Maniacal Cackle Frog?

by Chris Johnston

Summer nights at Green Gully are being filled with a maniacal cackle - last summer and again this summer. Last year there was only one cackler, but now it sounds like 3! Someone suggested it was a nesting Woodie, I thought it was a bunyip …. but Kate Sandiford had a far better idea – that it is a maniacal cackle frog – or a Peron’s Tree Frog. Have a look at this web-page – http://frogs.org.au/frogs/species/Litoria/peroni/ - and click on the “hear it now” link to imagine what Green Gully nights are like!

But seriously, has anyone else heard this frog locally? The ‘frogs’ website (above) suggests that they are not found in the goldfields region.

Stilts at Walker’s Swamp

The extraordinary rains of the 2010/11 are now long gone and the waters of the Moolort Plains wetlands are steadily shrinking. While recognising their naturally ephemeral nature it’s still sad to watch the water disappear. One effect is that wetland birds are now concentrating in the places where the water remains – places such as Walker’s Swamp are now alive with ducks, herons, small waders and aerial insectivores such as martins and swallows. Yesterday I came across a loose flock of ~ 30 Black-winged Stilts, spread out across the wetland. As I was about to leave they obliged by performing a group fly by, before settling for another bout of feeding in the rich waters of the swamp.

Black-winged Stilts, Walker's Swamp, 1st January 2012

The flock heading directly towards me was a great sight.

The presence of a number of immature birds suggests they have bred locally with success again. Last summer I found a number of nests with eggs – see Finding a Stilt’s nest.

Immature Black-winged Stilt, Walker's Swamp, 1st January 2012.

One of the adults feeding in the shallows of Walker's Swamp.