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Bingi Babbler
Binginwarri Landcare Group Newsletter No. 23 8th September 2014
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Have your say, share your experience or topic of interest in the next Bingi Babbler - Submit Here
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Co Chair: Kevin Heggen 5185 1322 hedleyrange@bigpond.com.au
Co Chair: John McClumpha 5185 1455 jd@incitegraphics.com.au
Minutes : Vacant Is this your name?
Newsletter: Kaye Proudley 5185 1398 kayeatbingi@.gmail.com
Social Secretary: Margaret Ferguson 5185 1358 bellbird127@gmail.com
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Co Chair: Kevin Heggen 5185 1322 hedleyrange@bigpond.com.au
Co Chair: John McClumpha 5185 1455 jd@incitegraphics.com.au
Minutes : Vacant Is this your name?
Newsletter: Kaye Proudley 5185 1398 kayeatbingi@.gmail.com
Social Secretary: Margaret Ferguson 5185 1358 bellbird127@gmail.com
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For interesting articles and plenty of photos, links to the YYLN or the JARR websites, or to read your newsletter online (don’t forget to let us know that you’re reading it online so we can save paper, trees & the ether from being polluted)
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Formal sub-committees are encouraged but they need to be approved at the Network AGM. This is perhaps the most significant change to the way some groups have been operating. Each group has also been setting the fees for the members of its own group and as such this would constitute independence in the eyes of the FTLA. So I propose that the network set the membership fee at $20, which is the best compromise, I can see of the various rates that groups are currently charging (currently ranging from $15-25). This can be effective from the next time subs are renewed. So what do you need to do? Pretty much nothing has changed from an operational standpoint. YYLN still very much values and needs sub-groups and so we will not want to undermine them in anyway. However we are conscious of the fact that insurance is an all pervading issue in this day and age and these minor changes will ensure your group and your activities are covered in the case of needing to make a claim. For those of you who are planning to have an “AGM” soon, simply calling it an annual meeting or winter meeting or yearly meeting or some such term will suffice. You can still choose your leaders and this will be ratified at a vote at the AGM. I know some of the groups don’t have a formal structure and you can simply go on as normal. I am still comfortable with the sub-groups having a petty cash tin for expenses such as hall hire and tea and coffee (assuming all in your group are also comfortable with this) and YYLN already has a sub-account in your name as part of its accounting package so that side of things is fine. Does any group have an ABN? I am not aware of any. This new information and * the attached document from the FTLA may raise some concerns and issues that I have not thought of. Please feel free to give me a call to discuss anything that needs raising. Other than the changes listed above I don’t see any need for groups to change what they are doing as I have always considered you part of the network but able to be autonomous in your own patch. By the way…The FTLA has set our 2014/15 insurance costs at $3.75 per member plus a group fee of almost $600, (based on the Network’s turnover, we are in the highest bracket for the group fee). Each year the co-ordinator takes from your account, the ‘per-member’ fee and a portion of the group fee so the costs are shared fairly by all. This will not change as technically the Network has always had control of your finances. However we would only access it for expenses you have agreed to or that you have caused the network to incur, such as membership and insurance Please, if you have any interesting information or photos to share, or suggestions on what you’d like to see here, please contact the editor. Here’s a link to CSIRO’s interesting new video clips - if you are interested and have the facility to play them - Science and Solutions for Australia provides the latest scientific knowledge on Australia's biodiversity. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3srtaIPWjydQQj8prVYbpVrTv3Ff98qs Found this article in The Weekly Times and thought that non-readers of that paper may be interested. It seems to me to be a no-brainer! POISONS CUT BIRD NUMBERS. By Alex Sampson: A link between declines in farmland bird populations and the use of neonicotinoid pesticides has been identified in a new research study. The report by Hallmann et al for Nature Magazine, showed pesticide use may reduce the amount of prey available to birds, and suggest neonicotinoids pose an even greater risk to wildlife than previously thought. Report author Dave Goulson said debate over the risks posed by neonicotinoid insecticides had been raging since the late 1990’s, when French beekeepers began blaming the chemicals for losses of honeybee colonies. Neonicotinoids are the world’s most widely used insecticides. “The prophylactic use of broad-spectrum pesticides goes against the long-established principles of integrated pest management” he said. “Concentrations in nectar and pollen in crops are sufficient to impact substantially on colony reproduction in bumblebees.” Last year the European Food Safety Authority stated that neonicotinoids posed an “unacceptable risk” to bees. The European Union imposed a two-year moratorium on the use of three widely used neonicotinoids on flowering crops and Australian beekeepers are calling for a similar measure. DID YOU KNOW: · Mosquito’s are responsible for approximately 2 million human deaths worldwide each year through the transmission of diseases like Malaria and Dengue Fever? · Bacteria can survive ten times the dose of radiation that would kill a human being? · Bats always instinctively turn left on exiting caves so that they don’t collide with each other? WHERE WE’VE BEEN AND WHAT WE’VE DONE: Our Annual Meeting at Bingi Hall had a good turn-up of people who sat through a short-ish meeting of an hour before listening to our speaker Susan Taylor from Dept. of Environment and Primary Industries who amazed us all with her stories of the birds’ journeys. And then came the fabulous lunch of delicious home-made soups made by John, Jenny and Kaye and crowned by Jude’s home-made herb bread to accompany the soup. Then delightful desserts by Margaret, Kay and Sally-Ann (TWO pavlovas, would you believe?). It was a cheery day despite the gloomy-looking faces of some attendees shown in the photo below!! 
Photo courtesy of Marg Ferguson
Treeguard removal at Mack’s Creek – Five people came along on the day (with three apologies) and whilst wet, muddy and a bit slippery underfoot, ‘about a ute load’ of guards & stakes were removed but were left onsite as there was no way to take them away. No leeches were recorded but that was only because Kaye (the leech-bait) was not there! We are going back next year to have another go at removals, as there are plenty more to be done. A picnic lunch was enjoyed on the day at the Mack’s Ck Hall with a little socialising going on. Come join us for treeguard removals next year. Watch your activities calendar coming at the end of the year. 
Photo courtesy of Jenny Wolswinkel
The Birdwatching trip with Woodside Landcare Group has been either postponed (for the 2nd year in a row) or cancelled. Treeplanting at Ferguson Farm in Devon North was postponed due to the ground being too soggy. Stay tuned for details when this will occur. CROW MORTALITY-RATE STUDY: A recent study has found over 200 dead ravens near Ceduna in South Australia and there was concern that they may have died from the Avian Flu Virus. A Bird Pathologist examined the remains of all the ravens, and he confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu – to everyone’s relief. However, he was also able to determine that 98% of the ravens had been killed by impact with large trucks, and only 2% were killed by impact with cars. The State then hired an Ornithological Behaviourist to determine the disproportionate percentage for the large truck versus car kills. The Ornithological Behaviourist determined the cause in short order. When ravens eat road kill, they always set up another crow as a lookout in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. His conclusion was that the lookout raven could say ‘’Cah’’, but could not say ‘’Truck’’. See you in the next Bingi Babbler edition, Kaye Proudley - Editor |
