tucker glut

Around Dubbo we are experiencing the beginnings of a locust influx.  We haven't had enough rain to promote hatching locally so the grasshoppers we are getting have probably come from further north where they have had decent rain and where locusts have been reported as hatching over the past few months.

Driving into town there are bands of dead locusts on the road - thousands of dead grasshoppers turning the bitumen silver.  At this stage they are not in plague numbers, just banding at certain locations.

The novelty has already worn off for the bucherbirds (Pied & Grey) and Magpies at my place - they are largely ignoring them.  A few weeks ago they were really ripping into them.  The same applies to my chooks, they usually get very excited when they flush insects in the grass but now wander through the grasshoppers without giving them a second glance.  It would be good news for the ibis had they not disappeared for greener pastures a couple of months ago.  Good rain has been had to the north and south but there's still a significant area that remains drought affected in between.

Cheers

David Geering
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator
Department of Environment & Conservation
P.O. Box 2111
Dubbo  NSW  2830
Ph: 02 6883 5335 or Freecall 1800 621 056
Fax: 02 6884 9382



This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain
confidential information. 

If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and then delete the message. Views expressed in this message may be those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.