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Hi Birders,
I found Reg Clarke's summary of the change in diet
of the Powerful Owl following a hazard reduction most interesting but also noted
his questioning of the rationanlity of having a hazard reduction. This reminds
me that following a bushfire in Wyrrabalong National Park in 1993 ( an
area having a large Ringtail population), the formerly rarely recorded New
Holland Mouse Pseudomys novaehollandiae, became very common from 1 year
to 3 years after the fire on the coastal heaths of Wyrrabalong, but gradually
the numbers fell away once the heath and coastal forest gradually regained
its usual height.
Similarly following a bushfire in Cockle Bay Nature
Reserve in 1992, the virtually locally unknown and Threatened, Eastern Chestnut
Mouse Meloyms sp. was readily found in this coastal swamp forest. Again
as the period since the last fire continues to extend, I am sure that the
vegetation at Cockle Bay is probably now once again unsuitable for that
large mouse. However I would like to think that the Barn Owls at Wyyrabalong and
the Masked Owls near Cockale Bay benifitted from those fires! Properly managed
Hazard Reductions have an important role to play in nature conservation and
there is evidence to show that most of our wildlife is able to adapt to hazard
reductions and wildfires. What may have been to the disadvanage to the Powerful
owl, may have been to the advantage of other birds. Obviously when the Powerful
Owls at Turramurra turned to eating Pied Currawongs & Rainbow Lorikeets, the
latter two species were not greatly missed.
Alan Morris
CCFOC
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