World’s swiftest parrot visits coast

The endangered Swift Parrot – the world’s fastest parrot – has been sighted by local volunteers in the Ironbark Basin.

The Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) breeds in Tasmania then migrates to the mainland between March and June each year. It is the world’s fastest parrot , the longest migrating parrot and is listed as an endangered species in Australia. Photo: Chris Tzaros Birldlife Australia.

Birdlife Australia Woodland Birds Project Manager Chris Tzaros said the parrot was thought to be the first of the species to migrate from Tasmania to the mainland this year.

“It’s pretty exciting to see the birds at the first site they migrate to.

“The Swift Parrot is the world’s fastest parrot and migrates over a longer distance than any other parrot which is pretty cool,” he said.

The Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) breeds in Tasmania and then migrates to the mainland in March – June each year and can be seen in southern coastal Victoria between April and October.

Anglesea, Aireys Inlet Society for the Protection of Flora and Fauna (ANGAIR) member Kaye Traynor said the species visits the area every year but never stays long.

“They are not great in number so it’s special to see them in the area,” she said.

Swift Parrots are listed as endangered on the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 with habitat destruction and loss of old trees with nesting hollows being critical factors in the Swift Parrots decline.

“It’s great to see suitable resources on the mainland for the parrot because they use a high amount of energy and expenditure to migrate and need food and habitat to restore their energy,” Mr Tzaros said.

The endangered Swift Parrot Photo: Chris Tzaros Birdlife Australia

Mr Tzaros said there are a number of threats to the Swift Parrot which include the ongoing impact of climate change and close contact with humans.

“We have had three reports this week of adult birds crashing into man-made structures and this is a particular problem when birds fly into suburban areas.

“When food and habitat are low, the birds birds come into close contact with human habitation and are likely to be hit by cars or crash into windows.

“It’s common in Victoria for ten to a dozen Swift Parrots to be reported as dead or badly injured due to this problem, and even more common in Tasmania.”

The parrots migrate back to Tasmania between September and October.

To learn more about interesting fauna on our coast or to get involved in the protection of their habitats visit ANGAIRS website www.angair.org.au.

This story appeared in the Surf Coast Times Green the Coast Column.

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World Environment Day encourages you to make better food choices!

Today is the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Environment Day and this year the theme is awareness around the environmental impact of your food choices.

Today is World Environment Day 2013. Photo: UNEP (www.unep.org/wed/)

The UNEP website states this year’s theme for World Environment Day celebrations is ‘Think.Eat.Save’, an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages you to reduce your food-print.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted, which is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger.

The theme, ‘Think.Eat.Save’, encourages you to become more aware of the environmental impact of the food choices you make and empowers you to make informed decisions.

You can learn more about World Environment Day and what you can do on the UNEP website.

What are you doing to reduce your food-print or environmental impact? Let us know!

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Take care, be aware and share on the Surf Coast Walk

Offering natural beauty and easy access, the recently redeveloped Surf Coast Walk along the edge of the Great Ocean Road offers a world-class walking destination for all to enjoy.

The track has proved popular since its official reopening last year and from dogs to bicycles to pram to runners, everyone is out and about enjoying different sections at different paces.

In recognition of the multiple uses of the track and in response to some community concern around safety,  GORCC has installed some signs in high use areas around Torquay and Jan Juc, to promote safe shared use.

One of the four signs located in Torquay and Jan Juc

The Take care- Be aware- Share campaign encourages those who are cycling along the path to:

• Give way to pedestrians
• Travel at safe speeds
• sSlow down and use their bell when passin

The signs also remind dog owners to clean up after their pets and to keep appropriate control over them at all times. Additionally, all users are asked to be vigilant of vegetation and wildlife and to keep to the left of the paths.

To stay safe and ensure you have an enjoyable Surf Coast Walk experience you should also:

• Wearing sturdy, non-slip footwear
• Carry plenty of drinking water and a well-charged mobile phone
• Take care when walking near the edge or base of cliffs
• Beware of snakes in late spring and summer
• On days of extreme fire to seek information from Visitor Information Centres or the Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667, as some walks may be closed to the public.

Angela Norris and her two dogs Ollie & Shegi enjoying the Surf Coast Walk

More information including detailed maps are available at http://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/surfcoastwalk.

More tips on staying safe on the coast are available here.

Did you know the Surf Coast Walk also has an official volunteer group, the Friends of the Surf Coast Walk?

Have you been out and about on the Surf Coast Walk lately? Let us know below or join in the conversation on the official Surf Coast Walk Facebook page.

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Rare orchid flowers following fire

Autumn orchids are flowering across the Surf Coast including a rare species which rarely flowers unless stimulated by fire.

The Fringed Hare Orchid (Leporella fimbriata) sighted in Anglesea, flowering well after fire, is found in sandy soils and flowers mainly from March to May. Photo: Margaret MacDonald

Anglesea, Aireys Inlet Society for the Protection of Flora and Fauna (ANGAIR) sighted a number of orchids during their nature ramble walk, including the Fringed Hare Orchid (Leporella fimbriata).

Orchid expert Gary Backhouse said while the species is common in Western Victoria, with some colonies containing many hundreds of plants, the Fringed Hare Orchid only flowers under special conditions.

“It flowers well only after summer bushfires, with only a small proportion (sometimes none) in flower in the absence of summer fire.”

ANGAIR member Yvonne Coventry said she was one of five who had sighted the orchid.

“The area has undergone a burn in the last 12 months so there were a number of different plants coming up including a small patch of Fringed Hare Orchids.

“The Fringed Hare Orchid is very beautiful and very rare,” she said.

Mr Backhouse said the Fringed Hare Orchid does not only flower in specific conditions, but requires specific circumstances for pollination as well.

Winged male ants pollinate the plant by attempting to mate with the labellum (part of the petal that forms a lip) as they are attracted by the orchid’s scent which mimics that of a female ant.

“The winged males usually emerge from their nests only in warm, humid conditions, often just before rain, and have a very short flight period.

“There may be some years when orchid flowering and male ant emergence do not coincide, and very few, if any, flowers will be pollinated.”

Other orchids spotted by ANGAIR members this month include over thirty Fringed Midge Orchids (Corunastylis ciliate), a species which had not yet been sighted this year and the Parson’s Band Orchid (Eriochilus cucullatus).

ANGAIR and Friends of the Eastern Otways member Margaret MacDonald said there are 110 species of orchids in the Anglesea area and that there were many things we don’t yet understand about the plant.

“All orchids are rare and protected and they interest me because of their beauty, uniqueness and complexity.

“People can get involved by joining the Australasian Native Orchid Society which is based in Geelong or by contacting ANGAIR and arranging a walk,” she said.

ANGAIR holds guided walks every second Monday of the Month.  To learn more about orchids on the Surf Coast or to get involved please contact the ANGAIR office on: 5263 1085 or visit www.angair.org.au.  

This article appeared in the Surf Coast Times Green the Coast Column.

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Spotlight on the Rufous Bristlebird

The Surf Coast is one of the last places in the world you will be able to find the rare and threatened Rufous Bristlebird and we are very lucky to have this gorgeous little creature call our coast home!

The Rufous Bristlebird (Dasyorni Broadbenti) is only found in Australia with a predominance along coastal areas in south-western Victoria.  The species has previously been sighted in south-western Western Australia and south-eastern South Australia, but unfortunately frequent burning has led to its extinction in W.A.

Adult male- Rufous Bristlebird- photo courtesy of Graemechapman.com.au

The Rufous Bristlebird is from the Dasyornithidae family, and is a medium sized primarily ground-dwelling songbird. Its colouring is predominantly dark grey-brown and they have distinctive long tail. The Rufous Bristlebird has a very loud unique call.

Their natural habitat is in coastal shrublands and woodlands.  They are weak flyers and often build their nests close to the ground in low shrubs or tussocks. They feed primarily on ground-dwelling invertebrates.

The Rufous Bristlebird

All species are threatened nationwide due to habitat loss as the result of clearing for agriculture and coastal urban developments.  Additionally, because they are ground-dwelling birds,  they are prone to predation by cats and foxes.

The Rufous Bristlebird is often found in coastal thickets and they have been sighted at Jan Juc, Point Addis, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Wye River Loch Ard, Wye River and inland areas of the Otway Ranges.

Have you been lucky enough to spot a Rufous Bristlebird on the coast?

Rufous Bristlebird- Photo courtesy of feathersandphotos.com

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Discover what’s intriguing about estuaries

A young coastal volunteer is keen for more people to discover the coast’s “intriguing” estuaries at an upcoming community event.

Anglesea EstuaryWatch volunteer Georgie Grieg, 23, regularly takes samples at five different sites along the Anglesea River estuary, including the estuary mouth, as part of the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) EstuaryWatch Program.

Georgie Grieg

CCMA is hosting an “Estuaries Unmasked” event with presentations from coastal experts for people interested in learning about river estuaries and the EstuaryWatch program. Special guest speakers include Fiona Warry, an Estuarine Scientist at Arthur Rylah Institute and Gregory McDonald from Wild Sea at Melbourne Zoo.

Ninety-three active monitors across the state are involved in EstuaryWatch, monitoring estuaries to help river managers determine their health.

Ms Greig, who is a safari guide at Werribee Open Range Zoo, said she got involved because she wanted to learn more about waterways and river health and estuaries really intrigued her.

“I knew they had two layers with the salt and fresh water but I didn’t know much more and I thought joining EstuaryWatch was a good way to check out the beach and would be a pretty relaxing way to spend some time too.

“My role in this group involves monitoring the estuary every couple of months (each month it is monitored by two of the Anglesea volunteers), filling in if needed and being an avid team leader.

Back Row (L to R)Jannes Demetrious, Colette Talbot, Monica Henry, Elyce Huren Susan Delgrosso, Georgia Troup at Anglesea River Estuary Watch Biannual Quality Assurance Quality Control Event

“It’s rewarding to be a part of the group and to know the data collected is important for estuary health and basic knowledge,” she said.

CCMA EstuaryWatch coordinator Rose Herben said there are seven volunteers who conduct monitoring and testing at the Anglesea River.

“Volunteers take photos of the river mouth, record wind strength and sea scales, and monitor whether the estuary is open or closed. They also test oxygen, salinity, depth, pH levels, and assess how water quality changes from top to bottom,” she said.

Volunteers record data collected on the EstuaryWatch Online Database which covers estuaries in all three CMA regions and can be viewed by clicking on the location maps at estuarywatch.com.au.

“Community members are always interested and keen to know more about what you are doing so there are opportunities to connect the public to their estuary and conservation initiatives,” Ms Greig said.

Georgie Grieg

The seminar is on Wednesday 22 May from 6.30-8.30pm at Apollo Bay Bowls Club, 6 Moore Street, and Apollo Bay. To RSVP for the seminar or to learn more about EstuaryWatch contact Rose Herben on 5232 9100.

Have you been involved in an EstuaryWatch program?  Leave your experience in the comments section below.

This article featured in the fortnightly Green the Coast column in the Surf Coast Times.

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GORCC thanks volunteers

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) would like to thank our dedicated coastal environmental volunteers for the time they take to look after our beautiful coast on behalf of the community.

Kit-e Kline and children Makeisha, 6, and Jamaiyah, 3, help clean up the rubbish around Bird Rock car park during Clean Up Australia Day 2013 held in March.

According to Volunteering Australia,  this week is Australia’s largest celebration of volunteers and volunteerism with over 6 million (ABS 2010) people volunteering annually in Australia which represents 36 per cent of the adult population.

National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to say thank you to all our volunteers acrosss the nation and you are invited to get involved!  Learn more about National Volunteer Week here. 

National volunteer week presents a perfect opportunity for GORCC to say a big thank you to all the individuals who are making a difference to our environment!

Groups operating along our coastline work tirelessly to protect the coast and participate  in a range of activities including:

• Weeding
• Revegetation
• Developing facilities such as walking tracks
• Preventing erosion
• Participating in informative walks,
• Monitoring native birds and animals
• Attending meeting and social events.

These groups are always looking for more helping hands – so if you have a little time to spare, get in touch with a group in your area.  Learn more about coastal volunteering in our region and view a directory of local groups here.

National Volunteer Week will finish on Sunday May 19.

More information:

• Did you know GORCC also runs a free environmental education program for schools and groups?
• Volunteers have made some incredible progress on the coast and they are always making  new discoveries, running interesting events and working to educate the community about how to look after our precious coast.  Catch up on news and stories from volunteer groups here.