Category Archives: Nature Observations

Little Monster?

The beautiful creature pictured below is an early instar caterpillar, from the genus Doratifera, probably Doratifera oxleyi. These moths are commonly called cup moths. It was found in suspended by a thread in an area of severely damaged bushland in … Continue reading

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Forests under attack from leaf miner

Visitors passing along the Porcupine Ridge Road in recent weeks have noticed that trees on both sides of the road, both in the National Heritage Park and the Upper Loddon State Forest, are looking extremely stressed, presenting a desolate sight.  … Continue reading

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CFNC Meeting: Native Grasses and the Moolort Plains

On the evening of 13 July there will be a special Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club meeting where Ern Perkins Central Victoria Grasses Identification Guide CD will be launched and Geoff Park will give a presentation on the Moolort Plains. To find out … Continue reading

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Maniac?

The endearing creature below is a Peron’s Tree Frog, sometimes uncharitably called the Maniacal Cackle Frog, owing to its distinctive ‘machine gun’ cackle. It’s not uncommon for frogs to be seen in household gardens in our district, and for that … Continue reading

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Parasites aren’t always bad

The red box tree pictured below, on the east side of the Great Dividing Trail as it passes through the Spring Gully Mine site, is interesting for a couple of reasons. One is that it’s sprung up out of the … Continue reading

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The migratory birds of the Box-Ironbark Forests

In the Box-Ironbark forests quite a few bird species come and go with the seasons. Over many years a lot of people have contributed to surveys for the Birds Australia Atlas or Birdline and similar. These records have now been … Continue reading

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Sharing the same nesting area

Eroded creek banks, although a blot on the landscape in some ways, also have their upside. At this time of year two quite different species utilise the eroded walls to build their nests at the end of tunnels in the … Continue reading

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Alison Pouliot and the International Year of the Forests

Over many years, well-known photographer and fungi expert Alison Pouliot has taken superb images of our local bushlands. On her website she notes that her photos concentrate on the design, diversity and connectedness of living things and that her background in research … Continue reading

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Poolside

Last summer saw an amazing explosion in numbers of dragonflies and damselflies around our creeks and dams. This year there are already significant numbers of these interesting and important creatures. The Forest Creek pools near the walking track are playing … Continue reading

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Make yourself comfortable!

The brush tailed Phascogale, or Tuan, is FOBIF’s chosen symbol for a number of reasons: it’s an iconic box ironbark species, it’s endangered, and, let’s face it, it’s cute. One of the interesting things about the Phascogale is that it … Continue reading

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