Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps | Mount Gravatt Environment Group

December 27, 2013

Christmas in Fox Gully

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Fox Gully Bushcare, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Mt Gravatt Environment Group, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula, Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, nest box monitoring, Pale Headed Rosellas Platycercus eximius, Squirrel Gliders Petaurus norfolcensis, Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps |
1 Comment

By: Jude Fox

Kookaburra feeding chicks

On Christmas Day we noticed Kookaburras making regular visits to a nest box installed for Boobook Owls. Observing from the bush track, we watched as a parent Kookaburra landed in the entry of the nest box and heard a great chattering from inside as the parent bird’s head disappeared from view.

Later, using the go pro camera we were able to observe four Kookaburra chicks inside the nest box. Inspired by this finding, on Boxing Day we decided to investigate all the other nest boxes we had installed in the gully. This yielded three Glider boxes containing Gliders and two boxes containing Possums. The Possums were in a box intended for Pale Headed Rosellas and Kookaburras, proving that Possums don’t read nearly as well as do Gliders!!!

Including the nest box that the Lorikeets have used to hatch at least three clutches of chicks that we know of, this is a usage rate of about 75%…not bad for nest boxes that have only been in place just over a year.

October 9, 2012

New homes for birds & gliders

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Fox Gully Bushcare, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: Barn Owl, Boobook Owl, Hollowlog Homes, Kookaburra, Nest hollows, Pardalotus striatus Striated Pardalote, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus, Squirrel Glider, Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps |
Leave a Comment

By: Michael Fox

Alan & Stacy with glider box

Alan & Stacy Franks of Hollow Log Homes visited Fox Gully Bushcare today to install ten new nest boxes to provide breeding habitat.

Up to July 1893 Mt Gravatt and surrounds were designated as a railway timber reserve. Kate Flink, BCC Habitat Brisbane, worked with us to research availability of nest hollows within the Fox Gully site reflects this history with only a

Pardalote

limited number of trees older than 100 years and only a very small number of tree hollows suited for nest sites.

Smaller bird species like Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and Pardalotes are particularly impacted as they are out-competed for the limited nest sites. Nest boxes can be used to help restore the balance in the habitat.

Nest box for Boobook and Barn Owls

BCC Habitat Brisbane have contracted Hollow Log Homes to install nest boxes for Boobook and Barn Owls, Kookaburras, Pardalotes, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Rainbow Lorikeets/Pale-headed Rosellas as well as boxes for Sugar & Squirrel Gliders.

See one year update – Christmas in Fox Gully

May 8, 2012

Please help – I need a new home

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Gertrude Petty Place, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula, Edd Cross, Environment, Mt Gravatt Kindergarten, Nest boxes, Nest hollows, Pauls Collecta Caps, Queensland Glider Network, Squirrel Glider, Sugar Glider, Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps |
Leave a Comment

By Melindi Robertson

Mt Gravatt Kindergarten is collecting specially marked Pauls Collecta Caps from milk bottle containers (2 litre and above) for a fund raising project to provide new homes for gliders.

As the land next door to the kindergarten was cleared for the new unit development on Shire Rd (going up to the Mt Gravatt Lookout); Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula, birds and possibly gliders lost their trees and therefore hollows for nesting in, and we found dead possum joeys in the playground most likely as a result of territorial disputes as their habitat suddenly shrank.

We have been collecting the milk caps since last year, to purchase and install nesting Boxes from Hollow Log Homes. Kindergarten families are donating their caps, but if anyone else from the local community would like to donate theirs to our association, we would be very grateful.

The entrance to the kindergarten is next to 23 Gosford St, Mt Gravatt.

With thanks from Melindi Robertson & Sue Lewin (CoDirectors)

Editor’s Note:

Melindi told me about the fund raising project when I joined a nestbox monitoring trip organised by Queensland Glider Network

Mt Gravatt Kindergarten is a valued Mountain neighbour sharing a boundary with our Gertrude Petty Place Bushcare site.

Mt Gravatt Environment Group is proud to promote this fundraising initiative which aims to restore vital nest hollows for wildlife. Most trees of Mt Gravatt Reserve are relatively young having suffered from farming and tree felling. Nest hollows typically start forming once trees are 100 years old so there is s critical shortage of hollows within the habitat.

Thanks to cartoonist and naturalist Edd Cross for the glider drawing.

Michael Fox