Friends of Stradbroke Island

Bush Stone Curlew.  (Bruce Martin) Off Point Lookout the Manta Rays will have returned and dolphins with new calves may sometimes be sighted. Koala breeding season is in full swing over summer. This is a time of increased activity and movement on the ground between trees, particularly from around November to January, and extra care should be taken when driving near koala habitat during this time especially around all the townships, Myora and along the road to Amity. The breeding season commences around July-August and can extend through until around April-May. Migratory bird numbers are peaking as the last of the juveniles arrive from their breeding grounds in Siberia and Central Asia. This is a great time to check out Dunwich’s Bradbury Beach high tide roost (early in the day before disturbance) and the tidal wetlands at Amity and Swan Bay. Birds to look for include Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar Tailed Godwit and Grey Tailed Tattler. Many woodland trees incl...

If we are serious about protecting our koala population, the recent bush fires on the Island highlight the need for all koala habitat and potential habitat to be protected and preserved.  The reason is simple.  If there is an extensive bush fire which burns down koala habitat,  koalas which escape the fire obviously need alternative habitat which they may not currently occupy. We know that koala habitat is being destroyed on a daily basis at the island’s sand mines.  The company’s own documents reveal this.  A few months ago we sent members the references in the company’s environmental reports which establishes this. In other words, this comes “from the horse’s own mouth”. But Sibelco is doing its best to focus attention on the so-called ‘urban koala’ and on koalas temporarily occupying revegetated mined areas. Its motive is obvious. It wants the focus away from what is occurring on its active mining leases. While FOSI of course is concerned about th...

The CSIRO is working on a national marine debris project which has as its aim identifying the threat to wildlife. The plastic ingestion and entanglement of marine species, especially turtles is something we are familiar with on Stradbroke due to the valuable local work of UQ scientist Kathy Townsend. The CSIRO is also looking at the impact on seabirds. The cause of the Shearwater strandings on Stradbroke beaches in 2010 and 2012 and possibly on earlier occasions, have been put down to the stresses of the long migratory process but this is now queried by the CSIRO researchers. Debris is now a suspect. The massive amount of plastic and other debris washed up on Stradbroke beaches this year is an unavoidable indication of how much non-degradable rubbish the ocean creatures have to live with. ^

One of Straddie’s most delightful common birds, the Willie Wagtail was recently the subject of a blog by Queensland wildlife writer Robert Ashdown. Robert gave permission to FOSI to reproduce his musings… “I don’t usually associate Willie Wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys) with beaches, but some beautiful images taken at North Stradbroke Island by Michael Hines made me ponder just how ubiquitous these real characters are. A jaunty-looking Willy Wagtail ponders the surf, North Stradbroke Island. Not your average backyard. Willie Wagtail on sand and pumice, Stradbroke Island. Willie Wagtails are one of five species of fantails (small flycatchers) in Australia. They are found throughout the mainland of Australia and, less commonly, in northern Tasmania. Mainly sedentary or locally nomadic, they tend to be solitary or to occur in pairs, but small flocks may form, where they are often mixed with species such as grey fantails. The Willie Wagtail is one of Australia’s most famil...

Straddie Wildlife Rescue is seeking volunteers in all townships to help with island rescues. You will be trained, equipment will be provided and your expenses will be covered. You will not be required to care for the animal, just help rescue it and deliver it to a qualified carer. If you are interested in wildlife care training, that can be arranged as well, at a later date. Rescue is our current urgent need. Please ring 0407 766 052 or email lee@ataglance.com.au if you are interested. It is an incredibly rewarding experience and a wonderful way to contribute to the community.

A Pied Cormorant catches a Butter Bream, east end of Deadman's Beach. Tringa incana, Wandering Tattler. (Heyn de Kock) Rainbow Bee Eater, above the Quarry, Timbin Road. Heart Urchin, Echinocardium cordatum. A wind direction change in Moreton Bay results in water current direction change with subsequent erosion of Sea Grass beds harbouring Heart Urchins. These have washed up on Deadman's Beach. Everlasting daisy, Xerochrysum bracteatum. (Bruce Martin)   Bush Stone Curlew, Amity Caravan Park.

Off Point Lookout the Manta Rays will have returned and dolphins with new calves may sometimes be sighted. Koala breeding season is in full swing over summer. This is a time of increased activity and movement on the ground between trees, particularly from around November to January, and extra care should be taken when driving near koala habitat during this time especially around all the townships, Myora and along the road to Amity. The breeding season commences around July-August and can extend through until around April-May. Migratory bird numbers are peaking as the last of the juveniles arrive from their breeding grounds in Siberia and Central Asia. This is a great time to check out Dunwich’s Bradbury Beach high tide roost (early in the day before disturbance) and the tidal wetlands at Amity and Swan Bay. Birds to look for include Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar Tailed Godwit and Grey Tailed Tattler. Many woodland trees including Brush box, Blackbutt, Pink Bloodwood and Euodia are in b...

Feral fox Main Beach North Stradbroke Island. Due to the excellent efforts of Michael Dickinson, Wildlife Spotter / Catcher, 111 foxes in total have been trapped on land controlled by RCC on the Island. Michael has also had a big impact on the population of feral Myna birds with 38 Mynas trapped and humanely disposed of. Michael reports that the Myna’s movement patterns have changed as from July this year - possibly due to breeding time or pressure as they have left Amity [38 caught from a group of 40+] and are now very sparse in Point Lookout. Numbers of Mynas are still present in Dunwich but not as visible as before.