Australian Magpies Gymnorhna tibicen | Mount Gravatt Environment Group

January 7, 2023

Water for Forest Residents

By: Michael Fox

Wildlife cameras monitoring the two Tree Troff Koala Drinkers are showing a diversity of animals visiting for water.

Birds in particular are frequent visitors showing the importance of providing water for our urban wildlife. Create and register a Pollinator Link garden providing Water, Food and Shelter for Birds, Butterflies and Bees.

Koalas Phascolarctos cinereus and Common Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula are also using the water source.

The cameras also picked up some unwelcome visitors with two European Red Fox Vulpes vulpes cubs playing below the Tree Troff at 2am.

You can report feral animals like foxes or cats on the BCC website.

September 2, 2015

Spring brings new life in small bird habitat

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve | Tags: Australian Magpies Gymnorhna tibicen, Creeping Beard Grass Oplismenus aemulus, Fox Gully Bushcare, Ivy-leaf Violet Viola banksii, Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, Living Mulch, National Tree Day, Native Sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea, Purplewinged Mantid Tenodera australasiae, small bird habitat, Star Goodenia Goodenia rotundifolia, Tallowwoods Eucalyptus microcorys, Tape Vine Stephania japonica |
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Louis planting Creeping Beard Grass

By: Michael Fox

Louis Cheng, a Griffith Uni Environmental Science student, joined Marshal and myself at Fox Gully Bushcare today to finish spreading the mulch and plant native grasses at the small bird habitat planting site.

Planting Creeping Beard Grass Oplismenus aemulus creates a cover of Living Mulch that will retain water, stop erosion, control weeds and create a micro-climate that keeps the soil cool allowing the development of a healthy soil ecosystem with fungi, bacteria, earthworms, curl-grubs and bush cockroaches all working together to renew the very foundation of our forest.

The site, planted just a month ago on National Tree Day, is already showing fresh growth with Native Sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea, Star Goodenia Goodenia rotundifolia, Ivy-leaf Violet Viola banksii and new Acacias all producing fresh shoots and in some cases flowering. The natural regeneration of the site is also increasing with Tape Vine Stephania japonica spreading and the Tallowwoods Eucalyptus microcorys in full flower overhead.

The local fauna is also moving back into the site with Purplewinged Mantid Tenodera australasiae exploring the bushes, Australian Magpies Gymnorhna tibicen feeding on insects in the mulch and a new Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae nest hollow being excavated in a termite nest.

February 27, 2015

Roly Chapman Bushland Restoration

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Roly Chapman Reserve Bushcare | Tags: Australian Magpies Gymnorhna tibicen, Bushland restoration, Creeping Beard Grass Oplismenus aemulus, Easter Cassia Senna pendula, Eastern Water Dragons Physignathus lesueurii, Gilled fungi, Grey Butcherbirds Cracticus torquatus, Guinea Grass Panicum maximum, Laughing Kookaburras Dacelo novaeguineae, Mimosa Creek, Native Wandering Jew Commelina diffusa, Parsonsia, Slender Grape Cayratia clematidea, Sword/Fishbone Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia, Wombat Berry Eustrephus latifolius, Yellow Fleshy Pore Fungi |
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Restoration team at work – Liz, Heather, Eloise & Lincon

By: Michael Fox

Our Roly Chapman restoration team has made good progress clearing Guinea Grass Panicum maximum, Sword/Fishbone Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia and Easter Cassia Senna pendula from Zone 2.

Parsonsia vine, Creeping Beard Grass, Slender Grape and Native Wandering Jew (blue flower)

Bushland restoration can be slow as breaking the cycle of weeds retuning means removing seeds and roots left in the ground. Seed heads need to be clipped off Guinea Grass then bagged. Fishbone Fern is particularly slow as all the brown fibrous roots need to be dug up and bagged for removal, leaves can be composted on-site.

Marshal chatting to a local Magpie

However, watching the natural regeneration of native species provides inspiration to keep going with the work. Each time we come on-site the Slender Grape Cayratia clematidea, Wombat Berry Eustrephus latifolius, Creeping Beard Grass Oplismenus aemulus, Native Wandering Jew Commelina diffusa and Parsonsia vines are returning where the weeds have been removed.

Restoration of Roly Chapman Bushland Reserve will take another ten or twenty years however with the new cycle path and bridge over Mimosa Creek this is already becoming a special place to walk or cycle.

Eastern Water Dragon

Marshal and I took at walk through the Reserve to check out the fungi that has appeared after the rain. Eastern Water Dragons Physignathus lesueurii and turtles can often be seen beside the causeway across Mimosa Creek. This morning it was just a family of Australian Magpies Gymnorhna tibicen. One Magpie was particularly taken with Marshal when he stopped for a chat.

Yellow Fleshy Pore Fungi

Some beautiful fungi fruit have appeared, like the Yellow Fleshy Pore Fungi with its charismatic underside with pores rather than the more common finned underside. Click on image to enlarge.

White gilled fungi in composting weeds

This white gilled fungi is growing out of one the weed composting piles.

Gilled fungi

Delicate gilled fungi.

Gilled fungi cluster

Gilled fungi cluster on stick.

Laughing Kookaburra

While we are working we always have local wildlife visiting. Laughing Kookaburras Dacelo novaeguineae and Grey Butcherbirds Cracticus torquatus arrive as soon as we start clearing weeds exposing small insects and spiders.