My daughter Isobel, who lives in the inner-Brisbane 'village' of West End,
forwarded the following note to me. I don't know the writer, but I feel it's
worth sharing.
It refers to the recent clearing of a remnant of inner-city bush. I don't
know the area involved, but I'm aware that it is a privately-owned,
undeveloped patch of scrub, pretty-well in the heart of the city, which was
the subject of much litigation and protest before being cleared for housing
development a few weeks back. I'm told a Noisy Pitta spent 5 months there
last winter, just a little over 2km from the city centre, and Pacific Bazas
have been regular in the area.
"At 10 p.m. tonight (22 November) I was walking our dog along Derby Street,
when I heard rustling noises from the edge of the sunflowers. On closer
investigation, there was our famous echidna, trying to hide under a log. I
raced back to the house to get the camera, and got some good photos (at
least as good as can be expected of the backside of an echidna under a log!)
As soon as Joan explains the technology, I can email the photo to anyone who
wants it.
What a survivor! Our hero!
The animal is probably best left alone to try and find new territory nearer
the river. We need to battle to ensure that the sunflowers in the lower
gully are left alone as long as possible, as they are probably the refuge
for a number of animals, including our echidna!.
By the way, during the clearing of the Gully, the RSPCA recovered 3 carpet
pythons (one injured in the brush cutter, but expected to survive), many
Blue-tongued skinks, 3 Tawny Frogmouth chicks (one adult was killed, and I
heard one calling two nights ago-presumably the other parent). The pheasant
coucal chicks were all dead when found- the parents were probably driven off
the nest well before the RSPCA got there. The adult pheasant coucals are
still around and very vociferous- probably trying to find and establish new
territory.
There was a kingfisher in the little Gully near fig 32 and Lynn's house.. It
has gone. I believe it may have had a nest there.
A number of nesting holes probably used by Pale-headed Rosellas have been
lost as the trees have gone. The population of White-browed Scrub-wrens has
gone- I don't fancy their chances of getting through the suburbs to find new
territory.
We saw a Ring-tail possum and a carpet python moving down the Gully past
our house the day after the destruction started.
It is illegal to kill these animals, but not to destroy their habitat!
Richard Cassels."
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email:
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
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