Projektin Yellingbo and surrounds Päiväkirja

Päiväkirja-arkisto kohteelle tammikuu 2021

tammikuu 9, 2021

12/11/20 Bird survey: Butterfield Reserve

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
Thanks to Anat for sharing this:
While we are waiting for our volunteering activities at Yellingbo to recommence, a group of volunteers took advantage of the eased restrictions in Melbourne to enjoy a bird and natural habitat survey at Butterfield Reserve in the Dandenongs. Helmeted Honeyeaters were once recorded at the Reserve, and the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater are working with landholders to create a habitat corridor from here to Yellingbo NCR, along Woori Yallock Creek - an 8km stretch.
The beautiful spring weather allowed for ample opportunity to survey the bird species, counting over 30, with a highlight being a Rose Robin. We also saw and heard a variety of honeyeaters, including New Holland, White-Naped, Yellow-Faced and White-Eared.
Other highlights included a Tubercle Burrowing Crayfish and a Common Bird Orchid.

Julkaistu tammikuu 9, 2021 01:33 AP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

18/11/20 Fauna survey: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
The morning's plan? An early morning walk searching for future platypus survey site/s along Woori Yallock Creek. No platypus or Rakali seen, but absolutely delighted by watching Spotted Pardalote hovering along the creek bank a few metres from us. We didn't know they hovered! We think they were just feeding on insects caught in web. On the way out we did a 2 hectare 20 minute true spring bird survey, recording just 14 species, quite possibly the consequence of a group of approx 15 Bell Miners (commonly called Bellbirds) being present. Their call is a great Australian bush sound, however they aggressively defend their territories against all intruders, including Helmeted Honeyeaters, so we're not so excited by hearing or seeing them in or close to Yellingbo NCR.

Julkaistu tammikuu 9, 2021 01:39 AP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

25/11/20 Bird survey: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
Anat writes: Great birding this week at Yellingbo with my fellow Helmeted Honeyeater volunteers. A few lifers or rare-for-me birds, highlights being: Dusky Woodswallows! A lifer and one I'd been hoping to see for a while, and I got to sight it both on a nest, in flight, and a bit of resting. Fantailed Cuckoo, have seen and heard before but never properly been able to have a good look and photo. Jacky Winter, again a lifer for me, Crested Shrike Tits, love them, have not seen them in a while. And an interesting behavior from an Eastern Yellow Robin that after a bit of feeding swooped down to lay on its side and seemed to be playing dead for a good few minutes! Very odd and interesting, it almost looked like a little stuffed animal.
Editors note: What we observed with the Eastern Yellow Robin was sunbathing. Researchers believe using the sun in this way serves two purposes: it helps the preen oil to spread across the feathers and drives parasites out from within the plumage. Feather maintenance is a critical job for all birds, but not many species are known to sunbathe. Helmeted Honeyeaters are another species that do it.

Julkaistu tammikuu 9, 2021 01:41 AP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

18/12/20 Fauna survey: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
We were up early today, looking for platypus on a 2km stretch of Woori Yallock Creek. No platypus, but our 'wow' moments? Two Sacred Kingfishers, an Azure Kingfisher and a Southern Boobook all in a couple of minutes, plus a fabulous moth which iNaturalist enabled me to ID as Epidesmia chilonaria. Beautiful markings. The Boobook was being harassed for well over an hour by a group of Honeyeaters - they clearly weren't happy about it being there, but we thought it was pretty cool!

Julkaistu tammikuu 9, 2021 01:46 AP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

23/12/20 Flora (& insects) survey: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
“Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.” ― Ian Fleming. It's happened twice. I was standing taking a photo of the miniature world at Yellingbo - a beautifully camouflaged moth on a Eucalyptus trunk and a moth moving gracefully amongst the flowering Poa. A bird came in from nowhere and took the camouflaged moth... was that my fault? Was I watching too closely? Bang! The graceful moth was captured by a flying insect its same size, 6 orange legs wrapped around it, and taken away. Was I watching too closely - again? Coincidence? The natural world is fascinating, with looming enemies all around!!

Julkaistu tammikuu 9, 2021 01:59 AP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

tammikuu 13, 2021

13/01/21 Flora (& fungi, insects) survey: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
Our mission? With no experience or knowledge needed, 7 of use grabbed our smart device or camera and used iNaturalist to record what grabbed our attention at a 19.65 hectare property purchased through funds raised by the Judith Eardley Save Wildlife Association (JESWA) and transferred to the Crown. It is named in honour and memory of the late Jeanne Wilcox, who worked tirelessly for conservation in this area.
For 3 people, iNat was all new. For all of us, it was a joy to explore, in the shade of mature Eucs. The only rule? It is, or was, living - plants, animals, fungi, mosses etc. Why? We love being out in the natural world, but more than that, we're getting the assistance of a world full of scientists and naturalists to help us identify and visually record what's calling YNCR home. Once onboard with the challenge, everyone's observations are automatically added to our iNaturalist Project: 'Yellingbo and surrounds'. Magic!
Alison's thoughts? "It was quite a different experience to focus on the ground rather than the tree canopy. As always, I was astounded by fellow observers' extensive knowledge; an inspiring and creative activity."
Eliza's thoughts? "I loved today, it was so good to be looking at the finer details to see what we could find!"
A highlight? Lots of butterflies, and with thanks to Bruce for spotting it, a colony of the tiny, tiny Elbow Orchid, significant within the Yarra Ranges Council area, only being known from very few local sites where it is uncommon. We've found 2 colonies in YNCR so far 🙂 A whisp of breeze though and photographing them proved a challenge. Oh, and some dumped rubbish was removed... groan. Thanks for putting in the recycling bins what you can Rachel.

Julkaistu tammikuu 13, 2021 10:23 IP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

tammikuu 27, 2021

27/01/21 Bird & Platypus survey: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
No platypus seen today, but 12 people, 4 hours walking a 3km stretch of the Yellingbo bush and we recorded 34 species of birds, a Devil's-fingers (great spotting Danica), Striped Marsh-frogs calling and so much more. The best bit? Spending a few hours with like-minded people, keen to share and learn.

Julkaistu tammikuu 27, 2021 07:33 AP. käyttäjältä regnans regnans | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti