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I would be interested to know what the SPs are feeding on in
suburban Canberra. They like A baileyana but need to get
ripe pods before they dry and split. With the current hot dry spell,
they might be running short further north and west and chasing these here - or
looking for a substitute.
A while ago I mentioned that I'd notice a preference of
trillers and chats for areas of Paterson's Curse. On the ABCTV a few
minutes ago they were recycling a program on introduction and spread of insects
that like to eat the Curse. Those very little spreadees might well be the
key to the presence of the insect-eaters, so if they ever run out of food, so
might the birds.
On a related matter I have noticed what I am sure is a lot
more St John's Wort than usual around local woodlands this season. This, I
understand, is also regarded as undesirable from an agricultural
viewpoint. (I was reading recently that in the 1940's tons of salt was
horsebacked into the Victorian high country to try to get rid of
it.) I wonder if the Wort has any benefit for the bird-life, that is
do any birds like the seed or eat insects that like the plant?
In any event it now seems to be an integral part of the
vegiscape.
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