender [approximately 25 cm long] with a slate grey back, tending to rufous orange underneath, with distinctive black & white barred tail. The call is very distinctive...a descending trill, which I reckon sounds quite mournful.

This one looked pretty dazed, and having seen this before I knew that it would either a/ die, or b/ recover after a while! So Molly and I found a cardboard box, put a towel in the bottom, the injured bird on that, and then covered it up with another towel so it was dark and safe. It is then just a waiting game.

 

This bird is one of the Cuckoos we get here. As with most of the Australian cuckoos, this one is a 'brood parasite'... which means that it lays its eggs in nests made by other bird species. These unfortunate souls include the fairy wrens, scrub wrens and thornbills. The cuckoo kicks one of the host birds eggs out of the nest, and replaces it with one of their own.... it gets worse. The cuckoo chick generally hatches earlier than the host

chicks, and the little cuckoo kicks out the other eggs or chicks, or both! The foster parent then gives all its attention to the cuckoo chick.

Anyway, after being nursed by Molly all day [!], we finally took the box outside about 3.00pm. At first the bird just sat on the towel and looked around. Molly picked the bird up, and it came to life...and flew into a nearby tree. One of the wonders of life I reckon...

Cute critters

Phil Moran - Friday, April 08, 2011

The contract  crew at Noosa & District Landcare are out in the bush all the time. Mostly they are planting native plants or killing weeds. Whilst doing this they come across all sorts of interesting critters lurking in our Biosphere. Birds, snakes [lots of snakes!], insects, ticks [lots of ticks!], and all sorts of things.

Because our guys and girls are keen students of our environment, they tend to notice things... and ask about them. Recently they saw a caterpillar that was cute... and were interested to know what it was. I usually field these queries, which is great as I get a chance to learn too. I did not know what caterpillar it was, so I asked Dr. Don Sands, a retired Entomologist from CSIRO. Don's fame in our area is as the father of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Recovery Network. Don knew it straight away... of course!

The horny little fella was a Evening brown caterpillar [Melanitis leda]. You see them quite commonly at dusk and at night. During the day they rest on the ground or in leaves. When walking through grass you see them fly away and rest a few metres away. They are brown in colour...no surprise there!...and look a lot like a dead leaf. this is to hide from all the predators out there. The butterflies lay their eggs on grass, usually Themeda australis, or Kangaroo grass. It is green, and the 'horns' are actually on its tail. see photo.

 

Spiny Stick Insect [Extatasoma tiaratum]I was out at a site near Cooran recently and one of our guys thought he saw an odd looking leaf...

 

It was in fact a Spiny stick insect [Extatasoma tiaratum] . This insect is a Phasmid. The females usually reproduce via normal sexual reproduction [with a fella] and eggs take about four months to develop... but they don't have to... if no males around, no problem. This process is called parthenogenesis. In this case the eggs take longer to develop [up to nine months] and only girls will be produced. Pretty cool! the eggs are flicked to the forest floor by the mother where they are moved around by ants, who eat part of the eggs and distribute them to their 'waste' piles.

They can be brown or green, and have great camouflage. The head has a odd shape which makes it look like it is on the wrong way...They can be up to 180mm long, and are really popular as pets. [I prefer them in the bush...but that is just me!]

What's that skip? You want me to move away? OK!

Phil Moran - Monday, March 07, 2011

At Noosa Landcare's Pomona office, we are very lucky. We have a lease on five acres just north of the town, and it has some really wonderful trees on it, and a lot of grass. It is in the grounds of the Noosa District High School [Pomona campus]

Some  things about having a lot of grass is that you have to do a lot of mowing, and we have a lot of kangaroos. We see them all the time, lounging around on the school oval, or bounding from one place to another. We get on well. We have got to know them over the years. We have one extremely large male, who is the boss. I call him Keith.

Keith is a male Eastern Grey Kangaroo [Macropus giganteus]. Male Eastern greys can live for 18-20 years. They can be up to 2.8 metres tall, and weigh up to 70 kilos [one source says up to 95 kilos!!!] The grey kangaroos live in a mob, with a dominant male [Keith] ruling the roost. He maintains this dominance by force. With his powerful build, and strong hind legs Keith can lean back on his tail [which can be up to 4 feet long!] and 'box' would be successors into submission. The males also have been known to use their sharp claws, and to bite in combat [bit like rugby league].

Kangaroos move around by hopping on their hind legs. They use their tail for steering and balance. They can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour...and they can keep going over very long distances. They can cover an astonishing 8 metres in a single bound... and easily clear any fence I have seen. Indeed a look at their locomotion in slow motion is really amazing...they just look effortless.

Anyway, I was wondering down the back of our office this morning. It was hot..close to 30 degrees already at it was only 10.00am. I was actually looking for seed on a Bribie Island Pine, when I saw a nasty weed [Climbing asparagus] that we don't usually have here. So I went over to it and was bending down to rip it out by the roots, when I heard this really loud GROWL...It was deep, guttural and full of meaning. I looked up and lying on the ground, less than two metres away, with his head raised, and nostrils flaring was Keith. Keith was asking that I back off...no problem. I retreated, apologised and then waited for my heart rate to return to normal. But, what a sight, and sound!

And this is Keith....

A great year for orchids

Phil Moran - Thursday, March 03, 2011

This year has seen some mighty fine orchids displaying their flowers in our biosphere. I have one in a Hickory wattle at my place, and it usually looks pretty average...just a whole heap of strappy leaves. This year it flowered spectacularly. It is Cymbidium Sauve, or Scented Orchid. It is quite common in forks in trees and old logs. It is epiphytic and has green/yellow flowers in large sprays.

Shepherd’s Crook OrchidAt Park road on the way to Noosa National Park, we have also noticed several Geodorum Densiflorum or Shepherd’s Crook Orchids. These have not flowered until a few weeks ago...and spectacular they are. This one is a terrestrial orchid, which is dormant over winter, and then comes to life as the weather warms up. This year there were quite a few beautiful pink flowers held in a ‘crook’ or curved stem.

Blotched Hyacinth OrchidAnother wonderful orchid is Dipodium Punctatum, or Blotched Hyacinth Orchid. I have seen this one at the base of Mt. Cooroora. I have walked in there many times and never seen this one. The reason for this is that Hyacinth orchid is a leafless, terrestrial orchid. Most of the year there is nothing to see. And then, a flower spike of up to one metre leaps from the ground, and makes your mouth drop open. It is pink and stunning.

Giant Climbing OrchidAnother one that has got plant people excited this year is . This is a very large orchid that attaches itself to trees and climbs...up to 15 metres up! It is leafless, saprophytic orchid. [Saprophytic just means that it obtains its nutrient from dead or decaying organic matter...like a fungus]It has perfumed golden/yellow flowers. One was spotted along Louis Bazzo Drive recently, and it was an absolute beauty.

So, the Noosa biosphere has plenty of surprises, all you have to do is get out into the bush and keep a keen eye out.

Information on these plants can be found on the Noosa’s Native Plants website,

And in Mountain to Mangroves by Glen Leiper.

A very wet new year

Phil Moran - Monday, January 10, 2011

I am sure I don't have to tell you that it has been a pretty miserable 'holiday period' for many people. Those of us with small children [and dogs!] know how much fun it is to be cooped up all day. Spare a thought for our wildlife though... As I drive up my driveway, over our raging creek [Coles Creek near Cooran] I see many unhappy animals. My kangaroos look pretty dishevelled, but at least they have plenty of grass to eat.

In weather like this, other animals do it really tough. I am thinking particularly about birds and bats. They rely on nectar from flowering trees and shrubs for survival. In these sort of conditions the blossoms get knocked of the trees, and any nectar that is available is very watered down and of little sustenance. I have in the past seen bird deaths simply as a result of starvation. The same applies to flying foxes and bats. Together with birds these animals are really vital for the pollination of our plant species.

Whilst the creeks are benefiting from a good flush out, the native fish do it tough in these times too. They have nowhere to hide, and just have to literally 'go with the flow'... The frogs at least seem to be very happy... if I judge by the cacophony outside our bedroom!

Butterflies really struggle too. I saw many lay their eggs just prior to Christmas, but their fate is not a happy one now. We have all heard about the snake 'plague' around Rockhampton, but they don't have much choice but to find higher ground, Most snakes can swim pretty well, but not for a long distance. They would also be missing the sun to warm them up.... but at least there are plenty of frogs.

Most of our plant species will love the rain... not just for the immediate benefit, but from the soil moisture that will continue for a long time after the rain. The down side is the weeds just love it too. And we can't get in to many sites to control them... I'm afraid the weeds will be the 'gift that goes on giving' for a long time to come. With aquatic weeds, I am sure we will find many more outbreaks as they are spread around by the flood waters... more work to do!

 

 Birds struggle: Rainbow Lorikeet starved during the recent extended torrential rain

So, I hope you are all safe, if not dry. Just spare a thought for our wildlife in these interesting times...

Roman god of Manure heaps!

Phil Moran - Friday, November 19, 2010

Sterculius was the Roman god for manure heaps! This plant has the botanical name Sterculia quadrifida. It's common name is Peanut tree. Apparently the botanical name comes from the odour of the leaves and flowers, although I cannot really smell anything odd! The flowers are fairly inconspicuous, being a creamy colour. This is in stark contrast to the magnificent fruit. As you can see the shiny black seeds are held inside a brilliant orange capsule. They are quite striking. The fruit is said to be edible, raw or roasted and reputedly tastes a bit like peanuts. With any "bush tucker" I advise caution...if you are unsure of the species, leave it alone!

Apparently indigenous people used to use the leaves to treat wounds also. The tree grows in the drier rainforests from Richmond River right up to PNG. It is semidecidious, and has beautiful light green foliage at times throughout the year. There is a beautiful specimen growing in "The woods" at the end of Hastings Street. Further information and photos can be found on the Noosa's Native Plant website...www.noosanativeplants.com.au

Take the time to enjoy the wonderful plants in the Noosa Biosphere...

Natural cane toad control?

Phil Moran - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

In a blog post I wrote in April I took a photograph of a snake near my shed, which was a freshwater snake [Tropidonophis mairii], sometimes called a keelback. A friend sent me two photos yesterday which were much better than mine! I mentioned in April that freshwater snakes seem to be able to eat cane toads [Bufo marinus] with impunity.

These photos were taken in Mooloolah on the Sunshine Coast, next to a creek. My mate reckons this snake is a common visitor to his place. I had read that keelbacks can eat small toads and toad tadpoles without any problems, but this is the first time I have seen a toad this size being eaten. They are great shots and I thank Tim & Tash Odgers for letting me use them.

The latest research suggests that rather than a learning behaviour this ability is more likely  ancestral in origin... A report I read recently suggests that as the keelback has Asian ancestry, and in that environment bufonids [the true toad family, with over 200 species] are fairly common, it has adapted to be able to live with, and feed on them. Unfortunately most of our snakes do not posses this ability, and numbers of frog eating snakes are in decline. With the increase in toad numbers and range, this is not good for our ecology. Whilst many people have an aversion to snakes, they do play an important role in an ecosystem. So it looks like we still have a big problem with the toad, and that this snake will not become a natural bio-control agent just yet.

Keelbacks like well watered situations, like creeks and swampy areas. They are active in both day and night. Whilst it will bite, it is harmless. Most that I have seen have been on the ground, however they are reported to be able to climb quite well. Anyway, enjoy the photos...

 

Snow wood

Phil Moran - Monday, October 18, 2010

Snow wood s a much better common name than Stinkwood!Stinkwood is the unflattering name given to Pararchidendron pruinosum, and I prefer snow wood, which aptly describes the flowers when they first appear. "Stinkwood" refers to the smell given when the tree is cut down... all the better reason to leave it alone! 

This is a small rainforest tree that occurs from Illawarra in NSW up to about atherton in Qld. It has beautiful pom pom shaped flowers that start out white, and fade to a yellow colour. These pom poms can be up to 20mm in size and are quite showy. These photos were taken last week, outside Noosa Landcare's Pomona office and it is a striking plant in flower.

The seed pods are also quite attractive. It is in the Acacia family [Mimosaceae] family, and the seed pods are similar to many wattles, however the Snow wood seed pod is bright orange with shiny black seeds inside.

Biosphere, Sheraton & Noosa Landcare

Phil Moran - Thursday, October 14, 2010

In our latest Noosa & District  Landcare newsletter I wrote an article about the collaboration of Noosa Biosphere, Sheraton and Noosa Landcare, and I thought I'll share it with you here too:

Biosphere, Sheraton & Noosa LandcareAs members may be aware, the Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa announced a $60,000 sponsorship deal with Noosa Biosphere Ltd recently. This money will be used to support NoosaBiosphere Day at the Woods at the end of Hastings Street on September 19th, to assist the local Community Radio station 101.3FM, and to support the Biosphere website noosabiosphere.org.au. <...>

So, why would a large hotel like the Sheraton want to put that sort of money into our community?

Many years ago [very many!], I used to work at a large hotel in Brisbane - The Crest International Hotel. I can tell you that all we cared about was getting the people through the door, making sure they enjoyed our bars, restaurants and accommodation, and getting on with business.The people at the Sheraton Noosa understand that people come to Noosa not only for the shops, beaches etc but also for our fantastic environment. In fact the Sheraton through the Ecobiz program have significantly reduced their water use, power use and also their waste. They separate all their waste for recycling, and the food scraps go into a 'BiobiN’ for composting. This then goes to a local business and some is even purchased by the Sheraton for use ontheir grounds.

Noosa Landcare is also working on a project with the Sheraton to take corporate visitors to the resort out to the hinterland to do tree planting and weeding.

The event that was held to announce this sponsorship deal was carbon neutral... The Sheraton paid for trees to be planted to offset the carbon generated by the launch.

A Biosphere is all about Conservation, learning and sustainability... and having one of our biggest hotels showing that it can be done is, in my view, an outstanding achievement, My congratulations to Sheraton General Manager Stephen Ferrigno and his staff. They have come a long way since my day in hotels!

Phillip Moran

Fungi

Phil Moran - Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Fungi are really important. Worldwide, fungi are the second largest group of living organisms...second only to insects. It is estimated that there are over 1,500,000 species, of which only 5 % have been described. This is just one fact I learnt at a recent Biodiversity workshop help in Brisbane. The speaker was Patrick Leonard, President of the Queensland Mycological Society, a most entertaining and knowledgeable speaker. I wanted to share some of Partick's insights with the blogosphere.

Fungi are key players in the decay and recycling of vegetative matter. Different vegetation types [wood, grasses, leaves] have different fungi to break them down. The fungi play an important role in the nutrition of plant species.They take up water, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus from the soil, and make it available to plants. Fungi & plants therefore have a symbiotic relationship...they need each other. Put simply, the fungi absorb water and chemicals from the soil and exchange these for carbohydrates, which the plants make by photosynthesis.  Fungi do not posses chlorophyll and cannot make their own carbohydrates.

Fungi are also often blamed for diseases, and scientists have spent a lot of energy on various plant diseases. Agriculture and forestry has pursued an approach that has led to large areas being planted with single species. This reduces biodiversity, and creates ideal conditions for specific fungi to thrive.  The principal method off dealing with the problem of insects and fungal diseases has been to spray. Unfortunately these sprays kill any beneficial fungi and insects also. Fortunately, these practises are being used less these days. Biodiversity is a key defence to many insect and disease issues.

This particular fungus is one of the Stinkhorns.[Phallaceae family, Aseroe rubra]. It is also sometimes called a Starfish fungi. Like the other stinkhorns, it emerges from underground and has between five & ten 'tentacles. It has a smell of rotting meat, which is very attractive to flies [and, sometimes, dogs!!] They do not last long, and

come up regularly in our area particularly in plies of mulch. I think they are really beautiful. So, fungi are important....keep your eyes out for the many different types.

My thanks to Patrick Leonard for much of this information.

Weeds and biodiversity

Phil Moran - Friday, October 01, 2010

We  bang on a lot about weeds...[well I do...!].. .but why? Sure they can be a nuisance...like cobblers pegs getting stuck in your socks...but do they really cause a problem? We do know that weeds cost Australians lots of money in control and lost production...it is generally agreed that weeds cost the agricultural sector alone over 4 billion dollars per year. Certain species of weeds do not get a great deal of publicity, but have a serious effect on our nations biodiversity. Weeds can been loosely defined as "a plant growing where it is not wanted". This works, but I tend to think a weed is serious when it upsets the balance of an ecosystem. Weeds behave much like a school bully...they out-compete our native plants and can easily form mono-cultures.

The problem with mono-cultures, be they forestry, agriculture or a severe weed infestation, is that they do not provide a variety of habitat and food source for our native animals. Indeed, one of the problems with weeds is that they tend to have a competitive advantage over native species in that they do not have their predators in this country.There are many weeds that affect our native fauna, but I will talk about three of these thugs today. These species are sometimes called "transformer" species in that they completely alter an ecosystem.

Singapore DaisyThe first one that comes to mind is Sphagneticola trilobata, or Singapore daisy, which would be no doubt familiar to many readers. Recently a frog survey was done at Seaview Terrace by Ed Meyer, which recorded frog calls from a wetland that runs from Noosa National Park to Sunshine Beach. The top [western] end of this watercourse is in reasonable condition. The eastern end is completely choked out with Singapore daisy. The results of the survey showed good populations and varieties of frog species in the good part, with very few being recorded under the mats of Singapore daisy.

Singapore daisy is reproduced both by seed and vegetatively. You can see the extent of the infestation in the photo.

Cat's Claw CreeperAnother nasty is Macfadyena unguis-cati or Cat's claw creeper. This villain, introduced as an ornamental plant, produces thousands of paper like seeds which are distributed both by wind and water. It is particularly bad in riparian [creek] areas. It also develops a large underground tubers which makes treatment very difficult. Cat's

claw climbs over native vegetation and smothers them. Over a period of time this can kill all the native plants and you are left with just Cat's claw.

 

 Cat's Claw Creeper - smothering everything

Cat's Claw Creeper Tubers

Silver Leaf DesmodiumVelcro, glue vine or Silver leaf desmoduim [Desmodium uncinatum] is a particularly nefarious weed. Introduced as cattle fodder, it has become a pest particularly in hinterland areas. As more people move to our region, cattle are being removed from properties and this plant is quickly establishing. Whilst Silver leaf desmodium does not smother like Cats claw, it has a more insidious effect on fauna, particularly frogs. As the name [Velcro/glue vine] suggests, this plant is covered in fine hairs, allowing it to climb, and stick to cloths...or for things to stick to it. Frogs get into real trouble with this one. They rest on the leaves and stems in the cool mornings, only to be trapped. As the sun rises they dehydrate, and die.

Frog trapped by Silver leaf desmodium - dehydrated in the morning sun. Photo by Daniel Cox, courtesy of Eva Ford at MRCCC

And I haven't even mentioned the aquatic weeds! Try to learn about weeds in your local area and get rid of them...you will be doing our Biosphere a favour...including it's inhabitants.

This is a beautiful thing!

Phil Moran - Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Some years ago Noosa & District Landcare Group (NDLG) did a project at the Pomona transfer station. The project involved planting trees on an old landfill site. We worked with local boy Richard Yeates from Phytolink and a youthful Doug Barnes from the then Noosa Council. It was called 'phytoremediation'.

What happens when a landfill site is full?It the old days when a landfill site was full, it was covered in clay to a depth of about 8 inches (200mm if you must!). This was then compacted so that water would not reach the buried rubbish and cause leachates of metals and methane. Trouble is that you have to constantly mow the grass cover, and it is not particularly 'environmental'.

Richard had been researching other ways to achieve a similar result by using trees that would take up the water before it got down to the rubbish. Both Doug & I were pretty keen on the idea. The transfer station in Pomona is alongside Six Mile Creek which flows into the mighty Mary River. If we could plant trees here successfully, it would help with water quality and also provide a haven for wildlife, whilst saving money in the long term by reducing maintenance.

How can we deal with this better?It was a tough job! First we had to 'rip' the soil to allow planting. This bought brought up all sorts of archaeological artefacts... car tyres, car batteries, rusted steel etc. We then spread tons of lime in order to correct the pH of the soil. This was followed by the planting... then the hard bit... maintaining the plants until they were established.

a different approach: Pomona Landfill after planting

two years later: Pomona Landfill a new wildlife haven

Well it worked. When you visit the Pomona Transfer station [It should be on tourist maps, I reckon!] you see a healthy forest that has heaps of wildlife living and moving through it.

Then a funny thing happened a while ago... I was in an airport travelling to do Aquatic weed identification workshops when my phone rang. It was Richard Yeates. He said that he had just been to Pomona and he thought we had had some vandalism... he saw a Eucalypt that looked like it had been cut down. As we don't have vandalism (?) in the Hinterland I was not convinced about this. I said that I thought the 'vandals' might have been birds! I think Richard thought I had lost the plot... a fair assumption.

A new forest vandalised?So, as soon as I got back I went out to the 'dump' and had a look. I was right, and I was very happy! The damage was caused by Yellow tailed black cockatoos [Calyptorhynchus funereus]. These magnificent birds are seen regularly in the Noosa Biosphere region. They have a raucous call. They are a large bird (over two feet-650mm)

that nests in old hollows lined with bark chips. There numbers are in decline due mainly to habitat destruction. They usually only lay two eggs, and it may  take up to 5 months or more for the eggs to hatch.

Their beaks are like can openers and they tear into eucalypt trees searching for the larvae of Giant wood moths. These are large caterpillars that offer plenty of protein and are therefore worth the effort. At my place I have heard the tearing of the wood as the cockatoos search for the larvae. You have to wonder how they know they are in there!

Anyway, I was happy because one of the main reasons we did this work was to encourage the wildlife to return... it worked!

 image by Sheila Bowker

The Caper White Butterfly

Phil Moran - Wednesday, June 09, 2010

This butterfly is fairly common in our region. It is black & white on the upper surface, and yellow-orange, black & white underneath. It is around 50mm in width. It is particularly common west of the Great Dividing Range, but still comes to the coast on occasion

The larvae feed exclusively on plants in the Capparidaceae family, the genus Capparis, and the two most common species that we have in the Noosa Biosphere are C. arborea, [Brush caper berry]  and C. sarmentosa [Scrambling caper]. Both are beautiful, tough plants. I like them even more because they have spines...and small birds commonly nest in the bigger one! [Brush caper].

"The Capers are coming!"They generally migrate in spring, however I see them most of the year around. They migrate in large numbers, and strangely they have been observed migrating to areas where no caper plants grow....and we don't know why. I have one friend [yes, I do] and he lives in Brookfield west of Brisbane. He and I often observe these butterflies at a very similar time. I'll get a phone call..."the capers are coming", and in a day or two I will see them. The excellent Australian Museum website states that the numbers in migration can be very large... in some cases clogging car radiators! I observed quite a few hanging around my caper bushes only yesterday.

The Larvae will often strip all the leaves of the caper plants...sometimes even some of the bark on younger shoots. You can see nothing but Caper white larvae poo under the tree! When my son was younger I used to take him into the bush and sit quietly under one of the caper bushes...You can actually hear the caterpillars chewing the leaves. This does no noticeable damage to the plant... they just grow back.

I was fortunate enough to get a photograph of a group of butterflies all fluttering around one of my caper bushes last year...

And also I have included a photo of the flower of C. sarmentosa... Beautiful things in our Biosphere:

 

Our local water lilies

Phil Moran - Tuesday, May 11, 2010

In our region the most commonly encountered water lilies are ...

o Water snowflake [Nymphoides indica], nativeo Blue water lily [Nymphaea caerulea subsp. Zanzibarensis], exotico Yellow water lily, [Nymphaea mexicana], exotico Swamp lily [Ottelia ovalifolia], native

 

Water snowflake

Water snowflake [Nymphoides indica] is a very common and beautiful plant, seen in many of our dams and slow moving streams. It has a small white fringed flower, with a touch of yellow at the base. It develops a propagule under the mature leaf. This drops to the bottom of the water body and develops into a new plant. Its leaves are up to 50 cm in diameter, entire and often eaten by various insects.  Its name, Nymphoides indica comes from the Greek word Nymphaea meaning ‘water nymph’; oides, meaning ‘like’, and indica, meaning white. It can be quite dense at times; but is usually only seen around the edge of dams as it does not grow in water deeper than 2 metres.

 

Blue water lily

The Blue water lily [Nymphaea caerulea subsp. Zanzibarensis] is also very common in similar locations to water snowflake. Its flower can vary in colour from blue to pink. Caerulea means ‘blue’. Leaves are large [to about 50 cm in diameter], and has sinuate margins [slightly scalloped].  Often you will notice that leaves of this plant are not eaten nearly as much by insects...as it is not a local.

It can be confused with a couple of other species...Nymphaea gigantea , which is native, but is now considered to be almost extinct in S E Qld.

Nymphaea violacea is a beautiful water lily with a pinkish/blue flower.  It has a wavy margin to the leaf, rather than toothed or serrate. It grows in North Queensland, NT, and W A. Flower is on a long [up to 30 cm] stalk. It also lacks the blue terminal anther of Nymphaea caerulea subsp.Zanzibarensis.

 

Yellow waterlily

Yellow water lily, [Nymphaea mexicana] is also very common [unfortunately!!] This is a native of [yes, you guessed] Mexico. Leaves have slightly wavy margins, and a habit of ‘sitting up’ rather than lying flat on the top of the water like most of the other water lilies. Grows in water up to two metres deep. It has rhizomes and long stolons from the top of the rhizome. Have a look at the Duck ponds in Gympie, for a positive ID. Flower colour from pale to deep yellow.

 

Swamp lily

Swamp lily [Ottelia ovalifolia] is common, native and beautiful. Can handle more of a water flow than the others. The leaf is more oval rather than round, up to around 16 cm long Flowers are glorious...white with maroon base.

Others you may see are Nymphoides crenata [Wavy marshwort], which has a fringed yellow flower, leaves to 12 cm with crenate margins. Not common around here, but found more to the west.

And Brasenia schreberi [Watersheild] which has an oval leaf to 8 cm long and entire margin. Flowers are maroon in colour. This plant is the only other plant in the family CABOMBACEAE, which is notorious for Cabomba caroliniana [Fanwort...a Weed of National Significance]

So, which one are you?

Phil Moran - Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Walking down to my shed last night, I found this little fella. It was a hot night for this time of year, and it was about 6.30pm. I expect to see snakes at my place, and know most of them by name [well, almost all].

I knew this guy was not one of my most common snakes, although I have seen a few like this. Now the problem is that this snake could be either... a Freshwater snake [Tropidonophis mairii] or a rough scaled snake [Tropidechis carinatus]. So what?

Well the freshwater snake [or Keelback] is non-venomous. It is one of the few Australian animals that can eat young cane toads, eggs and tadpoles, without being killed. and it is harmless. It does not have fangs, only small teeth.

Or, it could be a Rough scaled snake. This snake is quite a different story. It is an Elapaidae, or front fanged snake. In the excellent book "Wildlife of Greater Brisbane" published by the Queeensland Museum, the rough scaled snake is listed as 'dangerous'. This means that a good bite can kill you. Its venom is neurotoxic, [meaning affecting the nerves] haemotoxic, [causing damage to blood cells], cytotoxic [destroying cells]  and strongly coagulant...

Both snakes occur in our Biosphere. They both look very similar. Both like well watered areas, both wet & dry rainforests... both can come out at night, particularly after rain on warm nights.  The only way to get a positive identification is by counting the mid-body scales... [rough scale has 23, and the Freshwater has 15-17]. Rough scales have undivided subcaudels [scales below the anus], whilst in Freshwater snakes the subcaudels are divided.... but I was not going to turn it over and look at its bottom last night!

So, what do you do? LEAVE IT ALONE!!!

 Most snakes will go on their merry way if left undisturbed. Indeed most bites occur when someone tries to pick the snake up or kill it. They are part of our world too. Enjoy the experience that we have here in the Noosa Biosphere...and respect all our critters.

PS: I sent the photographs to our Local Snake expert in Pinbarren and he reckons it is a freshwater snake....[but if you are not an expert ...still leave it alone!]

Scorpions: These guys are cool

Phil Moran - Monday, April 19, 2010

Terry Stokes, a volunteer at Noosa & District Landcare's Riparian Nursery has a keen eye for things natural. Particularly for new and interesting creatures. Terry found this little fella a few weeks ago, and brought him [her?] in for me to have a look at. I have seen plenty of these guys at the nursery during my time here. They tend to be under the bark of logs or under rocks.

I think this is a common brown scorpion [Urodacus manicatus]. I have asked the Queensland Museum if they can help me with a positive ID.  [I was wrong - please see the note at the bottom of this post!!!]

Scorpions are really cool. They are Arachnids [includes spiders, ticks, mites] and are pretty common. They are generally nocturnal feeding on Arthropods [beetles, cockroaches, slaters etc]. They are easily distinguished by their long tail, with a sting at the end of it, and two big pincers at the head end [these are called pedipalps]. They can have six to twelve eyes, however they don't have good eyesight! However they do have excellent low light sensitivity, coming in handy for their night-life. They use sensors [hairs, pectines and slit organs] to pick up vibrations, textures and scents.

Sometimes people say that scorpions glow in the dark... this isn't true, but they do glow under ultraviolet light...they are quite sensitive to sunlight and try to avoid it as much as possible. The scorpion uses its pedipalps [claws or jaws] to hold its prey, so that it can sting the victim. They then use digestive juices to turn the flesh into a liquid to be able to ingest it [told you they were cool].

Mating is intriguing also. The male deposits a sperm parcel and the two then do a sort of dance, during which the male positions the female over the sperm parcel. The female can then draw the parcel into her genital pore. She gives birth to live young, which ride on her back until they can fend for themselves...[ up to a few weeks] In order to grow they must shed their hard exoskeletons,and are particularly vulnerable at this time, until the

exoskeleton hardens up. Predators include birds, carnivorous marsupials, rodents and other scorpions! They can live up to 25 years.

Whilst the sting from a scorpion can be painful, it is not considered dangerous. Best treatment is a cold pack, and, of course, seek medical advice if it does not get better.  These guys are part of our Biosphere too...

UPDATE 28.April.2010 - reply from Owen Seaman at Queensland museum (Cheers Owen!):

Dear Phil,

The scorpion pictured is Liocheles waigiensis, or “Rainforest Scorpion”. Despite the common name, you’ll find this animal in coastal Queensland anywhere where’s there’s a bit of moisture under logs and rocks to sustain a population – so you’ll get them in dry sclerophyll to coastal Casuarina to rainforest habitats.

This species is placid and you really have to agitate it to make it sting you. If you’re silly enough to get stung then you’ll find the venom is also laughably weak.

Owen SeemanCollection Manager: Arachnida & MyriapodaQueensland Museum

Why you shouldn't walk around at night in bare feet

Phil Moran - Sunday, March 21, 2010

I live in the bush, and I love it. One of the things I see pretty regularly is snakes. All sorts. Probably the most common are Carpet pythons, Brown tree snakes, and this little fella. 

He [she?] is a Small eyed snake [Cryptophis nigrescens]. People often confuse them with Red bellied Black snakes, [Psuedechis porphyriacus] but there are differences.

Adult Red bellies are quite large, robust snakes. And they are diurnal, meaning you see them during the day. You often see them around creeks. Small eyed snakes are generally quite secretive, and nocturnal... you see them at night. Small eyed snakes are quite small...growing to about 1 meter in length. They can have a pink under belly, or sometimes a cream colour, and they have small eyes...quite hard to even see them. They occur in high rainfall areas along the east coast of Australia [and in sheds in Cooran!]. They are considered highly venomous, with a myotoxic venom. Their diet consists of small lizards, other reptiles and their eggs and sometimes frogs. The are Elapidae, meaning hollow front fanged snakes. One death is reported to have occurred in North Queensland from a small eyed snake, however cause of death was kidney failure... I am sure the bite didn't help. They are quite common, but not seen by that many people. They can be almost glacial in their movement, but I have seen them get very excited and thrash about wildly. They can move very quickly if upset. On one balmy evening a couple of years ago, I had three of them in my shed at one time. 

Which is why you should not walk around at night in bare feet, or thongs, or without a torch!

A pigeon story

Phil Moran - Tuesday, March 16, 2010

At Noosa Landcare's office in Pomona we see a few different birds. Considering all the area around our office was bare ground 8 years ago, the habitat around our office is now pretty good. Recently we had a white headed pigeon [Columba leucomela] move in and set up residence in a Brisbane wattle [Acacia fimbriata].

White-headed Pigeon [Columba leucomela]image: Valda McLean

This beautiful bird is closely related to the feral pigeon common in the city. It is in the same genus...Columba. It is a large plump bird with a white head [!] grey body, and wings with the tail blackish. You see them in flocks of 15 or more. At certain times of the year they can be very numerous feeding on fruits, particularly the introduced camphor laurel [Cinnamonum camphora].

The birds engage in a ritual during mating season with the male strutting around to attract the attention of a mate...just like us. They can breed anytime from July through to March. They build a very flimsy nest...just a few sticks making a precarious platform to lay their egg [usually singular, or occasionally two eggs] on. It is a wonder that the egg even stays there, let alone the chick. However they seem to know which sticks to use [often with forks in them] to give the nest some strength. Both Male & female birds tend the young. The eggs take about twenty days to hatch.

Our Pigeon before and after. This is why we ask people to keep cats and dogs restrained, particularly at night.

Unfortunately our bird didn't make it. I came to work on Monday, and all I saw was a trail of feathers, until I found what was left of the pigeon. Birds have many predators. These include dogs, foxes, raptors, cars, goannas and cats. The evidence in this case points to a cat. Most birds are pretty defenceless at night. I was in here Sunday night, and by early Monday morning the deed was done. That is why we ask people to keep cats and dogs restrained, particularly at night.

Opodiphthera helena - What a beauty!

Phil Moran - Monday, February 22, 2010

At Noosa & District Landcare we have staff all over the biosphere reserve killing weeds and planting trees. One of these people is a trainee undertaking a Certificate 3 in Horticulture. His name is Brad Smith. Brad is a fantastic employee, one who is dedicated and wants to learn all the time. One of the best ways to learn is to observe.

 

Opodiphthera helena, or Helena Gum Moth

Brad was working on a Eucalypt plot recently when he noticed something. On closer inspection, it was a pretty big something. Brad was intrigued and a photograph was taken by one of our other staff, Darren Bardon. [Darren is the self appointed wildlife photographer] The boys bought the photo in to the office and we were all intrigued.

We sent the photo to the Qld Museum's Inquiry Centre Centre. Within 24 hours [on a Saturday morning] we had an answer. The caterpillar in the photo is most likely Opodiphthera helena, or Helena Gum Moth. This caterpillar goes through a number of stages of development [instars] before it pupates. They generally feed on eucalypts, hence the name. This one was on a Eucalyptus cloeziana [Gympie messmate]. The caterpillar grows to about 8 centimetres, or 80 millimetres. It then pupates inside a hard cocoon. The period of pupation can vary from a few weeks to two years! The Adult moths then emerges with a wingspan of up to 17 cm! That's 7 inches to old fossils like me!

Your Biosphere is a 'learning laboratory'. It is an area of great beauty, and natural wonders. If you learn to observe the natural world the things you will learn will amaze you. This caterpillar was put back into the tree, and will hopefully complete its life cycle. It may become food for a bird; which in itself is nature at work. I am always pleased when our people notice things like this in their day to day routine. They care about our environment. They spend most of their lives repairing it. You can too. You are all part of our Biosphere.

Phasmid

Phil Moran - Monday, February 08, 2010

My partner, Kim was getting in to her car this morning and saw a magnificent animal. It was a Titan stick insect [Acrophylla titan]. This is Australia's largest insect, growing to 26 cm.

This one was at least that big. They usually feed on Eucalypts and Cypress pines, but this one was feeding on a Mitsubishi Lancer!

They are known as Phasmids, and are completely harmless and rely on camouflage to escape from predators. They are rarely seen because of their excellent stick like appearance, and the fact that they usually inhabit tall trees. I have seen them in wattles when I have been climbing around them; quite a shock with the 'stick' moves!

Females lay their eggs one at a time and flick them away from her so they land in the leaf litter.Stick insect eggs look a lot like seeds. They have a little hatch for the nymphs to open when they hatch. This is called an

operculum. Ants move the eggs around, but do not eat the egg. They are interested in the operculum only. So the ant benefits as does the stick insect. There are many examples of this symbiotic relationship in nature. Wattles do the same thing. They have an appendage to their seed called an elaisome, that the ants love. They collect the seeds and bring them down into their nests, and allowing the seed to germinate. I regularly see ants queued up at the entrance to their nests, each with a wattle seed in tow.

Another Phasmid common to the Noosa Biosphere is the Goliath stick insect [Eurycnema goliath] which is green in colour and not quite as big as Titan. Stick insects have become popular as pets... but I like to see them in the wild. Keep your eyes open, particularly after a storm and you may have the privilege of seeing one of these magnificent creatures.

Phascolarctos cinereus

Phil Moran - Monday, January 25, 2010

... is the scientific name for the Koala. These little fellas have got a bit of press recently, so I thought I'd write a few things about them by way of background.

Bazza having a nap - image: Lyn Bollen

They get their name from an aboriginal word meaning "no drink". Not strictly true but they do derive 90% of their moisture from eating Eucalypt leaves. They do drink in tough times, particularly very hot or bushfire conditions.They are marsupials, meaning they have a pouch.

Their weight varies across Australia, with heavier individuals living in the colder areas. As a rough guide Males can be 8-12 kilograms, and females 6-9 kilograms...sometimes a bit heavier. They occur in Queensland, NSW, Vic and S.A.

Koalas live in a community or society [like us] and generally have clearly defined areas or territories. They use these areas for feeding and social interaction. The size of these areas is dictated by the amount of food trees present. Areas do overlap, and it is this area that social interaction occurs. These Interaction trees [nightclubs] are particularly important.

Australia has hundreds of species of Eucalypts but only a few are Koala food trees.  In our area favorite trees include Forest Red gum, Tallowood, Grey Gum and spotted gum [E. tereticornis, E. microcorys, E. propinqua, Corymbia citriodora var variegata]. They also feed on other Eucalyptus species and have been observed chewing our local paperbark [Melaleuca quinqinervia], although they would probably prefer Euc's.

Eucalypt leaves are tough, low in nutrition and often poisonous to other animals. One of the ways koalas cope with this is by having a very slow metabolic rate...this allows their digestion system to absorb as much as it can from the leaves. Another trick is to rest a lot...Koalas often sleep up to 18 hrs a day...just like our teenagers.

They are quite strong and very good climbers. To move around they have to get down from their trees [bum first] and waddle across to the next tree. This is often when they get into trouble. Native predators include goannas, dingoes [? native?], powerful owls, wedgetail eagle, and carpet snakes. Introduced predators include dogs, foxes, cats and humans. Cars are the worst offender, with the Australian Koala Foundation estimating that over 4,000 koalas are killed each year by dogs & cars.  They have an excellent website that I have used for some of this information. http://www.thekoala.com/koala/

The intrinsic threat that humans present is through land degradation and particularly fragmentation of habitat. As mentioned the only way koalas can get around is by walking/crawling from tree to tree. That is why I am always banging on about fragmentation. If we can keep parcels of land in larger pieces, and to think about connectivity in the planning stage we can do a lot for the koala...and every other animal too.

Private landowners can play a big part in this too. In the Sunshine Coast Regional Council [SCRC] area Voluntary Conservation Agreements [VCA's] are now available. Contact Dave Burrows on 54851318. 

The State Government also has a program called the Nature Refuge program, which protects land in perpetuity. This is a covenant that is attached to the title deed, and gives long term protection.

My property is a Nature Refuge, and I commend the program to committed tree huggers. The Council also has a number of Nature Refuges, which will definitely help protect the habitat for everything, including Koalas. The other elephant in the room is population pressure. More sub-division means less koala land. Again with planning that takes wildlife corridors into account we can minimise the risk.

Tom's Dead Fish

Phil Moran - Sunday, December 20, 2009

As mentioned in my previous post, here is a sample of Tom Anderson's style... not scientific, but very effective.

Tom's anecdote on causes and effects on our fragile eco-systems:

"Tom there's dead fish floating all over my dam! You #*#_@ come and look... they're being poisoned."An early morning phone call from an upset landowner... not a good start to the day. I've been an advisor in aquatic weed control for over fifteen years and dead fish have become a fact of life. There is no joy in dead fish... makes me feel like I've just run over the family dog.

Growing fish in farm dams has become very popular in recent years...fingerlings are inexpensive and can be flown anywhere in Australia. In reality fish are Clayton's pets... the pet you have but never see. Unless you are lucky enough to catch one, or they suddenly die.

Why do fish insist on floating... for all the world to see... obviously one of natures faulty designs. If they sank, no one would know, no phone calls... and I'd be able to sleep in.

Experience enables us to recognise our mistakes when we repeat them... here was a delicate situation... a farm's advisor doesn't want rotten correspondence on dead fish. The best way to handle it is an immediate response... be tactful...  provide a sympathetic ear... don't commit yourself... if all the farm advisors were laid end to end, they still wouldn't reach a conclusion, only definite maybe's.

"I'll come over straight away"

As I approached the property, I recalled visiting the place 6 months ago. The road followed a sandy ridge...spotted gum and blady grass...hungry country, a fragile ecosystem that should not have been developed into hobby farms.

Originally a photographer from Sydney, the owner had escaped the stress of city life to settle on ten acres to taste the trauma of rural life, and to terrify farm advisors with dead fish. On my last visit he was seeking advice on hitting gum tree regrowth which was interfering with his pasture... how could that have killed fish? But somehow I was responsible. I remember arriving back then, shaking his hand, kissing his wife and complimenting her on the neat appearance of her small children.

We had the traditional cup of tea and parted friends. Today was different: I was a poisoner of fish.

His three daughters were all mad about horses.So on ten acres were kept 3 horses, 1 cow, geese, and not a blade of grass. All stock food was bought in. We walked down the dirt bare hill to a dam... floating on the surface were about 40 snow white bellies of silver perch. 

... "that stuff you told me to use on the tree suckers was deadly... like using a hatchet to swat mosquitoes" I silently studied a stiff specimen. "Well, what do you think?" I thought, good question... 'maybe the fish are asleep or practising stiff backstroke'.

Now you sprayed the gum trees about 5 months ago...the chemical recommended has a life expectancy of 3 weeks, and is of low toxicity to wildlife, including fish, so we can rule out herbicide poisoning. These fish have the classic symptoms of suffocation; mouth wide open... gills spread... all died on the one morning indicating a lack of oxygen. Your dam acts like a sink receiving manure silt washed down from the bare paddock... polluting the water and stripping the oxygen. Your farm layout is as useful as a chocolate teapot... teapot a good word.... "Would you like a cup of tea?" ... I thought you'd never ask!

That afternoon we designed a paddock system that fenced off a few acres around the dam to grow just grass which would act as a filter to remove manure and silt before it reached the dam. Also we removed the stinking dead fish before they polluted the water. Returning home I felt pleased with the days outcome... having defused a nasty situation... no correspondence.

What's for dinner?... your favourite... fish casserole. Oh, lets eat out tonight... I've had enough dead fish today.

I hope readers have a good Christmas break, and enjoy some time out in the Noosa Biosphere.

My mate Tom

Phil Moran - Friday, December 18, 2009

Around 7 yrs ago I met a bloke called Tom Anderson. Tom was an experimentalist [whatever that is] with the Alan Fletcher Research Station [AFRS] in Brisbane. Alan Fletcher has a world renown reputation for research into weeds. I remember being quite nervous about meeting Tom. I did not need to be. Over the years I got to know Tom pretty well. I'll tell you a bit about the bloke and then as a special Christmas treat, I'll relate one of Tom's many stories in my next blog.

I was appointed to the National Aquatic Weeds Management Group [NAWMG] in 2005. The first meeting was in Sydney. I had to get out of bed at 3.00am, drive to Brisbane to catch a plane to Sydney...my first trip on the 'big sliver bird' in fifteen years. On arrival in Sydney I had to get a train into the CDB..I was petrified! I made it. A dingy little room on the 21st floor with no windows and a whole bunch of smart Government types and scientists...then Tom arrived. We all had to give a presentation about what was going on in our area. I had put a lot of effort into my presentation to repay the faith in the people who had nominated me for this position. I was pretty nervous. Fortunately Tom gave his presentation first. He just said it. He was really relaxed, but his talk summed up all the activities he was involved with really well. He also had a special, laconic brand of humour that I loved; not so sure about the "suits" though! I did my presentation, which was Ok. I am still on this group today.

from Paris Hilton's ferretI remember another time I was at a very official sounding Class 1 Aquatic Pest Planning Strategy meeting in Brisbane. All the big cheeses were there, including the Director. Tom gets up and draws on the white board the outline of a voluptuous woman's shape... he goes on to say how he used to be in love with Paris Hilton. That was until she bought a ferret as a pet. He explained that this single action is likely to lead to lots of people buying ferrets: and a new pest problem is born.

... to Christy Ally and CabombaBack to the whiteboard...Tom explains that his new girlfriend is Christie Ally [who had put on a few pounds at the time]. This was the basis for the expanded hour glass figure on the whiteboard. The meeting was getting a bit edgy by now...not quite sure about this...I could hardly wait. Tom then drew a map of Australia on the right of the board. He then added lines of latitude. Christie Ally was, in fact, North & South America. Tom was illustrating the native range of Cabomba, and other aquatic weeds and how they generally occurred at the same latitude in Australia. A point well made I thought.

Tom has retired now. A great loss. His knowledge and passion for his subject was remarkable. He hated computers, and managed to avoid them. Tom Anderson taught me a great many things...mainly about life, but also some things about weeds.

I'll let you get a taste of Tom's style in the following blog.... Dead Fish

Lower Mill Site taking shape

Phil Moran - Thursday, December 10, 2009

Cooroy in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is a picturesque town, with a vibrant community. It has grown steadily in the 20 years I have lived in the hinterland. One of the hiccups in this growth was the closure on the timber mills at the southern and northern ends of the town. This resulted in job losses to some of its residents.

The rebirth of a town We are very close to the re-birth of the northern part of the town with the unveiling of ceramic art works on the site this week. The art works on the site are being done by Glen Manning & Kathy Daly [and helpers]. Mayor Bob attended the opening earlier this week together with Cr Lew Brennan [in about 36 degrees heat]

Mill PlaceThis site is known to locals as the "Lower Mill Site". It has undergone a transformation over the last couple of years. Local Award winning consultant, Shaun Walsh has created a really outstanding plan for the site. The whole project will be called "Mill Place" and will incorporate the new Cooroy library. This will be fantastic addition to the town and to all hinterland residents who will not have to travel to Tewantin to get a good book.

Shaun has also included landscaping which incorporates native plants and Noosa & District Landcare Group [NDLG] have been very pleased to be involved in the work on this site.

This work has involved clearing the nefarious weed tree Camphot laurel [Cinnamomum camphora], and replanting with appropriate species. This work is the fourth stage that Landcare has been involved in on Cooroy creek. We started behind the Scout Hall, then to the Soccer fields and the Tennis Courts and now the Lower Mill site. Many people have assisted in this work. Sunshine Coast Regional Council [SCRC] have been very helpful, particularly Geoff Black and his crew.

The Qld government though the 'Skilling Queenslanders for Work' program [with Tony] have played a big part in the development of the infrastructure. The Lower Mill Site board, Ricon, Cooroora woodworkers, the Camphor initiative, Rotary, the Burnett Mary Regional Group and local business people have all played a part in the project. Students from Noosa District High school have visited the site as part of Noosa Integrated catchment association's "What local native plant is that" program.

Macroinvertabrate sampling... or simply learning about water bugs! Recently NDLG hosted 45 Cooroy School Grade 5/6 children for a day of learning and education at the site. As part of Energex's Junior Landcare day program, the students planted trees, learnt about the environment and energy issues and also conducted water quality monitoring. We call this macroinvertabrate sampling...the kids just like learning about water bugs! This day was also supported by Landcare Queensland and Cooroy Mountain Spring Water [it was hot then too!]. As a 'tree hugger' I never fail to get a lift when talking to our local kids. This group were outstanding, showing a great deal of knowledge about environmental issues, and a keen knowledge of weeds... One group could name 21 weeds ... How many can you name ? !

So, next time you are in Cooroy have a look. This will be a great community facility for the whole region.

visit http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=cooroy-libraryand www.noosalandcare.organdhttp://www.noosariver.com.au/whatplant/

The Traveston saga

Phil Moran - Tuesday, December 01, 2009

With the decision by Minister Garratt to say 'no' to the proposed Traveston Dam, I could not let this whole saga go 'unblogged'. Three and a half years ago Premier Peter Beattie announced that there would be a dam on the Mary River. This decision set off a train of events that have continued since that first day. The decision to dam the Mary River caused an enormous amount of pain and suffering to the people of the Mary River community and surrounds. Consequently a 'no dam' campaign began.

This campaign was supported by a variety of community groups and organisations. They galvanised the community in opposition to this decision, and began the enormous task of collating information to go into the Environmental Impact Statement [EIS]. To me it was clear from day one, that this proposal was unsound on Economic, Social and Environmental grounds. An army of people gave their time, knowledge and heart into the campaign. Some of these groups included the Save the Mary Group, the Greater Mary Association and the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee, to name a few. They had a great deal of support from other groups and individuals. I sat on the Senate review into the dam, speaking on the issue of aquatic weeds. As someone who has had a bit to do with aquatic weeds, this proposal would have meant the biggest infestation of aquatic weeds in Australia. Some of these weeds are virtually impossible to get rid off, so the cost of containing them would have been very expensive and ongoing. Aquatic weeds was just one issue.

To all the people that have contributed to Minister Garratt saying 'no', I offer my admiration and congratulations. You have shown the power of a well organised and dedicated group, united in their opposition to this flawed proposal.

In the aftermath of the decision, the people of the Mary Valley still have a lot of work to do. Many people have left the valley, and the social disruption cannot be repaired over night. It must be remembered that the Minister made his decision based on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act [EPBC]. We now have an opportunity [indeed an obligation] to work together for a plan for the future of the Mary Valley. To this end discussions with all the parties involved have already commenced, with the Council of Mayors having a pivotal role. The Mayor of Gympie Regional Council, Ron Dyne has thrown his support behind this 'renewal' process and is to be commended for this.

I have to also say that one of the biggest disappointments I see out of this whole sorry saga is the Bruce Highway upgrade. Yes, we need to upgrade this section of highway, but when I walk to the top of my ridge and see the absolute carnage that is going on, I get very dismayed. Here we have a highway being carved through the hinterland with all the associated fragmentation and loss of habitat...and it did not need to be. I was part of the original campaign to get a better route for the highway. [This was the result of leaflet stuck in my letterbox] This fight resulted in the Main Roads Department putting on their website "the highway will follow the existing route, as favoured by the community, should the Traveston Dam not go ahead". Well, the Traveston Dam is not going ahead, but we are stuck with this environmental disaster.

o The Noisy Miner Bird

o Earthwatch Calling Experienced Divers: Join a Research Team! Dive for a Cause!

o I heard an unusual noise the other night

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o No Impact Man and Low Impact Us

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A real privilege…

Phil Moran - Thursday, November 26, 2009

Coming down my driveway recently, I saw a most unusual sight. At first I had no idea what is was. As I got closer and got out of the car it became very apparent that I was looking at two very big carpet pythons.

A carpet python at my place is quite a common site, but two big ones having a wrestle of some sort is not! At first I thought they might have been a mating pair. I forwarded the photos to Dave Burrows from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council. He sent them to Nick Clancy, also with the SCRC [Land for Wildlife officer]. Nick replied that these two were most likely two males in ritual combat. Apparently they intertwine in a battle of strength to see which one gets its head higher than the other.

The victor is the one that topples the opponent over, and presumably gains the right to mate with as nearby female. The female releases a chemical attractant or pheromone to attract a mate. In comparison the mating is a relatively subdued affair and usually involves the two lying side by side or slightly intertwined.

From my point of view it was a real thrill to see this in real life. I have seen photos [notably by member Reid Dryden] of brown snakes like this, and photos on the net but never seen it up close. Just reminds me that we are just a part of nature, not its boss!

aquatic weeds...so what?

Phil Moran - Monday, November 09, 2009

Why are water weeds so much of a problem? They have many social, environmental and economic effects that I will discuss later, however the reason they are so problematic is that they are so hard to deal with. Once an aquatic weed becomes established, it is very difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible to deal with. With terrestrial weeds you can deal with them. It may be hard, and cost a lot of time and money, but if you stick to the job you have a chance of prevailing eventually. Even such a simple thing as getting access to the weed is a problem in an aquatic situation. In the bush, even if you have to use a bulldozer you can get to the site. You can’t use a bulldozer in a lake!

Cabomba Harvester Operator Ross Paulger.Social impacts include increased mosquito breeding, navigation hindered, risk of drowning by entanglement, water based activities such as boating, fishing, kayaking and swimming can be prohibited.

Environmental impacts include displacement of flora & fauna, reduction of bird diversity, light penetration greatly reduced; reduction in fish stocks, lower stream flow leading to sedimentation, water quality and oxygen levels can be reduced particularly during decomposition and the water ecosystem can be altered.

Economic issues relating to aquatic weeds include clogged irrigation intakes, high transpiration reducing volumes of water available, tourism can be adversely affected, livestock can be lost mistaking the weed mass for pasture, crops such as rice can be quarantined, and the cost of control can be high.

Most aquatic plants have been introduced into Australia as ornamentals, quite a few via the aquarium industry. These plants then find their way into our water bodies and streams, either deliberately or accidentally. Once established they multiply rapidly, generally as they have no predators which might exist in their country of origin. They can be spread by a number of methods, usually called vectors. These include boats, recreational craft, trailers, eel traps, fishing nets, earthmoving equipment, and sometimes deliberate introductions. You will notice that these are all human based activities. Yes, birds do occasionally spread aquatic weeds. They may transport very small aquatic plants like duckweeds, but generally not the larger aquatic macrophytes. I say this with some confidence as I have seen many dams full of aquatic weeds, next to dams with none…and birds happily flying from one to the other.

Cabomba in water

In Australia the Federal Government announced 20 Weeds of National Significance [WoNS] in 1999. These plants were chosen for their invasiveness, and potential to spread with associated impacts. There are three aquatic species on that list. These are Fanwort [Cabomba caroliniana], Salvinia [Salvinia molesta] and Alligator weed [Alternanthera philoxeroides]. In the Noosa Biosphere the most damaging are Cabomba and Salvinia. Cabomba is an attached, submerged plant that grows to a depth of up to 5 metres. Lake Macdonald has 36% of all Australia’s cabomba. This weed costs approximately $140,000 per year just to manage in Lake Macdonald. This entails mechanical harvesting and readers may have seen the harvester operating on the lake.  If operating in an area not recently harvested, the operator can remove up to 10 tonnes of cabomba per day! This Lake is currently managed by SEQ Water. It is believed that Cabomba was introduced into Lake Macdonald from an aquarium in 1993. Currently control is limited to harvesting and work is being carried out by CSIRO on a biological control program.

Cabomba close up

Salvinia is a free floating aquatic fern that can quickly double its area. In our area, whilst it is not in Lake Macdonald, it is in a number of creeks and farm dams. In 2004 in the Hawkesbury River in NSW, Salvinia infested 88 kilometres of the river, closing one part of the river for a period of four months. The weed had a surface area of 347 hectares. 1.8 million dollars was spent to control this weed. We have a very good biological control agent for this weed [Cyrtobagous salviniae], which greatly assists in its control

.Salvinia in farm dam

Alligator weed is not yet identified in the Noosa Biosphere. It is common around the Hunter and Sydney regions, and also in Brisbane and Pine Rivers. An infestation was recently discovered in Miriamvale. This weed is a major problem in rice crops, irrigation channels and also for the turf industry. It can grow both in water and on land. It is extremely difficult to control with herbicides being of limited affect, and the biological control agent [Agasicles Hygrophila] is limited to aquatic situations.

Alligator weed

Given the difficulties of treating aquatic weeds, early detection is paramount. If you can get an infestation [of any aquatic weed] early enough, you may have a chance of stopping it. So you can help by keeping you eye out for something different in our water bodies. Noosa & District Landcare Group have been running Aquatic plant identification training sessions all over Australia to help weeds officers to be able to recognise weeds early. There are many useful websites on aquatic weeds.  www.weeds.gov.au  and the Qld Government site http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/dpi/hs.xsl/4790_8331_ENA_HTML.htm

What’s all the fuss about weeds?

Phil Moran - Thursday, September 17, 2009

Above Image: Blue Morning Glory, Bruce Highway - Courtesy of Noosa District Landcare

Weeds…why are some people really passionate about picking on these sometimes beautiful plants? Very basically, a “weed” is a plant growing where it is not wanted.  To me, a plant becomes a serious weed when it affects the balance in nature. It behaves much like the school bully, outcompeting and upsetting its mates. At the extreme end of this a weed can become a monoculture not allowing anything else to grow at all. I will give you some examples of this later…

Weeds can have negative effects on environmental, cultural, social or economic values. Environmental values can be altered by invasion and replacement of the native plant community, which can alter habitat, change nutrient cycles, water cycles and quality, and also change fire regimes.

Cultural impacts include reduction in traditional food sources for indigenous Australians, and the creation of physical barriers to the land.[examples include Lantana -Lantana camara var. camara] and Mimosa [Mimosa pigra].

Social or recreational values can also be severely impacted.  Fishing, camping and bushwalking can all be affected. Aquatic weeds drastically change the water body with impacts on boating, fishing and water activities.

Economic impacts are hard to quantify, but are generally recognised to cost Australian agriculture around 4 billion dollars annually.  Some of these impacts include the cost of weed treatment, stock illness [through toxicity], increased transpiration reducing the amount of water available to stock, contamination of agricultural crops, and even by providing a refuge for feral animals.

Above Image: Water hyacinth, Mary River Barrage - Courtesy of Noosa District Landcare

Weeds and the lawIn Queensland, pest plants can be declared under the Land Protection Act -2002. This legislation lists three categories of pest plants.

Class 1 pest plants are ones that has the potential to become a serious pest. The objective is to prevent the importation, possession and sale of these species. It is a serious offence to introduce, keep or sell Class 1 pest plants [fines of up to $60,000 apply. In our region examples of Class 1 pest plants include Alligator weed [Alternanthera philoxeroides], and Glush weed [Hygrophila costata].

Class 2 pest plants are ones that have already established but their impact is so serious that we need to control and avoid further spread of these plants. Landowners have a legal responsibility to keep their land free of Class 2 pest plants. Examples include Groundsel bush [Baccharis halimifolia], Olive hymenachne [Hymenachne amplexicaulis cv. Olive] and Salvinia [Salvinia molesta]. These are the plants that council officers can issue a notice to landowners to control on their land. Fines of up to $30,000 apply for transporting or selling these species.

Class 3 pest plants are often called Environmental weeds. They are commonly established and whilst landowners do not have to control them [unless they are adjacent to an environmentally sensitive area such as a National Park], it is an offence to sell or introduce them.  Examples of Class 3 pest plants include Dutchman’s pipe [Aristolochia elegans], Camphor laurel [Cinnamomum camphora], and Singapore daisy [Sphagneticola trilobata]. Fines of up to $15,000 apply to these species for introduction or sale.

These are just the declared species; many more species have serious impacts on our environment. They may be Ok in the garden, but they often don’t stay behind the fence. Indeed, most of our weed species are garden plants that have ‘jumped the fence’. Birds, wind and water often spread the seed where, once established, they take over their environment. Some of the exotic plant species have disastrous effects on our native fauna.

an example - Effect of weeds on the Richmond Butterfly Take the Richmond birdwing butterfly for instance. This magnificent butterfly was once common in our region and is now listed as vulnerable. Apart from habitat loss, one of the main enemies of this butterfly is the exotic vine Dutchman’s pipe.  The natural food plant of this butterfly is the Richmond birdwing butterfly vine [not surprisingly!] -Pararistolochia praevenosa. The Dutchman’s pipe is a related species -Aristolochia elegans and is a native to Brazil. It attracts the butterfly to lay her eggs on the plant which is toxic to the larvae….result = death to the larvae, and serious implications for the continuation of this beautiful butterfly.

an example - Camphor laurelCamphor laurel is another good example. Around here they are common. Next time you see one; have a look to see if any of the leaves are chewed. Not likely, as the plant contains toxins that can kill many of our insects. This toxin contained in the leaves drops into our waterways and can kill or reduce the numbers of macroinvertabrates [the bugs that aquatic animals feed on].

So, what do we do about weeds?

o Learn about the species that you should not be planting. o Plant local native species where possible. o Jump on a weeds website and see if you can recognise them in your garden. o Join a local Catchment, Landcare or other environmental group and learn a bit about them. It is

important to know the plant before you go around killing them…you may be killing the host plant for a beautiful butterfly!

Noosa's Native Plants: www.noosanativeplants.com.auNoosa Landcare: www.noosalandcare.org

Not all aquatic plants are evil! Look at this beauty…Ottelia ovalifolia- Swamp lily, a native plant in all States of Australia - Courtesy of Noosa District Landcare