Safe in the Pouch

Lots of footage at the moment of mothers and their joeys. Might be a bit same-same, but we don't get sick of being in their midst, watching and observing their behaviour.

One morning we were sitting on the deck watching a small mob as they grazed. We started filming and were surprised when the mum moved towards us.

The mother was quite aware of our presence, but wasn't too fazed.

Early in the sequence, a male starts to court a female. Scratching at the ladies tail encourages her to urinate. He sniffs the urine to see if it's a good time. You can guess the rest.

In the background (easier to observe on the high definition version), their is a large male chasing off other suitors, as he was trying to have his way with one of the ladies.

A high definition version is located at :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL9sjMuKe5E

Enjoy!!

Recent sightings

Here's a snapshot of some of the sightings over the past few months.

Short-Beaked Corella pulling out Onion Grass and eating the bulbs 

Yellow-Tail Black Cockatoo's roosting in the dead branches of a tree

Crested Pigeon perched on a fence post

Local - wondering what we're doing?!?!

.......and another after rain.

Black Wallaby - minding its own business, and hoping we'll do the same.

Eastern Rosella

A pair of Sulphar-Crested Cockatoos - on the roof

Mum n' Joey - snoozing in the morning sun

Wedge-Tail Eagle - flyin' by.

Chestnut Teal family

Weasel Skink - warming up on the front garden wall 

White-Faced Heron - hangin' around the dam, hunting for frogs

.........another Wedge-Tail Eagle fly by

Pacific Heron (left) and White-Faced Heron (right) sharing the dam

Biggish male Kangaroo - grazing one morning

Five (5) White-Faced Heron's

......not good with our ID of insects........Black-Faced Percher Dragonfly (we thinks?)

Australian Kestrel - roosting on a fence post

Grazing in the evening

Hope you enjoyed!!!

A Tough Day at the Office

The following footage shows another young joey spending time out of the pouch. Still wonky on it's legs and repeatedly returning to mum and her teat for reassurance.

Typically, whilst others in the mob relax the mother remains standing - if danger approaches, by standing the joey has quick access into the pouch.

During the clip, you might notice a female making contact with a male (left of screen). This is most unusual as it's normally the male that initiates contact. The male pays no attention so the female moves away and lays down herself.

Apologies for the bumpy film.

Noting, a high resolution movie is available at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4AS3Kk9O1w

Enjoy!!

A mother and her joey

Spring is done, so many mothers are busy tending to the needs of their young - the following footage of a mother kangaroo and her joey was recorded a few days before Christmas.

Based on the wonkiness of the joey's legs, it's probably only the third or fourth time out of the pouch. Typically, the joey stays close to mum and keeps going back for reassurance, sticking it's head in the pouch to suckle on a teat before getting distracted and focusing on other matters............not unlike a human child. As is the way with native wildlife, there's lots of itching and scratching, scratching and itching.

The mum appears to be an experienced mum and will have had a few joeys over the years. She is on the alert, attentive, and seems quite sensitive to the joey's needs.

Have a Happy and Safe Festive Season!!

A little bit of privacy...please

Been a while since our last post.........been busy!!

We recently took the following footage through the shower door - fortunately the reflectance of the glass prevented the roo from seeing in. We don't feed any of the animals that frequent our property, so being a wild animal with little human interaction, had it spotted me it would certainly have taken flight.

We often have roos come to the doors and scratch on the glass so this isn't such an odd occurence - special, but not odd.

Enjoy!!

Happy Trails

We reckon there are three (3) or four (4) different mobs of kangaroos which frequent our property.  It's hard to determine due to the difficulty of recognising one mob from another, but from time to time, a kangaroo or two with distinguishing features facilitates the identification of a particular mob.

The mobs vary in size, and sometimes mobs break up into smaller groups, as they graze or bask in the sun, or hide from the wind or rain. Regathering into the large mob at another time or location.

The mobs tend to follow the same trails as they move about the country, moving from one grazing location to the next. We also use their trails as they often provide a gentler and easier traverse of steep slopes.

The following footage was taken using the motion camera secured to the branch of a fallen tree overhanging one of the trails. The footage provides some perspective of the size of the larger mobs. You'll notice other kangaroos moving in the same direction but through the bush, rather than using the trail.

Enjoy

Boys will be Boys

We find kangaroos to be extremely social animals, and we witness young males staying with their mother for 18 months, and the females can stay for two or three generations - so it is not uncommon the see a female with two young on the go.

There social structure is quite complex and seems much like human behavior in many ways. For example, it's the female which deems which male will be a likely suitor. Similarly, the displays the males put on to attract females are not unlike the interaction witnessed at a local nightclub or singles bar - the men jockeying for position, flexing their muscles, oozing testosterone, in the hope of impressing one of the females. As mentioned in a previous blog, the Alpha male has the best chance to serve.

To develop the techniques and the skills needed for the displays put before the females, male kangaroos start to box as soon as they leave the pouch. Initially, with mum, then with trees and shrubs, and later, with other young males. Continually improving skills and endeavouring to improve their position in the hierarchy, until a time comes that they need to face off against the reigning Alpha male.

The following footage is an example of two (2) young males - probably a couple of years old. These guys are still clumsy on their feet and have a long way to progress..

Enjoy!!

Voyeuristic Tendencies

As mentioned in a previous blog, our home acts as a hide, so we often find roo's looking through the windows.

The kangaroo's are very inquisitive, so it's not too surprising to have them peering through the windows and with glazing being reflective, they're often more focused on their own reflection than on what's going on inside.

The following photo was taken last Saturday. This young lady has a little pinky in her pouch, with another joey "on the foot", not too far away (not in shot).

After taking a few snaps, we were fortunate enough to also get a wee bit of footage before she ambled away.  

Enjoy!!

A hi-res video can be viewed at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH-d6vN7q6M

........................and found the following snaps in our photo archive:

A young fella looking at us, looking back at him - through the kitchen window

Peering out the front door with the camera, careful not to disturb mum with young joey in pouch

Lounging around the deck one sunny morn'.

This fella was way too intimidating to venture outside - taken from the safety of the home

New Camera

Recent photographs especially in poor light (eg. early morning or late afternoon) highlighted the inadequacies of our Digital Camera, so we've lashed out and purchased a Lumix FZ200 Digital Bridge Camera.

We're still getting used to it but here's a bit of a preview of some images we've taken recently whilst having a play. More to come..............

Wedge-Tail Soaring

....and again

......and once again

Lil' lady lookin' back at me

Her largish boyfriend grazing

Magpie foraging

Black Duck

Chestnut Teal

An adolescent boy lookin' a little flighty

A small congregation at dusk

Snapshot.........the arrival of a pair of Eurasian Coots and the landing of an Australian Kestrel

We awoke today to a beautiful sunny morning. A number of roos, were milling around the home, grazing. Some of the young adolescent males seemed bored, bouncing around for a bit, whacking something with their paws, before looking for something else to do, annoy, or muck about with.....typical boys we thinks.

To our surprise, a pair of Eurasian Coots (Fulica atra) were paddling on the dam. This is our first sighting of this species on the property so it was a very special start to the day.

Eurasion Coot

A little later in the morning, an Australian Kestrel (Falco chenchroides) landed on the driveway. A behaviour it has repeated almost daily over the last week or so. We don't understand why, but will continue to monitor.

Australian Kestrel - on the ground

.......still on the ground.

Fire mitigation and other benefits

Due to our proximity to the Mornington Peninsula National Park, and the Park being both to the North, and to the West, our fire plan deems "ember attack" as the most significant threat.

In the event of a wildfire, using galvanised buckets and cotton mops with long handles, our plan is to extinguish any embers or cinders which land on or around the house ahead of the flame front. We have a 1000 litre galvanised water tank at the southern side of the home to facilitate the recharging of our buckets. We considered the water storage close to the home in the planning phase of the house' construction - noting, our normal water storage is 14 meters below the level of the home, so water is pumped up to the house using 240v mains power. As we anticipate that all power will be cut should a wildfire occur, the 1000 litre tank will be our only source of water.

Keeping the grass very short around the house minimises the impact of the flame front, once it arrives.
Considering this, we conduct two (2) cuts per year, one in late spring, and another just prior to the fire season - for the rest of the year, the kangaroos keep the grasses sufficiently low.

By cutting in late spring, we benefit by the significant reduction of pasture grass seeds. We estimate that the biomass of seed-stock is reduced by up to 70% using this method. Timing is critical. Last year we were spot-on. The year before, we peaked a little early, and due to an extended Spring attributed to ongoing rains and milder weather, we needed to cut an extra couple of times..........but the plan is once.

Similarly, determining the fire season is just as difficult. Last year, we cut in mid' February, whilst this year, we mowed around the home in early January. One of the benefits of fire season cut, is the dispersal of native grass seeds. Ripening later than the introduced pasture grasses, the native grasses are ready just prior to the fire season.

So the mowing regime performs three (3) functions : 1) reduces introduced pasture grass seed stocks, 2) disperses native seeds, and 3) contributes to fire mitigation.

We've included some images to show that the vegetation around the home is minimal, lessening the impact of wildfires to ember attack, and minimising impact from direct flame and radiant heat.

Looking towards the North-West - the direction from which the fire is likely occur.

Looking South-East - again, negligable vegetation around the home

Looking West-ish - likely direction following an Sou'-west wind change
- down side of the hill might slow the wildfire somewhat.

........again, little or no vegetation that might contribute and/or impact on the home.

Alpha males

Much like humans, in the world of the kangaroo, it's the ladies who get to pick which of the males are permitted to serve.

In the following images, a female has backed up to a corner of the house to prevent the lesser males from getting behind her.

Female backed up to house

Males looking on - waiting for an opportnuity

One of the males trying to intimidate the others by looking large.

He most likely - making his way towards the female

Him and her

The boxing that people often find so amusing, is the method that kangaroo males determine who is the strongest. Watching on, the females can then decide who they will allow to serve them.

As the house essentially acts as a hide, when mobs of roos surround the house, we become immersed into their activities and behaviour. For example, we've learnt that as show of respect, and to submit from a fight, male roos cower and cough. In most instances, this action will immediately stop a fight. And we can identify whether a joey is a girl (relaxed, sensible, attentive) or a boy (impatient, naughty, cheeky, always wanting to box - whether another joey, or mum's ears)

It should also help us humans understand, when people have been "attacked" by a roo, it is the roo interpreting that the human wants to box, "GAME ON" as they say. Especially when you consider our natural reaction is to stand up (look bigger) if confronted, whereas, cowering to a roo is the best way to prevent an "attack".

A few years on................

It's been way too long since initially setting up this blog - with good intentions of regular updates..........alas. The enthusiasm has been there, and lots and lots of things have happened;  we've simply been focused on other matters.

Anyways, it's a new day, and we'll see how we go from here !?!?!

The most significant observation in the past couple of years has been the vast increase in animal activity around the home, eg. kookaburra's using the house and flagpole as a roost, blue-tongue lizards around the gardens, copper-head snakes living under the back deck, Grey-shrike thrushes debugging the eaves, blah-de-blah.

The dam has been home to various birds at different times, including Australasian Grebes (raising their young failed both years due to Swamp Harriers eating the fledglings), up to eight (8) White-faced Herons, Great Egret, Pacific Heron, Sacred and Straw necked Ibis, Latham's Snipes, Cormorants, etc.

Mammals? - Antechinus' and Ring-tail Possums using the shed as a refuge, Kangaroos a plenty, Swamp Wallabies grazing in the plantings...........all good.

We've been trialling some weed management techniques. Some worked, others didn't. This year, the hand weeding of grasses has commenced in the gully. Very significant we thinks, considering the past has focused on woody-weeds. Pasture grasses are also being reduced with our mechanical controls (read 'mowing the grasslands just before the pasture grasses set seed'). We are sure the native grasses are increasing in these areas so will continue to implement this technique and monitor.

Also purchased a KeepGuard camera and will post shots from time to time..........promise.

So here's a tempter for you - we set the camera up in the gully along one of the thoroughfares used by the animals.

Enjoy

Sunday morn

The mist is rising from the gully. Warm sunshine encourages a mob of fifty or so kangaroos to laze and bask in the sun. They've spread themselves around the house. Some are fully prone, one ear pricked to keep alert. Others graze or scratch an itch. The wind is light and from the nor-west.

Eight or ten Yellow-Tail Black Cockatoos amble in from the west, shrieking and calling in their arrival. They roost in a dead tree lower in the gully. Pulling bark from the dead limbs, they hunt for grubs.

A couple of Eastern Rosellas eat seed from the ground, another sits in a small Blackwood. A handful of Mane Ducks mingle around the dam picking off bugs and grubs. Two more wade in the dam, feeding, washing and preening.