FROGS
Researchers studying Wimmera frogs hope the onset of wet and cool conditions in August will provide a clearer picture about the distribution of the amphibians. Dry conditions across t he region earlier this year provided ‘patchy’ distribution information. Wimmera Community Monitoring coordinator Harvey Champness said a March Finding Frog Census revealed as much about how dry the region was as it did frog distribution. “But these results are critically important. Results showed that many monitoring areas that might have been home to frogs in the past were now dry and no longer featured frogs calling, ”he said.
So, are they still around? Have they moved on or are they doing something we don’t
know about? This is what we’re keen to find out. ”
Volunteer monitors recorded the calls of frogs at six of 16 sites across the region between March 22 and 28. They recorded the calls of the Common Eastern Froglet and Plains Froglet at several sites.They also recorded other unidentified frogs which researchers are trying to identify.
“Although numbers and diversity were limited, it typically reflects the long dry conditions we have experienced, ”MrChampness said.“Our next census is between August 23 and 29 and hopefully, with rain and surface water, we will get a better indication of the extent of frog populations and their recovery from the dry. ” People seeking more information about frog monitoring can call Harvey Champness on 5382 1544.
PLATYPUS
A trapping survey designed to establish the status of a stressed platypus population in a major upper Wimmera tributary produced two of the iconic animals. Researchers surveying a stretch of Mackenzie River in theGrampians in May again captured the solitary adult male that attracted statewide attention after a similar survey last year. But they also caught another adult male. Wimmera CMA commissioned Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research consultants to lead a follow-up monitoring program. The program followed a trapping survey in June last year which suggested a serious decline in platypus numbers in the upper catchment. Wimmera CMA catchment monitoring officer Mark Toomey said the discovery of a second male was both encouraging and disappointing. “It’s great we found another individual but we perhaps might have been happier if it was a female.” he said. Mr Toomey said researchers captured both animals above MacKenzie Falls, the first time the stretch of river had been subject to a trapping survey. “This was interesting because the male we caught last year was downstream of the falls. It means he has somehow made his way either up or around the falls, ”he said.
BIRDS
The Wimmera Bird Monitoring Project has entered its final year with bird-watchers completing more than 1300 surveys to date. The last survey period was in October last year and results revealed interesting changes in regional bird populations. The galah knocked the magpie off its perch as theWimmera’s most abundant bird and surveys suggested crested pigeons were getting a bit thin on the ground. Another common species – the red-rumped parrot, also appeared to be decreasing in number.
Where have all the red-rumps gone? In analysing the reporting rate for red-rumped parrots for each survey month since the project started in 2004, we have seen a slow but steady decline in their reporting rate. Red-rumped parrots are common in south-eastern Australia. They are generally sedentary and rarely venture far from water. Parrots, similar to other seed-eating birds including crested pigeons, need to drink daily. Perhaps red-rumped parrot populations reflect a general drying of the landscape.
Bird monitoring will continue through 2009. The surveys occur each season: summer surveys in January, autumn in April, winter in July and spring in October. Anyone with an interest in birds and would like to know more about the project can phone Jonathon Starks at Wimmera CMA on 5382 1544.
Wimmera CMA is encouraging more people to get involved in the Wimmera Community Monitoring Program and has developed a new information booklet outlining how they can get involved. The booklets are available at Wimmera CMA’s website www.wcma.vic.gov.au.
OTHER NATURE NOTES
Member Neil Macumber reports from Pomonal that Swift parrots have arrived back on the mainland after summer breeding in Tasmania. Looks like a long tailed green lorikeet with a red face and brow, 24cm long. Two were spotted flying over Pomonal store.
Common Spadefoot or Painted Burrowing frog/toad calling immediately after the heavy rain event. Nicely marked light and dark brown blotches, sometimes greenish with a noticeable stripe down back. It has large eyes with a vertical pupil. Males call while floating on open water.
Seen in various locations round Halls Gap: scarlet robins.
Seen up on top of a water tank eating grape leaves: a red necked wallaby!