Here on the northern plains of Victoria, it most certainly has been an
exceptional year for grass growth and flooding. Areas of the Terrick NP west
of the Bendigo creek that have been reliable sites for Plains Wanderers for
many years have been transformed, partly due to the much reduced grazing regime
of the last 2 or 3 years, but also of course because of the last couple of
years of better rainfall. Some sites have had almost permanent water since
September ( turned from grassland to wetland), but most of the grassland is
dry underfoot. Anywhere with Tall spear grass (Plains Grass) now has 7 or 8 ft
high growth. The more regular, commoner speargrass species have been 3 times
higher than in recent years, but now with some hot weather the seed heads have
dried and fallen, and the grasslands are starting to open out again.
I can report a similar story to that of Phil Maher in the Dennie area. Little
and Red-chested Button-quail and Stubble Quail are having a bumper season.
Plains Wanderers however have become harder to find, They definately appear to
have moved out of some sites due to the habitat becoming unsuitable. The
spring flush here was incredible and it became hard to find them anywhere for a
while. Some would question whether this is due to them being harder to find as
opposed to them moving out of an area. I believe they have moved , and since a
recent banding programme which has tagged some 60 PW's, every bird I have seen
recently has been without a band !
Some sites east of the Bendigo creek that have been more heavily grazed are
still reasonable for finding PW's, though I have not recorded any breeding this
season so far.
I have noticed sites on private land that for many years have been basically
bare, but this year the native grasses have finally got away and created quite
good, albeit temporary PW habitat.....that is plenty (c.50 percent) of bare
ground and most grasses less than 20cms high.
Where exotic grasses invade native pastures, they reduce the bare ground. I
recently flushed a female Wanderer who flew from a pure native grassland spot
into a nearby area with dry rye grass fallen over right through it. The bird
had trouble walking around and was stumbling as it went. They dont like it !,
whereas Quail sp. with their more horizontal creeping walk can cope ok it
seems.
As for the Werribee bird, well its hard to say, but there is definately a small
population out to the west of Melbourne still, and I have heard of more than
one recent confirmed sighting on the basalt country, where too many rocks have
prevented farmers from regularly cropping.
We are hoping that in time some of the banded Wanderers will be relocated, and
thus help us understand a little more of their movements in the landscape.
For anyone wanting to head up to the Terricks grasslands,they were not badly
affected by the most recent flooding, and most roads are again open.
Happy wandering !
Simon Starr.
Pyramid Hill,
Northern Victoria.
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