Samford Eco-Corridor

Bird survey
On 17 July, our birders recorded 61 species in about 3 hours following the usual route. Silvereyes continued to be found in good numbers this winter, but the highest count was for two flocks of Topknot Pigeons totalling approximately 90 birds altogether. Australasian Figbirds were also plentiful, with one large flock sitting in the top branches of a dead Waterhousea. It was very pleasing to find all 3 local species of fairywrens (Superb, Red-backed and Variegated), some which were in the rank vegetation beyond the waterhole and to hear a White-eared Monarch nearby. An Eastern Yellow Robin was gathering nest material along the edge of riverbank planting P4, so we hope the pair is successful with raising young. The grand finale while sitting in the netball shelter cross-checking our bird list was watching an Australian Hobby zoom low over the riverine canopy heading upstream. We had been alerted by the alarm calls of Noisy Miners and watched this sleek raptor as a it covered a few hundred metres in very quick time. Full details can be found on eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S372950741. Peter's photos are of Australasian Figbirds, Eastern Yellow Robin, Lewins Honeyeater, Superb Fairywrens (female and dull male on fence) and Variegated Fairywren (bright male).

Bushcare
On Sunday 5 July, our wonderful volunteers (welcome John and welcome back James) focused on the hillside planting P3 during our Council-assisted afternoon bushcare session. We began by weeding around the grasses we planted in June, which were already getting encroached by various weeds after the recent rain. We also pruned and weeded the eastern boundary of P3, which had long been neglected owing to our previous focus on riverbank rainforest planting P4. During the previous week, Peter and Ken had pre-dug over 50 holes (using our new Ego 56V auger kindly funded by Samford Progress) ready for planting Lomandra longifolia along the boundary and Pittosporum multiflorum and Dodonaea viscosa as infill shrubs. This preparation greatly speeded up the planting process, which was important given that the water had to be ferried from a tap at the tennis centre. The plants were funded under our CMB Healthy Environment Grant and purchased from Kumbartcho Community Nursery at Eaton's Hill. Afterwards, our volunteers enjoyed another delicious afternoon tea provided by Karen on behalf of Samford Progress.

Bird survey
On 18 June, our birders recorded 69 species in about 3 hours following the usual route. Silvereyes were again the most numerous species (about 40, including a few of the Tasmanian subspecies with brownish flanks). Other notable sightings included flocks of Topknot Pigeons and Long-billed Corellas flying over, 5 White-headed Pigeons in a wattle at the top of the hill and a couple of White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes by the track towards the NPWS buildings. Roger managed to get a recording of the Lewin's Rail by the track to the waterfall, including growls and a clip clop call. We also heard Pale-vented Bush-hen along the river bank below the Ecotrail. Winter visitors included a Rose Robin and Spotted Pardalotes. Hirundines were well represented Welcome Swallows and Tree Martins hawking over the paddocks and soccer fields. Full details can be found on eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S358953941. Peter's photos are of a Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Little Pied/Little Black Cormorants, Superb Fairywren (dull male and female), Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and Golden Whistler.

TERN Citizen Science survey
On 16 June, our birders carried out 20-minute surveys of two 2-hectare woodland plots at QUT SERF Camp Mountain as part of our TERN citizen science program. In the first plot we recorded 24 species and in the second plot 28 species. Highlights included seeing high numbers of Scarlet and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters feeding on flowering eucalypts in both plots, along with plenty of lorikeets, including the diminutive Little Lorikeets that dart through the canopy like tiny bullets. New birds within the plots included an Australian Owlet-nightjar and Australian Brushturkey. Peter's photos of Yellow-faced honeyeater and an owlet-nightjar were not taken on the survey. The data is available from the TERN portal: https://portal.tern.org.au/metadata/2230b5fe-1121-4964-a500-c6933c9bef48.

Bushcare
On Sunday 14 June, we had a reasonable turnout for our Council-assisted afternoon bushcare session. This month we began by weeding around infill species that Bushtekniq had planted a couple of months ago in rainforest zone P2 below the tennis courts. The weeds were rampant after all the recent rain. Most volunteers then moved to the hillside woodland where we planted native grasses and shrubs, but we also planted a few extra understorey plants in zone P2. Altogether, we planted and watered another 200 of plants, which were funded under the CMB Healthy Environment Grant. Afterwards, our volunteers enjoyed a sumptuous afternoon tea provided by Karen on behalf of Samford Progress.

Biodiversity workshop
On Friday 22 May, Samsonvale-based national charity People for Nature ran a workshop on biodiversity at the Eco-Corridor. The morning commenced with the Biodiversity Puzzle: an interactive game to better understand biodiversity, ecosystems, and the challenges linked to biodiversity loss. This covered threats to biodiversity such as habitat loss, introduced species, human impacts and climate change. Participants then learned about the aims of the Eco-Corridor project: improve biodiversity in the Parklands; enhance public amenity; raise awareness about threatened species and ecosystems; educate the community about local flora and fauna; provide models for landholder revegetation; and site monitoring using citizen science. Ken and Peter then helped attendees to plant 20 Richmond Birdwing Vines (Pararistolochia praevenosa), which are the host plant for the threatened Richmond Birdwing butterfly. We thank Donna Farrell who donated 5 of the vines and Matt Cecil of the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network (a project of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland) for 15 more. The vines were planted about 1 metre from a suitable tree (multi-trunked is ideal) and the stems wound anticlockwise up some biodegradable twine tied to the tree and held in the ground with a tent peg. We also planted some lomandras, which are the host plant for various skipper butterflies and Love Flowers (Pseuderanthemum variabile), which are the host plant for the Varied Eggfly and Leafwing butterflies. These plants were funded via a City of Moreton Bay Healthy Environment Grant. Afterwards everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch (kindly funded by People for Nature) at the picnic table. This is another example of the Eco-Corridor team collaborating closely with like-minded local groups.

Bird survey
On 20 May, our birders considered postponing the Eco-Corridor survey because of strong early morning westerlies, but were pleased they didn’t because they recorded 71 species in about 3 hours following the standard route. Small birds were again abundant, with all 3 species of local fairywrens, all 3 finches and all 3 ‘Little Brown Jobs’ (scrubwrens and thornbill) recorded. A large flock of Silvereyes included a few of the Tasmanian subspecies with brown flanks visiting for the winter. Other notable sightings included White-eared Monarch, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove and a Square-tailed Kite hunting low over the canopy of the riparian zone. However, by far the biggest highlight was finding 4 Plum-headed finches feeding on seeding grasses near the NPWS buildings. Submitting our list to eBird triggered a rare bird alert, because this species is rarely recorded in Moreton Bay (it is usually found west of the D’Aguilar Range). This brings the number of species recorded on site to an impressive 164. Full details can be found on eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S342623837. We thank Tom Tarrant for supplying the fabulous photos of the Tasmanian subspecies of Silvereye, Tree Martin and male and female Plum-headed finch.