R e p t i l e s o f B e n d i g o C r e e k M a m m a l s o f B e n d i g o C r e e k

Look out for us in summer . . . Look out for us at dusk . . . Native fauna of the

Boulenger’s Skink Native Water Rat Bendigo Creek I am one of the most common I’m most active at sunset and in A Family Field Guide skinks in the box-ironbark country. the night until dawn as I dive and

I love areas with fallen branches hunt for bugs, yabbies, and

and leaf litter where my colours frogs. Only the top of my head

help me hide. You’ll see me and back can be seen as I swim sunbaking in warmer weather but but my white tail tip might be I’ll scuttle away quickly if scared. easy to spot as I climb on land.

Common Long-necked Tortoise Sugar Glider

I search in the creek for water I rely on hollows in old gum trees to survive but will use nest boxes creatures but you may see me sunning myself on a snag or rock. if I have to. I sleep during the day

I roam overland after heavy rain and hunt up in the trees at night but will pull my neck under my searching for beetles and moths shell or spray you with smelly under bark, sap on trunks and wee if you try to touch me. nectar and pollen from blossoms.

Stumpy-tailed Lizard Brush -tailed Possum I am a slow-moving you Take your torch out at night and might see out in sunny areas. My you may see me. I could be up in camouflage colours and texture the trees feeding on gum leaves or keep me safe, as does my tail, that I might be on the ground eating

looks very much like my head to grasses. I like to nibble on gum trick my predators. If threatened, blossom s, large moths and I inflate my body and hiss loudly. for a treat and live in hollows.

Proudly produced by Lace Monitor Eastern Grey Kangaroo

If you notice making a noisy If you’re nice and quiet you might fuss, look up . . . they could be see me in along some parts of the

trying to shoo me from my resting Bendigo Creek. I rest under the

place on the trunk of a tree. I’m a shade of bushes and trees during

“Building Community Through Conservation” prehistoric looking fellow and I like the day and come out to more to eat other , baby birds, open areas to graze on native grass with funding from the Victorian Government’s eggs and small . and weeds in the late afternoon. Victorian Landcare Grants

B i r d s o f t h e B e n d i g o C r e e k Listen out for us . . . Look up for us . . . Look to the water for us . . .

Crested Shrike - tit Whistling Pacific Black Duck If you hear the sound of tearing I soar in the skies above water and I like to puddle around in the calm bark, look up – it may be me ! farmland with my wings in the sheltered waters of Bendigo Creek With my cool rock star looks, I shape of an ‘M’, in search of dead but also enjoy areas of open water search for in gum trees by and live prey. I build a nearby. I am quite dull in colour ripping the bark from branches large stick nest in tall trees close apart from a flash of purplish- and peeking underneath. My to the creek and call with a falling green on my wing and a bandit- yellow chest also gives me away. whistle before 4-5 rising notes. like eye band.

Laughing Kookaburra Dusky Woodswallow Sacred Kingfisher

You’ll be sure to start smiling as I glide in circles overhead, I’m a stout little fellow with an my happy laughter fills the bush. chasing flying insects for my over-sized beak. You might not

My cackles let other birds know lunch. When I land on a branch I notice me sitting on a branch like a which part of the creek is my usually swivel my tail as I get statue, but once I spy a fish you’ll home. I lay eggs in a tree hollow settled. My blue beak is quite see a flash of bluey-green swoop and eat insects, worms, frogs & distinctive and white stripes on down to the water as my patience yabbies with my strong beak. my outer wings help you find me. is rewarded with a slippery catch.

Noisy Miner Rainbow Bee-eater Clamorous Reed-warbler I am bold and curious. I like to I visit the Bendigo Creek in the I’m a talented song-bird with a spend time with my other Noisy spring and summer. After waiting beautiful melodic call, but Miner friends. We feed together, patiently on an exposed branch I camouflaged so well that you’ll breed together and boss other swoop like an acrobat through the rarely see me. I spend my time birds around with our constant air to catch them in flight. I don’t hidden in the water reeds, prizing piping ‘pwee-pwee-pwee’ calls. make a stick nest . . . . I tunnel into insects and balancing delicately on I feed on nectar, fruits & insects. sandy creek banks to lay my eggs. upright stems with my thin legs.

Musk Lorikeet Welcome Swallow Dusky Moorhen

You’ll probably hear me before From below you’ll notice my You might see me pecking on the

forked tail as I catch insects mid- bank for insects and worms but if you see me. I zoom past with parrot friends on my way to the air that hover above the water. I’m disturbed I’ll scoot to the next flowering gum where I Bendigo Creek also provides me water and all you’ll see is my

blend in with the green leaves with the mud I need to build my white rump disappearing into the and use my brush-tipped tongue cup-shaped nest and sheltered water reeds. It’s here, well- to eat sweet pollen and nectar. bridges to build my nest under. protected, that I build my nest.

B i r d s o f t h e B e n d i g o C r e e k Look to the vegetation for us . . . . in the grasses, amid the shrubs and among the branches

Australian Magpie Superb Fairy Wren Long-billed Corella I am one of the first birds you will My active nature, trill call and Don’t confuse me with my loud, hear in the morning, singing in a brilliant blue features make me well-known cousin the Cockatoo. new day. My bold colours make easy to spot. I strut around My small crest is white, I have blue me easy to spot and you will most proudly with my much duller skin around my eye and splashes certainly know I’m around if I female friends, nimbly snatching of pink on my face. I eat seeds swoop you in the spring to defend insects among the grass and low with my strong beak and spend the blue-green eggs in my nest. shrubs beside the creek. time with other Corellas.

Galah Crested Pigeon Grey Shrike-thrush

I’m a loyal friend, choosing My cool black spiky crest helps me Nature can teach us valuable another galah as my mate for life. stand out from the crowd along lessons . . . I may look dull, but I

I gather in larger flocks, chattering with my barred wings and pinkish have one of the sweetest singing away excitedly at sunset or when ring around my eye. I might give voices of all birds. It just goes to rain is on it’s way. I lay my eggs in you a fright if I take off nearby as show, you should never judge the hollows of gum trees lined my special wings make a whistling something by it’s looks and that with fresh leaves and wood chips. sound in flight. everything on earth has a talent.

White-plumed Honeyeater Grey Fantail Australian Magpie-lark Creeks lined with River Red Gums You’ll find me either chasing I am similar to a Magpie but smaller, are my favourite homes. I spend all insects from the leaves with with a whiter chest and white eye. I day busily searching for nectar, fruit, amazing acrobatic tricks or use mud collected from the creek insects and the sugary liquid left perched on a branch constantly bank to build my cup-shaped mud behind by leaf-sucking insects. My fanning my tail. My nest looks like nest. My 'pee-wee' call is sung as a brush-tipped tongue helps me a wine glass with a meticulously duet with a mate and we take turns

gather the sticky food I need. built cup above a tapering stem. to raise our wings when calling.

Striated Pardalote Eastern Rosella Willie Wagtail I am a small bird with a short tail I am a very colourful member of I run around on the ground, and blunt beak. I move around the parrot family. You’ll often see wagging my fan tail to flush small like an acrobat in search of insects me flying overhead in pairs, making insects up from the grass, then I among the leaves, often seen a high-pitched ‘clink-clink’ call or quickly spin around to snap them

hanging upside down. I nest in a feeding on seeds in the grass. I also up. I spend days making a delicate hollow tree or work with my mate eat fruit, buds or nectar and usually cup-shaped nest of woven spider to dig a tunnel in the creek bank. hold food in my right claw. webs that I defend strongly.

A b o u t t h e F i e l d G u i d e T h e B e n d i g o C r e e k T r a i l F r o g s o f B e n d i g o C r e e k

This field guide was designed to complement the Northern Bendigo Huntly & beyond Listen out for us croaking away . . .

km Proposed trail extension Walking Only Landcare Group’s restoration project between Epsom and Huntly and the Bendigo Creek Trail between Epsom and Kangaroo Flat. 5 Howard St Epsom

It contains some of the birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs that you Growling Grass Frog I am a threatened species but have might see or hear most frequently due to their prevalence, or their km

conspicuous behaviour; their movement and calls. Scott St White Hills found a home nearby certain parts 2.3 of the Bendigo Creek. If I am male You will be more likely to see a greater diversity of Bendigo Botanic Gardens species along sections of the trail with better habitat I call after rain in spring, summer values. You may also see other species along the trail and autumn with short grunts, not featured here. ending with a long deep growl . . . Take this family-friendly guide along as you enjoy the Bendigo Creek and tick the bird, frog, and km 3.3 O’Keefe Rail Trail ‘crok-crok-crok-crok-crawark’. reptile species off as you encounter them. Lake Weeroona

Thanks to Anne Bridley of the Bendigo Field Naturalists Club Pobblebonk for her valued advice and Marlene Lyell of Birdlife Echuca for Nolan St

m My name helps you remember my her stunning bird images. call - one single ‘bonk’. Although,

1.7 k 1.7 once I call, my mates often join in

Rosalind Park and we all love to get together

and call lots and lots after rain. I View St BENDIGO CBD use my arms and legs to burrow A b o u t t h e L a n d c a r e G r o u p backwards into soft mud or sand. Trail here follows roads

The Northern Bendigo Landcare Group formed in 2007. They are an energetic group, passionate about community building through Common Froglet hands-on conservation of the cultural and natural environment. My series of ‘crick crick crick crick’ km 5.1 Cooinda Park calls are very similar to a cricket.

They collaborate with a range of groups and organisations to achieve My chirping can be heard coming a wide variety of goals including the preservation and enhancement Alder St Golden Square of natural areas, educational activities, community engagement from plants at the water’s edge all events, monitoring, and offering support to new and existing day and all year round, most often landholders in the White Hills, Epsom, Huntly and Bagshot areas. after rain. I must hide well as I am Gateway Park

Their Bendigo Creek Restoration Project involves enhancing a favourite meal for water birds. Browning St Rosalind Park biodiversity and habitat values between Epsom and Huntly, whilst encouraging greater awareness of and interaction with this often misunderstood waterway. It entails weed control, revegetation,

km Kangaroo Flat Spotted Marsh Frog installation of nest boxes, monitoring, signage and community I am well adapted to urban areas,

4.6 engagement events. They look forward to the trail extension.

calling all year round with a long

Furness St For more information about the NBLG see their website: series of ‘kuk-kuk-kuk’ notes. In

http://northcentral.landcarevic.net.au/northern-bendigo

Crusoe and No 7 Park dry times I shelter in cracks in the

ground under rocks. If looking for Sealed Bendigo Creek Trail

For more information on the trail, contact Proposed Trail Extension me, make sure you return rocks to

the City of Greater Bendigo on 5434 6000 Bendigo Creek Field Guide designed by Nicole Howie, Northern Bendigo Landcare Group the way you found them. Areas with better habitat