It is a singular delight to have a remnant bush block like
Thornell’s Reserve on our Drouin doorstep. Situated between the Tarago River at
Picnic Point and the Princes Freeway, the reserve is like a little oasis for
wildlife in the middle of desert (farmland). A large suite of bird species is
complemented with wallabies, echidnas, skinks, possums and gliders and no doubt
much more (snakes, bats, invertebrates…?).
Recent birdlife at Thornell’s Reserve has included the
following …
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| Brown-headed Honeyeater (my personal 101st Drouin bird incidentally) |
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| Eastern Yellow Robin - always a delight |
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| Female Golden Whistler in mid-serenade |
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| Red-browed Finch with 'courtship grass' in the bill |
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| White-browed Scrubwren - ever present |
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| White-naped Honeyeater - a diagnostic angle (ha!) |
Thornell’s Reserve, and places like it, are not just havens
of habitat for wildlife that is under increasing pressure due to land clearing
and urbanization, they also contribute to the conservation of biodiversity; ameliorate
dryland salinity by helping to lower the water table; minimize soil erosion by
reducing surface run-off; help pest control by offering habitat to fauna
species that prey on pasture, tree and crop pests; provide economic value
through recreation, tourism, education and amenity; act as carbon sinks and
producers of clean air by absorbing atmospheric pollutants.
Healthy patches of
remnant bushland such as Thornell’s Reserve require all the protection we can
give them.
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