Category Archives: Nature Observations

Koala

Posted on 11 January, 2013 by fobif

The satisfied looking individual above was photographed by John Ellis at Golden Point last week. He was ‘a friendly chap, who didn’t mind posing at camera height.’ Koalas are not uncommon in our area, with some landholders reporting sightings every … Continue reading →

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Rosella fledgings display their colours

Posted on 31 December, 2012 by fobif

Several Eastern Rosella fledgling recently fell out of a nest box in John and Marie’s yard at Golden Point. They landed in saltbush below where the adults fed them for a week before they finally flew off. A week or … Continue reading →

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State of the forests, 1870

Posted on 19 November, 2012 by fobif

Doug Ralph has supplied us with the text below, as evidence of 19th century attitudes to forest use. The report is from the Argus newspaper, and can be found on the National Library’s Trove website: “The following report of the … Continue reading →

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A Spectacular Orchid

Posted on 2 November, 2012 by fobif

Three FOBIF members recently went to Old Coach Road in the Fryers Ranges to have a look at the Giant Sun Orchid Thelymitra aristata. In contrast to our normal small orchids this one was 81 cm (32 in)  and can apparently reach … Continue reading →

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Honeyeaters raise the alarm

Posted on 25 October, 2012 by fobif

Sitting quietly in my garden I get to watch Silvereyes as they go about their foraging. These beautiful little birds are quite common in local gardens. If you remain still you can often be rewarded with very close views. Silvereyes … Continue reading →

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Woolley Bear munches on a Greenhood

Posted on 15 October, 2012 by fobif

Doug Ralph has taken another terrific photo of a Woolly Bear, this time upon a Greenhood. The two holes you can see suggest feeding has begun. The caterpillars of the Arctiidae are mostly covered in dark hairs, which gives them the name … Continue reading →

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Garden birds around Castlemaine

Posted on 20 September, 2012 by fobif

Damian Kelly was the guest speaker at the FOBIF AGM in August. His presentation was about observing local birds in our gardens and he included many excellent photos, including the three below, of birds from his Lyttleton Street garden. Damian … Continue reading →

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‘The only effective way of measuring change’

Posted on 11 September, 2012 by fobif

The August meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club featured a talk by Ern Perkins on systematic environmental monitoring over time: ‘the only effective way of measuring change.’ The following report is based on a more detailed account in the … Continue reading →

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Little Monster?

Posted on 16 August, 2012 by fobif

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

Posted on 6 August, 2012 by fobif

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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