Departing Pipit

The Australian Pipit is an open habitat bird that can occupy a wide range of grassland, farmland and wasteland locations. It is mostly sedentary and stays in the same place for several seasons.

Pipit - recorded at Gum Scrub Ck wetland 2019, 2020 & October 2021

The camouflage and shy nature of the Pipit means it is not often seen although it is described in some references as a common and abundant bird. The first sighting is usually when the bird is accidentally flushed. It generally flies off close to the ground for a short distance, lands, wags its tail up and down (the Pipit is related to the Wagtail), and then seems to completely disappear as it merges into its surroundings.

Australian Pipits are very terrestrial. They feed on ground-level insects and build their nest in a simple depression in the ground.

Some researchers suggest the Pipit is in decline due to improved pasture, pesticides, predation and urbanization.

A survey in October by Friends of Drouin’s Trees recorded Australian Pipits in Gum Scrub Creek wetland, right beside the Two Towns Trail, just east of Hopetoun Rd. The Gum Scrub Creek wetland birds have been seen there for several seasons now and appear to have been well established.

June 2019

For how much longer?

Circa 2019

A new sub-division in the location will certainly impact on the bird’s habitat. It will be interesting to see if the bird survey in April 2022 records a Pipit in Drouin. (An as yet unidentified Sun-orchid was recorded in the same location on the same day last month)

November 2021

Like the Pipit, the time to move on is approaching?

Greenwashing

 

Remember when BP meant ‘British Petroleum’?

Back in 1997, BP engaged an advertising company to launch a $200m re-branding of the company. A new image showing a warm and fuzzy sunburst was devised and now we have ‘Beyond Petroleum’. 

BP still gains its profits from a fossil fuel. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico spewed more than 700 million litres of crude oil into the sea for 87 days. The BP CEO at the time suggested the amount of oil was “relatively tiny in a very big ocean”. It was one of the world’s worst ever environmental disasters.

The re-branding of BP is known as greenwashing - the practice of making brands appear more environmentally sustainable than they really are.

BP of course is not alone in trying to greenwash their image. McDonald’s paper straws LINK, IKEA’s illegal logging LINK, Volkswagen’s ‘dieselgate’ LINK, Nestlé’s plastic initiative LINK, are all examples of big corporations trying to convince consumers of their green credentials. And, there’s plenty more.

Superannuation funds is another area where greenwashing has been evident. Some super funds declare that their investments (of your money), are green or ethical. ASIC is currently investigating several misleading and misrepresenting claims by some superannuation companies LINK.

Greenwashing was very prolific at COP 26 in Glasgow LINK. Large companies, even governments, spent up big trying to convince delegates, and the world press, of their green climate change credentials.

Closer to home, it isn’t difficult to find examples of greenwashing at federal, state and local government levels. In this ever-shrinking world, it pays to read the fine print and even then, don’t believe everything you read without some deeper research.

(Please note: This blog post does not necessarily represent the views of all members of the Friends of Drouin’s Trees)

The Oaks of Oak St

The Oak trees in Oak St Drouin have come into full leaf for another summer.

These magnificent trees provide welcome shade to the playground of the Oak St kindergarten and of course, what child doesn’t enjoy collecting acorns. 

Oak St is the site of the original saleyards for Drouin. The location was very convenient for access to the railway station for freighting stock, to Melbourne particularly. It is thought the trees were probably planted in the early 1900s to provide shelter for animals as they waited there turn for sale or transport. The trees look large in photographs of the area taken in 1936. English Oaks can live for hundreds of years, the oldest known alive today is believed to be 1500 years old, so the kindergarten Oaks can be expected to be providing shelter for many years to come. 

Circa 1930. Credit nla.gov.au

The Oak St Kinder was established in 1964 and the iconic Oak trees are still providing welcome summer relief and winter sculptural beauty.

The species English Oak, Quercus robur, is known for its long-lasting, endurable timber which is often sought after for furniture products. In many European countries, the Oak Tree has considerable status. It is the national emblem of England, a symbol of romanticism in Germany and many Oak trees in France are considered sacred.

In their European home range, Oaks contribute considerably to the biodiversity. The acorn fruit is eaten by squirrels and the leaves, bark and fruit are host to a variety of insects. Australian birds and mammals appear to make very little use Oak trees.

Oak bark can be dried and ground into a powder for topical and oral use, and it has been used for medicinal purposes throughout history.

The Oaks of Oak St are an enduring symbol of strength, survival and protection.

 

“The oak tree is a brave old tree,

It lives to be quite old,

It gives good shade in summer,

And stands the winter's cold.

The men who build the stately ships

That sail across the sea

Think there's no wood so strong, so good

As the brave old white oak tree.” - Anonymous