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| A Tawny Frogmouth chick on Fraser Island |
Over the past few weeks we’ve seen Squirrel Gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis); Eastern Curlews (Numenius madagascariensis);, Tawny Frogmouths (Podargus strigoides - pictured left); and Bush Rats (Rattus fuscipes) among other animals and our wildflowers - including the Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda) and the Wide Bay Boronia (Boronia rivularis) - are beginning to blossom.
For those
that like their flowers, the Woombye (Phebalium
woombye) is a species of wildflower from the same family as the Boronias (Rutaceae). Fraser Island’s Woombyes are in full bloom at
the moment and the clusters of white flowers can be seen all around Kingfisher Bay Resort, particularly on the Great Sandy Strait Walk (overlooking nearby
Hervey Bay) and around Dundonga Creek (just north of the resort). The small
white flowers are surrounded by distinctive rusty coloured buds and the overall
cluster is very attractive and is a favourite of wildflower lovers around the
resort.
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| Native Bees are easily mistaken for small flies |
DID YOU KNOW in Butchulla tribal life, the
honey bees – native bees about the size of a small bush fly – were guarded by
very strict rules. Tribe members were
very selective when picking and gathering flowers, leaving the white flowers
that were favoured by bees to make honey (used as a natural sweetener) and wax
(used in canoe construction).
For those
that aren’t familiar with the Australian
Native Stingless Bee (Tetragonula and Austroplebeia – see right), they can
easily be mistaken for small flies and are one of the primary pollinators of
Australian wildflowers. They also produce a honey that tastes great and is sold in small quantities (though it can be expensive since one hive
produces only around 1 kg of honey each year).
There are
around 14 species of stingless bees in Australia and recent scientific studies
have shown that their honey has similar anti-microbial properties to that of
Manuka honey - which is used as an effective ointment on wounds to prohibit
infection and promote healing.
The complex
hives of these bees contain a waxy substance made up of plant resins and bee
secretions – called Propolis - which
is it is this substance that has the scientific community abuzz as it is
thought to help with anything from grazes and burns to oral hygiene
issues. We’ve spotted one of these hives
near the beginning of the Sandy Straits walk. If you’re out and about, you can
find them in one of two scarred White Cypress Pines (Callitris columellaris) near the beginning of the track, or just ask one of our Rangers!
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| An Eastern Curlew in full flight over the Great Sandy Strait |
For those that have joined us on our
Early Morning Bird Walks of late, we’ve been surprised to see of the first Eastern
Curlews (Numenius madagascariensis - pictured left) of the season – they're easily identified by their long, curved beaks as the photo shows.
These migratory
birds are listed as near threatened in Queensland though they can be seen from
September to November in large numbers.
Through their life-cycle, they fly great distances from their
breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere and can lose more than half of their body weight – so wetland
areas surrounding Fraser Island are an essential habitat which allows them to
replenish fat stores .
Also visible at low tide are our Rock Oysters (Saccostrea glomerata), which are a
delicacy in restaurants around the world.
Unfortunately, many coastal areas are stripped of natural oysters in
areas accessible to people, so it’s a nice treat to have a look at these
oysters around our jetty, where they are largely untouched.
DID YOU KNOW in
Queensland it is illegal to take oysters from the particular area you find them,
although you are allowed to eat them on the spot?
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| Queensland Rock Oysters. Pic: Queensland Country Life |
Oysters are filter feeders and remove microorganisms from
the sea water when they are inundated at high tide. Young oysters are known as ‘Spat’
and attach themselves to solid surfaces.
In the spirit of biodiversity month, our team will always encourage you to leave the shell of an oyster on rocks after you
consume them as it actually provides a good surface for new Spats to attach and
helps sustain long term population growth.
Springtime is certainly a good season
to explore the environment so, if you’re not headed our way to gorgeous Fraser Island;
I’d say get out there and enjoy nature at its best! Biodiversity month is a great time to start
protecting the environment so check out this link for more information on how to do just that!
Hope to see you on
island soon, cheers Ranger Bec.
