Mallacoota Day 4 and trip home
This is the final instalment. If you haven't already perused the earlier parts see also
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
The Monday dawned -sort of – with cloud cover all over the ranges on the far side of the Inlet. We decided the first business was to walk to Shady Gully Bushland Reserve onn the edge of town. This is about 2.5km each way! I had noted earlier that when the Bird Obsevers Club visited this area in 1962 (our friends had a copy of the published report on this foray- Deity knows how) they spent a lot of time in this area and saw a heap of birds.
One probably shouldn't call it a heap but these Royal Spoonbills were certainly up high.
When we entered the Reserve we were greeted with a heap of orchids (Glossodia and Diuris). 20 meters further we entered the main part of the Reserve which had been subject to a hazard reduction burn (these are sometimes called 'controlled burns' but as shown by the height of the burnt foliage in this image,
the control is minimal) by either the RFS or the CN(S)P people. There was a lot of herb regrowth on the ground but very few shrubs had survived. It is a pity that the shrub layer is where many birds nest, but it showed the politicians that someone was doing something (albeit something stupid). This clump of sawfly larva (aka spitfires) appeared to be expressing a view on the matter.
There were quite a few orchids. The first two are Diuris aurea and the third Petalochilus (?) fuscata.
However I got very depressed in this blackened landscape and was not good company.
After some lunch and a lie down we left Tammy at the house and headed off to the heath area. Before we got there Frances squeaked that she could see Patersonia sp (there are 4 species in the Genus, and they all look the same!) flowering.
We spent a bit of time in this area photographing a few things including another Patersonia with some Tetratheca bauerifolia,
and a white form of Patersonia.
We then went to the turn-off to the gun club. On the South side of the road here the trees had been cleared under the powerlines,
which meant the heaths were going bananas.
Correa reflexa
Epacris impressa
A wonderful area with many flowers.
Thysanotis patersonii (Twining Fringe-lily)
Comesperma volubile (?).
Clematis sp
A tiny 'pea'.
We also called in at the spot where I had found the Emu-wren yesterday: this also was awash with Patersonia - whereas yesterday there had been none - so this mass flowering had all occurred overnight
Is it not surprising that a power compny is seen as having a more useful environmental outcome than a Parks Service? It is NOT surprising that the Power Company is better than the Fire Service.
We then went backto Bastion Point to see what was occurring. There was some good weather a crop of White-fronted Chats
and a few waders. Unfortunately some small children waded across to the sandbar on which the birds were resting/feeding and chased them. I normally anonymise images on this blog but if anyone recognises these brats
do as you see fit. Given their behaviour they are possibly members of certain Melbourne families (immortalised in Underbelly) and more toxic than this earwig found on the beach
so approach with caution.
The score today was 56 bird species (Bastion Point does boost things a bit!) and the trip total is 87.
When we got home Frances asked me to check a sore and bloody 'lump' she had felt on her scalp. Sure enough it was a tick. On with the meths, apply the tweezers and take the photograph!
The next was head for home day. We decided to come via Candelo rather than Bombala but found it longer and less pleasant driving. At one point we worked our way through a convoy of Army semi-trailers. One had a sign on the back - "Without trucks Australia stops". Another way of saying this is "With Trucks Australia slows down".
On getting home I found my mobile phone had not maintained contact with me. It also appeared to be out of range so had probably taken a dive from my bag somewhere in the bush. Expletives!! I rang Virgin Mobile and got it blocked quick smart. I also sent an email to the Victorian Police at Mallacoota and have got extremely good assistance from the Sergeant there in setting up a process to get it back to me if someone finds it and hands it in to a police station.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
The Monday dawned -sort of – with cloud cover all over the ranges on the far side of the Inlet. We decided the first business was to walk to Shady Gully Bushland Reserve onn the edge of town. This is about 2.5km each way! I had noted earlier that when the Bird Obsevers Club visited this area in 1962 (our friends had a copy of the published report on this foray- Deity knows how) they spent a lot of time in this area and saw a heap of birds.
When we entered the Reserve we were greeted with a heap of orchids (Glossodia and Diuris). 20 meters further we entered the main part of the Reserve which had been subject to a hazard reduction burn (these are sometimes called 'controlled burns' but as shown by the height of the burnt foliage in this image,
There were quite a few orchids. The first two are Diuris aurea and the third Petalochilus (?) fuscata.
After some lunch and a lie down we left Tammy at the house and headed off to the heath area. Before we got there Frances squeaked that she could see Patersonia sp (there are 4 species in the Genus, and they all look the same!) flowering.
We then went to the turn-off to the gun club. On the South side of the road here the trees had been cleared under the powerlines,
A wonderful area with many flowers.
We also called in at the spot where I had found the Emu-wren yesterday: this also was awash with Patersonia - whereas yesterday there had been none - so this mass flowering had all occurred overnight
Is it not surprising that a power compny is seen as having a more useful environmental outcome than a Parks Service? It is NOT surprising that the Power Company is better than the Fire Service.
We then went backto Bastion Point to see what was occurring. There was some good weather a crop of White-fronted Chats
The score today was 56 bird species (Bastion Point does boost things a bit!) and the trip total is 87.
When we got home Frances asked me to check a sore and bloody 'lump' she had felt on her scalp. Sure enough it was a tick. On with the meths, apply the tweezers and take the photograph!
On getting home I found my mobile phone had not maintained contact with me. It also appeared to be out of range so had probably taken a dive from my bag somewhere in the bush. Expletives!! I rang Virgin Mobile and got it blocked quick smart. I also sent an email to the Victorian Police at Mallacoota and have got extremely good assistance from the Sergeant there in setting up a process to get it back to me if someone finds it and hands it in to a police station.
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