Wannon River Ramble

Leaders: John & Glenys Cayley, for several sessions.

Good company and knowledgeable people. Keen walkers both young and aged had very enjoyable walks along the Wannon River with a chorus of bird calls in the background. It was great to see the water flowing with the Water Ribbon weed delicately lying on top – a very serene setting.
We came across several hundred kangaroos which hopped over the fence designed to keep them out. This mob of kangaroos had been resting in the shade on the other side of the Wannon until disturbed. We also saw fox and a rabbit both out in the early morning looking for breakfast. Many different birds were sighted and then on the way back up through the Stringybark forest many different native orchids and other wildflowers were sighted including tall and small greenhoods, pink lady finger orchids and spider orchids. Lots of Echidna diggings but no Echidnas were seen.

Highlights included

  • A great discussion about the Wannon River and its source in the Grampians and changed water regimes.
  • The unified pause to listen to the sound of the Grey Shrike-thrush.
  • Seeing an Echidna in heaven! Snuggled into ant-ridden bark in the hollowed base of a tree.
  • Great clumps of fungi on rotting logs.
  • A great mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos hopping over the fence and up the hill.
  • A visitor from America was delighted to see all the Kangaroos standing looking at her.
  • Beautiful water ribbons swirling on the surface of the Wannon River.
  • Fantastic River Red Gums growing along the river’s edge.
  • Stunning song from Grey Shrike-thrush.
  • Beautiful walk along the river flats to a wonderful view of Mt. Sturgeon and Mt. Abrupt.
  • Lovely walk up hill through Helen Anderson’s property with Helen showing us some orchids.
BIRDS

Crimson Rosella

Gang Gang Cockatoo

Grey Fantail

Grey Shrike-thrush

Kookaburra

Long-billed Corella

Magpie

Pacific Black Duck

Pallid Cuckoo

Pied Currawong

Red Wattlebird

Red-browed Firetail

Rufus Whistler

Scarlet Robin

Spotted Pardalote

Striated Pardalote

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Superb Fairy-wren

White-plumed Honeyeater

White-throated Tree-creeper

Australian Wood (Maned) Duck

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Yellow-rumped thornbill

Abandoned (Black?) Duck egg at the foot of a Red Gum.
FLORA

Austral Bracken – Pteridium esculentum

Black Wattle – Acacia mearnsii

Blackwood – Acacia melanoxylon

Blue Stars – Chamaescilla corymbosa

Brown Stringybark – Eucalyptus baxteri

Cherry Ballart – Exocarpos cupressiformis

Common Buttercup – Ranunculus lappaceus

Common Fringe-myrtle – Calytrix tetragona

Dagger Hakea – Hakea teretifolia

Early Nancy – Wurmbea dioica

Guinea Flower – Hibbertia spp.

Hedge Wattle – Acacia Paradoxa

Horny Conebush – Isopogon ceratophyllus

Ivy-leaf Violet – Viola hederacea

Kangaroo Apple -Solanum laciniatum

Purple Diuris – Diuris Pardina

Lichen

Love Creeper – Comesperma volubile

Maroonhood – Pterostylis pedunculatac

Nodding Greenhood – Pterostylis nutans

Pale Sundew – Drosera peltata

Pink Fingers – Caladenia carnea

Pink Sun Orchid – Thelymitra carnea

Plain-lip Spider-orchid – Caladenia clavigera
Prickly Tea-Tree – Leptospermum scoparium

Scentbark -Eucalyptus aromaphloia

Scented Sundew – Drosera whittakeri

Senecio spp

Sheath Star – Hypoxis vaginata

Sheep’s Burr – Acaena echinata

Sword Sedge – Gahnia ancistrophylla

Tall Greenhood – Pterostylis longifolia

Toad Rush – Juncus bufonius

Twining Fringe-lily – Thysanotus patersonii

Water Ribbon – Triglochin procera

Wood Sorrel – Oxalis perennans

MAMMALS

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Echidna

Fox

Hare

Rabbit