At 6.30pm on Tuesday 24 May, Simon Griffith, Professor and Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University will give a talk to the Society entitled ‘The house sparrow in Australia: Lessons from an introduced bird’. All members and their friends are invited – the event will be held in the downstairs meeting room at Benledi, Glebe Library and will be followed by a glass of wine.

On the morning of 5 March, a member of the Subcommittee (Judy Christie) saw two Superb Fairy Wrens near 153 St Johns Rd, Forest Lodge, in a dense, prickly conifer. The location is just near Jarocin Ave and close to Glebe Town Hall – so more incentive to get that Glebe Town Hall garden going! The City has finally removed the grass from the gardens on either side of the front entrance to the Hall and native flora has been planted; the Development Application for these plantings was approved by the City six years ago.

Plantings of blue wren friendly native flora at the entrance to Glebe Town Hall, March 2016 (photo: Helen Randerson).
Plantings of blue wren friendly native flora at the entrance to Glebe Town Hall, March 2016 (photo: Helen Randerson).

The Friends of Orphan School Creek Bushcare Group held a working bee on Sunday 13 March and 30 tube stock of native flora were planted. The Subcommittee’s long hose was used to water the new plants and there has been frequent rain since so they should quickly become established. A community planting day with a focus on small bird habitat plants will be held from 9.30am on Saturday 7 May and all members are welcome to attend.

In John Street Reserve, work continues on the establishment of the biodiversity garden with the installation of stonework along the John St boundary and the brick path through the park.

Following letterboxing of local residents, members of the Glebe Palmerston and Surrounds Landcare Group met at 2pm on Saturday 19 March at the junction of Keegan Ave and Palmerston Reserve. In addition to weeding, a written survey was conducted to determine the expertise and skills of Group members. An action plan is being drawn up to itemise the plants required for the various sections of the Reserve; the City is still to install a water tap in the lower part of the Reserve.