By: Michael Fox

Coucal Corner is a special part of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve on the north face and beside the new walking connecting the Goodenia and Summit Tracks. (No yet marked on walking map.)

Native grass habitat: weeds removed.

Named for the Pheasant Coucals Centropus phasianinus that lived in scrubby habitat cleared as the first stage in restoration. Our Fox Gully team is working with BCC Habitat Brisbane to restore native grasses and scrub to recreate the habitat required by the Coucals and other native birds like Superb Fairy Wrens Malurus cyaneus.

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Fox Gully planting team

Council contractors also cleared weeds and placed a thick layer of mulch on the slope ready for replanting with local native species that provide food for butterflies and shelter for small birds..

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As part of our regular Tuesday Bushcare the team planted thirty nine plants including trees, shrubs, vines and grasses.

By: Michael Fox

Michelle, Phil and Benno

Our Tuesday Bushcare team relocated this week to help Pieter Demmers with his restoration of Coucal Corner on one of the Mountain gullies feeding into Ekibin Creek.

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Coucal Corner is named after the beautiful Pheasant Coucals Centropus phasianinus that live in the gullies. Listen for the characteristic ‘oop-oop-oop-opp’ call. Our Coucals feed on the ground on large insects, frogs, lizards, eggs and young of birds so they need a scrubby habitat that attracts their food. Norman Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (N4C) contributed two hundred and fifty local grasses, vines, shrubs and trees for the restoration.

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One of the locals, a Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides, was supervising our work.

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We also found a Union-Jack Wolf Spider Tasmanicosa godeffroyi … ideal food for a foraging Coucal.

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