A top-notch remnant

Of course I’m biased, but ‘good habitat = good birds’.

Grey Box/Yellow Gum remnant at Joyce’s Creek, 22nd February 2016

One of the absolute best patches of remnant vegetation in the district is on Plaistow at Joyce’s Creek. What makes it so special?

Firstly there is a super-structure of veteran trees – largely Yellow Gum and Grey Box, some of which must be 300 years old or more. Secondly there is a diverse shrub layer, added through some successful direct seeding work over a decade ago. Thirdly, and most importantly perhaps, is that the remnant has been carefully managed. For example, fallen branches and leaf litter has been allowed to accumulate, providing a rich assortment of microhabitats for invertebrates. This in turn now supports a rich array of reptiles and birds, such as the Brown Treecreeper pictured below.

Brown Treecreeper, Joyce’s Creek, 22nd February 2016

The subtle, black-streaked bib indicates a male

Another view of the male, intent on searching for insects

That elongated back claw is perfect for clambering around on tree trunks

The other feature of this remnant that I especially admire is that it feels like what I imagine ‘good bush’ used to be like. There are so few patches of true box-ironbark woodland left in central Victoria and most of it is confined to private land. We should all be grateful for the active and careful stewardship that will ensure this remnant improves in quality over coming years.

Top quality habitat