Welcome to the September 2015 edition of the FoMM newsletter. This month we thought we’d share this exciting photo with you. The contractors who are currently laying a gas pipeline under the Blue Metal Road for AGL recently saw a wombat crossing the fire trail before they started construction activities for the day, at around 7:30am. Please let us know if you ever see a wombat, as sightings are quite rare on Mt Majura!
See you on the mountain.
Jo Lynch
FoMM Secretary
Wombat spotted crossing fire trail in Mt Majura reserve (Photo: S. Anastasi)
FoMM activities and news:
Honeysuckle Working Party – Sunday 20 September, 9am – 12noon
FoMM will be hosting a welcome to spring working party to remove Japanese Honeysuckle from a gully behind Mackenzie Street, Hackett. Make a difference: give an hour or more of your time and help remove this invasive plant. Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, is a declared Pest Plant in the ACT and regarded as an environmental weed in all Australian states and territories except in the Northern Territory. It escapes gardens and out-competes native vegetation, stunts the growth of shrubs and trees and prevents regeneration of native species.
Where: Meet at the nature park access close to Mackenzie Street intersection with Russell Street and Hull Place (south of 85 Mackenzie St).
Bring and wear: Sun protection, body covering garden clothing and sturdy shoes.
Inquiries: Reply to this email.
Click here for more information.
Japanese honeysuckle fruiting (Photo: W. Pix)
Bird Walk – Sunday 13 September, 8 – 10 am
Walk through the woodlands with bird enthusiast Peter Miller to spot, observe, listen to, and learn about the amazing variety of birds on Mt Majura.
Where: Meet at nature reserve entrance Tay St / Ian Nicol St, in The Fair, Watson.
Inquiries: Jenni Ph. 6248 8955 or reply to this email.
Bring and wear: sun protection and wear appropriate clothing for the weather.
Recommended: Binoculars and a Gold Coin donation for a bird list.
Click here for more information.
Scarlet Robin, male (Photo: D. Cook)
Wildflower Walk – Sunday 25 October. Time to be confirmed.
Explore the wildflowers that are blooming this season on this delightful walk with local plant ecologist Michael Doherty. See the different species found in the grassland, woodland and open forest, and enjoy the beauty of the nature reserve, its grasses, trees, and views whilst you go.
Where: To be confirmed.
Bring and Wear: Sun protection, suitable clothing for the expected weather, comfortable and appropriate footwear and a camera if you have one; an updated Flora List will be available for a gold coin donation.
Inquiries: Jenni Ph. 6248 8955 or reply to this email.
Yam Daisy (Microseris lanceolata) flowering on Mount Majura (J. Lynch).
Sunday Nature Walk – Sunday 1 November, 9 – 11am
Discover how the plants of Mt Majura welcome the springtime with botanist and Friend of Mt Majura, Isobel Crawford. Meet 9:00am at parking area, Helms Place, Hackett near corner of Richards and Rivett Streets. Joint activity with National Parks Association of the ACT.
Inquiries: Contact Graham on this email.
Community Voices in Reserve Management Forum – Friday 11 and Saturday 12 September
This free forum is an opportunity for community volunteers and interested reserve neighbours and users to share experiences and research in ACT parks and reserves with each other, Parks staff and the wider Landcare network. FoMM Committee members, Jochen Zeil and Waltraud Pix, will be presenting! The Saturday involves a half-day field trip to Namadgi National Park. Click here for more information, download a copy of the program and the abstracts, and to register.
Other items of interest:
Keen to learn the ropes of the when, why, how and where of frogwatching? Ready to re-fresh your frog identification skills? Then book yourself and who ever wants to come along in for an Introduction Seminar and/or a field trip. Introduction Seminars are a must for all new Frogwatchers. Field trips are the best if you want to further your identification skills in the field whilst in great company and at an awesome venue. Here are the links for all the Frogwatch Census activities – to make bookings just click on the link:
Following the recent launch of the ACT Government’s recreation statement, Connecting & Building Recreation: a vision for the Territory (June 2015), Sport and Recreation Services is leading a consultation process with active recreation stakeholders. The purpose of the survey is to help identify common issues, how government can better support participation in the sector and priorities for action. The survey consists of six questions which will only take a few minutes of your time to complete. Park Care activities promote some great opportunities for community members to participate in active recreation whilst doing conservation works. Download the survey here.
Gang-gang breeding survey 2015 – How can you help?
Despite some promising observations about hollow preparations and nesting behavior last spring, there were no positive breeding events recorded in Canberra’s urban nature reserves in the 2015 Gang-gang survey. Nesting hollow competition appears to be factor where birds had taken up residence, and a heavy rainfall event in early December led to nests being abandoned in Mt Majura and Mt Mugga Mugga Nature Reserves. ParkCare volunteers can help by keeping an eye out this season for hollow inspecting and breeding behaviour. If you see Gang-gangs showing interest in potential nest hollows or occupying a hollow please fill in this on-line form. Please provide information on the location, number of birds and their activity and then if able, regularly return to the site and record any further activity. If there is no activity, still fill in the form and enter a zero for numbers with the text ‘This is a zero Gang-gang report’ in the notes section. Further info can be obtained by emailing the Gang-gang project team.
Snap-Film-Draw: Spring into Nature Competition – 1 September – 30 October 2015
Grab the family and visit Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary this spring. Discover something interesting at the reserve and get creative to win great prizes! Categories: Photo, Video, Drawing. Ages 5 – 18 years. Run by the Friends of Mulligans Flat and supported by the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust. Click here to find out more.
