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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