small bird habitat


By: Michael

Scarlet Honeyeater - Myzomela sanguinolenta - P Demmers - 18 July 19

Scarlet Honeyeater

Thanks to Pieter Demmers and Rachel Cruttenden we have two bird species and a native gecko added to our Flora and Fauna of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.

Pieter photographed this beautiful Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta At 10 to 11cm this is one of our special small forest birds feeding on nectar, some fruit and insects.

 

Brown Goshawk - Accipiter fasciatus - 21 Dec 19

Brown Goshawk

 

Pieter found a Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus a medium-sized raptors found across Australia in timbered habitats. Brown Goshawks feed on small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.

 

 

Robust Velvet Gecko - Oedura robusta 2 - P. Demmers - 4 Feb 2020

Robust Velvet Gecko

Rachel first found one Robust Velvet Gecko Oedura robusta with Pieter following up that sighting to find three geckos. It is nice to find native geckos living in the forest rather than just the noisy Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus.

 

 

Sunrise - 29 July 2018

Morning sun over site – A. Moore

By: Michael Fox

A beautiful warm sunny morning greets volunteers arriving to be part of restoration of our special mountain bushland.

Brisbane First Chinese Scouts - 29 July 2018 lr

Sienna welcomes Brisbane First Chinese Scouts

Our 2018 National Tree Day is particularly special as we welcome many individuals and groups who have been part of past events as well as some new groups like Brisbane First Chinese Scouts.

Clarivaux Bushcarers - 11 June 2018 - lr

Clairvaux Bushcarers in action

Preparing for National Tree Day events takes our Fox Gully Bushcare team about twelve months of removing rubbish, weeding and laying out planting site. The BCC Habitat Brisbane supported us with delivery and spreading of mulch, water tank and plants for the event.

Clairvaux MacKillop College students have been working with us this year to prepare the National Tree Day site.

Planting

It is very satisfying when 97 community  volunteers come together to build on our work by planting 700 grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and vines to create more habitat for small birds.

I love weeding

The weeding team cleared a huge area of Guinea Grass Megathyrsus maximus reducing bushfire risk and allowing natural regeneration of native grasses and vines.

Community groups participating:

ahmadiyya team with Steve Huang - 29 July 2018

Ahmadiyya Team with Cr Steve Huang

The Ahmadiyya team, great supporters of our National Tree Day returning for the fourth year in 2018, shared their positive message of “Love for All, Hatred for None” with Cr Steve Huang.

Australian Ahmadi Muslims supported National Tree Day in many sites around Australia sharing their contribution in a special video including an interview with me.

Grilled Team - 29 July 2018

Grill’d Corporate Team

A new group this year was the Grill’d team from their Garden City restaurant.

Thank you to:

 

By: Michael Fox

 

Tuesday Bushcare today was weeding the 2015/16 National Tree Day planting and preparing for this year’s planting site.

The planting was planned to create habitat for small forest birds. A combination of Habitat Tripods to create the scrubby tangled space that is safe for birds like Fairy Wrens to nest and attracting insects as food for Fairy Wrens. #WaterFoodShelter

Large Grass Yellow - Eurema hecabe - 24 Apr 2018 lr

Large Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe

Today’s Bushcare was very special as I three species to our database: Flora and Fauna of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.

A dragonfly, Black-headed Skimmer Crocothemis nigrifrons, two Large Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe butterflies doing some speed dating and a Brown Bush Fly Musca terraereginae are all new species add to the database.

 

Brown Bush Fly - Musca terraereginae - 24 Apr 2018 cropped

Brown Bush Fly Musca terraereginae 

We also spotted Wide-brand Grass-dart  Suniana Sunias and Small Dusky Blue – Candalides erinus butterflies and a Magpie Moth Nyctemera secundiana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding all these species in the small bird habitat is evidence of success and an excellent example of how Pollinator Link Plant Local to Feed Locals can bring Birds, Butterflies and Bees to your garden. #WaterFoodShelter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

acacia-leaf-beetle-dicranosterna-picea-26-oct-2016-cropped

Acacia Leaf Beetle

By: Michael Fox

 

I met a future naturalist at the Small Bird Habitat this morning. He was walking the mountain on his father’s shoulders but when I found an Acacia Leaf Beetle Dicranosterna picea on a Sickle Leaved Wattle Acacia falcata this future naturalist had to get down to get a close look. Of course a true naturalist loves to let beetles walk up their arm.

brown-belid-weevil-rhinotia-brunnea-26-oct-2016-cropped

Brown Belid Weevil

 

This was an inspiring meeting as this future scientist not only let the beetle walk on him, he then proceeded to find another two bugs for me on other plants.

One I have not identified yet but this other is a Brown Belid Weevil Rhinotia brunnea.

brown-belid-weevil-rhinotia-brunnea-side-26-oct-2016-cropped

Brown Belid Weevil – side view

 

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And both new species to add to our Flora and Fauna database! 

Not a bad start for this future naturalist who has not even started school.