I am still learning about native plantings and, like most gardens, ours is a work in progress. As humble as it is, it is home to a variety of creatures. The planting of natives has given us the pleasure of welcoming local wildlife, an immeasurable joy.
Little lizards are everywhere and, to a lesser degree, skinks rustling in the mulch. We frequently spot blue tongue lizards with a baby blue-tongue trying to get through the screen door on one occasion and we have also spotted the odd small snake when digging at the back and side fences.
There are a number of bugs and insects in the garden, most of which I am unable to identify apart from the odd grass-hopper. We have never seen the Swallow-tail Butterfly emerge from its Chrysalis on our Haitian Lime but have come close. A native wasp nest was attached to the outside back roof but it is not in evidence now.
Back in 2020 we had a family of small green tree frogs. One frog lived in our outdoor drain and would, on the occasional night, come up and onto the laundry tub and sit there but be gone by the morning. Another one would sit just outside our back door in the dark and we were pleased that we saw him prior to stepping on him. Over time we learnt to look for him when going outdoors after dark. In the last few years the number of frogs has dwindled dramatically and we rarely see them, though we hear them in a good downpour, if not from our garden then at least in the neighbourhood. Sedge frogs seem to like a dip in our pool and fortunately we have been able to save all but one.
There is also plenty of bird life in the garden. Pee-wees walk their way around the garden and will spend quite some time unless disturbed. Crested pigeons can also be found foraging on the ground and stay in the garden until interrupted. Busy little fan-tails pay seasonal visits, wagging their tails and tweeting and wattle birds frequent the garden and have built a nest in our lilly pilly.
Other birds come to feed with the friar birds and blue eyed honey-eaters feasting on the grevillea. Rainbow lorikeets visit, especially when the golden pendas are in flower.
Magpies are also a joy with their song, running along the ground, coming in so close when we are working in the garden and even sitting on the shovel and tools whilst eyeing off the bugs and worms. Butcher birds come to sing both in front and back garden, mesmerising us with their calls. We have sometimes seen a pheasant coucal here walking up and down along our back fence and trying to hide amongst the trees on both sides.
We have a number of noisy miners also visiting our garden, often chasing other birds. Sunrise Beach has its share of the introduced Indian myna but they have not come into our garden for quite some months. A rumour we are happy to believe is that, if you have grevillea in the garden the mynas will stay away.
Flying foxes visit just after sunset most evenings, screeching a while then moving on.
I cannot lay claim to the yellow-tailed black cockatoos that occasionally visit our neighbour’s well established banksia, although the banksia overhangs the adjoining fence much to our delight.
As I write this on a sunny, 29 degree day here in Sunrise, after the havoc of Alfred, I wonder if it is just my imagination, the heat or otherwise, but the birds don’t seem as busy in the garden as they were a month back.
However the wonderful sound of birdsong is very present so we remain content.
Kay Southam
