Summer bird count

Grace and I were directed to count waders today at Begola Wetlands in suburban Ocean Grove and Freshwater Lake near Point Lonsdale. So we went, but without success because the water levels are too high following the recent rains. Not a wader in sight.

Both places are well worth a visit though. We saw some lovely birds at Begola Wetland, including Little Wattlebirds (not often seen this far east) and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, and Clamourous Reed-warblers serenaded us all the way around.

At Freshwater Lake we waded through the shallows towards the one roosting area but the most reward was in the journey because there were no waders roosting. There were hundreds and hundreds of damselflies and dragonflies on the vegetation, flying up in clouds before us as we walked. There were many dead ones in the floating detritus and a lot of discarded exoskeletons still clinging to the reeds. I managed to grab a few photos (I was meant to be bird-counting remember?) but I should go back and spend more time there to get a better record of it all.

Many of the reeds and other vegetation had snails on them as well. This one had a bonus spider. If it can't swim it's there until the water levels drop.

Alpine flora

At Falls Creek we were able to search for alpine plants in various communities - bogs, pasture, under snow gums and lower down the mountain in a mixed forest. In the alps spring arrives in summer so most of the plants were flowering. It was all looking beautiful.

Alpine Orites Orites lancifolia

Mueller's Snow-Gentian Chionogentias muelleriana ssp. muelleriana

Sky Lily Herpolirion novae-zelandiae

Alpine Leek Orchid Prasophyllum tadgellianum

Silver Ewartia Ewartia nubigena

Stiff Dislaspis Dislaspis hydrocotyle

Carpet Heath Pentachondra pumila

 Flax Linum marginale

 Common Billy Buttons Craspedia sp.

Insects of the high country

These are a few of the insects and spiders we found in the alpine pastures around Falls Creek last weekend. Identification pending at the moment, except for the brilliant Spotted Mountain Grasshopper Monistria concinna.

High country

With damaging floods in Queensland and northern New South Wales, and the forecast of very high rainfall in west and central Victoria we decided to head for the high country.

No, the truth is the Geelong Field Nats' camp at Falls Creek in the alps had been organised weeks beforehand. We drove up to the ski lodge on Thursday, an extremely humid day, and on Friday it rained continuously so we couldn't get out into the field at all. It's the first time I've played board games at a camp!

Saturday and Sunday were perfect. The Snow Gums are recovering from the fires that went through several years ago but the sculptural beauty of their skeletons was breathtaking. We thoroughly enjoyed looking for plants and insects we never see in our patch.

Sky Lily Herpoliron novae-zelandiae 

Yellow Kunzea Kunzea muelleri

Alpine Trachymene Trachymene humilis

To be continued...