New bird species list out
The total number of bird species recorded in the Park is now 162 and in 2019, 88 bird species were observed – more than half!
Flowering now – the sedges
Lepidospermum concavum – Sandhill Sword-sedge (top) is a handsome sedge with sharp-edged leaves often tipped with reddish-brown. Its flowers are small whitish, emerging from brown spikelets. Eleocharis acuta – Common Spike-sedge is a semi-aquatic sedge which spreads rapidly in shallow water with creeping rhizomes…
Pink Lake story
See the DELWP Biodiversity webpage under ‘Protecting the Pink Lake’ for the story of conservation and crowd control at the lake last year with quotes by our David Sparks. With the hot dry start to summer the salt lake turned pink again in early January…
Dec bird survey
The large Freshwater and Saltwater lakes have risen lately, which suits diving feeders, such as Hardheads, Australasian Grebes and Hoary-headed Grebes – suggesting aquatic invertebrates and other small prey are plentiful in the former. With several eucalypts flowering lightly, numerous nectar feeders are present, especially Rainbow Lorikeets,…
Flowering now
Westgate Park is quite dry despite the relatively cool weather. Most plants have finished flowering now and we are busy collecting seed. Here are some still in bloom in the Southern Wetlands
New Manager
We are delighted to announce Nicholas Brinkley’s appointment as Westgate Biodiversity’s Manager. He comes with excellent credentials in nursery management and a passion for the environment and revegetation. He has also worked with people with intellectual disabilities and is into botanical rarities, including carnivorous…
Our first photography workshop
Many beautiful photographs have been taken of Westgate Park but few have taken of the area after dark. This night time photography workshop is for beginners who have cameras that can be used in manual mode – preferably DSLRs. We will start indoors at…
Bili Nursery summer hours
From Nov to end Feb, Bili Nursery retail will only trade on Fridays – 10am to 4pm or by appointment (phone 9645 2477). Saturday retail will resume in March. Here’s why: The hot, dry conditions in Melbourne in late spring/summer mean there is less…
AGM invitation: 27 Nov
You are invited to the Annual General Meeting of the Westgate Biodiversity: Bili Nursery & Landcare Inc., held on Wednesday November 27th, 2019 at Port Ed, 343-383 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne (under the Port Control Tower) beginning at 6.30 pm. A light meal and…