A raven was observed at Lorne, perched on a pole at the Fisherman’s Co-op, which is at the start of the Pier.
According to Tom Fletcher, from the Geelong Field Naturalists Club (GFNC), it was calling continuously, with a loud descending call, and had very pronounced, long, bulging throat hackles, and a medium sized bill. The description certainly indicated that the bird was an Australian Raven except for the location. Craig Morley pointed out that according to the Bird Atlas, corvids that occur in the Otways are either Forest Ravens, or at the edges, Little Ravens. However, Tom is an experienced and knowledgeable bird watcher, and he is familiar with the characteristics, the appearance and the sounds made by Australian Ravens, hence he has no hesitation in calling the Lorne bird an Australian Raven. He is also asking that Angair members, especially the Bird Group, while out and about, watch and listen for Australian Ravens, and not just assume that the birds, seen and heard, are necessarily Forest Ravens or Little Ravens.
Two local environmental groups, the Friends of Eastern Otways (FEO) and the GFNC have had some interesting sightings in their fauna surveys. At Distillery Creek, the GFNC found several Agile Antechinus, and Bush Rats, also bats – one Lesser Long-eared Bat, two Little Forest Bats and one Southern Forest Bat.
For over three years, the Friends of Eastern Otways, with government grants, and supported by Parks Vic, DEPI, Alcoa, Angair, other conservation and community groups, and the children from St Bernards College and Anglesea Primary School have worked to restore habitat on the area of bushland adjoining the primary school and the Anglesea Riding Club in the Coalmine Rd – Camp Road area.
They had hoped to find clear evidence that Southern Brown Bandicoots inhabit the site, as some has been seen there, as well have their diggings. The only fauna that their cameras have managed to detect have been Black Wallaby, Echidna, Blue Wrens and Shrike Thrush, with many examples of Foxes, Rabbits and Cats.
They were thrilled on their most recent survey to obtain a photograph of a small marsupial, identified as an Eastern Pygmy Possum. This endearing little creature, with its large ears, long tail and snub nose, shelters in a nest of bark and leaves in tree hollows and breeds from August to April. It feeds mainly on nectar and pollen, and there are some great photos, taken by nature photographers, of the tiny creatures on flowering grass-trees or banksias. It would be just so exciting to think that this species may be breeding in this restored site.
