Alastair Mackintosh Reports: One rat and two possums. Continuing the vandalised bird feeder story: Yes the “Loose Bowled Bandit” has been re-cycled. Setting up the game camera proved that not only the unknown culprit was a possum, but showed it was visiting the bird feeder just on dusk.

Will Reports: Kevin and I have been steadily working away on improving the walking track over the last month. Some time has been spent on removing old plant protection sleeves. The harder green plastic ones seem to get brittle and break up as they age and we don’t want little bits of plastic spread around.

Thank you to Brent & Bud for their donation of some trees for the gully.

A number of the rat traps have been knocked around, dislodged and baits stolen by the wekas. Food must be getting short for them and they have plenty of time to peck about on the tunnels trying to get either the bait or a caught mouse or rat.

Number native trees planted this season is 626 so far. This has consisted of 92 from TDC; 45 from Richard Farrar; 24 from Ross; 92 from Georgina Pahl; some from Karla & Alison and the rest from Kevin and me. Plus of course the trees via Brent and Bud’s donation. Kevin also supplied some potting mix and bought some beech trees.

Graph of Visitors Using the Tracks

This from TDC, shows the number of people per month using the tracks in the Richmond Hills for Easby Park (the most used); one of the bike tracks; Jimmy Lee Creek and Hill Street South (our gully tracks). Nearly all our working visits are not recorded as we go via private property – so there has been a good number of visits not recorded! It does show how popular these tracks are though. And the need for more protection in the native gullies, especially to keep them in their natural state.

Total Catches for July: 15 mice; 3 rats; 2 possums.

Thanks to the Gully Volunteer team, KRB, Pic’s Really Good Peanut Butter, Ewing’s Poultry, Mainly Natives, & Sarah & Rick Griffin.