Brisbane Indian Myna Workshop

Laura and Kevin have just returned from Brisbane where they ran an education, trapping and trap building workshop for Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (known as B4C).
There was a mixed group of over 25 people present for the morning session where Laura talked about the Indian Myna problem why they are so bad, how to combat it and how trapping can assist to maintain the balance and allow our wonderful natives to survive.
After they enjoyed a healthy lunch Kevin then lead the remainder through an introduction to trap building focusing mainly on the trickier sections so that people could go away and build their own traps. This is the first time we have run a trap building session and although we saw ways to improve the session those that stayed appeared to learn and enjoy. We found it a rewarding trip and hopefully those who attended felt the same.

Modified PeeGee trap to reduce freight costs

We have had lots of enquiries for our really well built PeeGee traps and although we charge only $25 for a trap the freight costs made then them too expensive for most trappers. So with lots of help from our trap builders we have come up with a modified version where the smaller trapping section fits inside the larger holding section thus halving the over all volume. Although the trap requires a bit of assembly this modification reduces the freight cost to around $30 for most NSW and southern Queensland.

The traps are supplied with detailed assembly instructions as well as how to trap hints and a small bag of our preferred bait (ie Lucky Dog Minis).

The pictures below show the trap as delivered and the result after a bit of assembly. For a copy of the assembly instruction please click



Modified trap as delivered

Assembled trap ready to go.

6300 Indian Mynas down

It's been a rather slow 2014 winter period for trapping mynas possibly due to very low rainfall but we are still putting a dent in their numbers and helping maintain a balance for the betterment (is that a word?) for our native wildlife.  Tally is over 6,300  (Jan 2011 - Aug 2014).  Well done everybody.

Can you spot the threatened species?

Look what Bevan caught in his myna trap overnight!!

NSW Threatened Species, Spotted-tailed Quoll. Gorgeous to know they are still around hanging out on the edge of Grafton (not the first one I have seen in Grafton). Interesting that Bevan successfully trapped two foxes prowling around his yard not too long ago. Also interesting that these are one of the species that we are most concerned about with cane toad invasion. Thanks for sharing Bevan - a gorgeous creature! Sharon.

15/10/11 - Let the toadbusting season commence!

With lightning crackling and rain threatening, 3 intrepid toadbusters set off to Warregah Island to celebrate the start of the official CIA toadbust season. As texted to Secret Agent Davidge "we laugh in the face of danger - ba ha ha!"

It was so nice to catch up with the landholders and they all provided so much support and local information over the phone and on the night. Matt G and Reid from USYD came along to observe Bevan, Ant and I as we bagged 78 cane toads for the night. It was a little hard not to feel like a lab rat a few times!

The best score for the night was finding an endangered frog - absolutely jaw dropping.

Giant Barred Frog (Mixophyes iteratus) - endangered in NSW.

We suspect this big frog took a wrong turn at the bridge.

We also found a Barn Owl on Chatsworth Island on the way home. I love getting out at night!

Barn Owl on Chatsworth Island

So, a little cool still but we would like to think we took a few toads out that were stretching their flippers and thinking about getting up to no good for the night. See you at Brooms Head Friday night! Cheers, Sharon.

Intersting Bycatch in Myna Trap at Byron

Wendy Gibney, Invasive Species Officer at Byron has been catching a number of other species in myna traps, including:

• Carpet Python
• Blue Tongue Lizard
• Water Dragon
• Dusky Moorhens
• Crested Pigeons
• Noisy Miners
• Rats
• Cane toads
• and finally....

a cat!

Puss in cage. Photo: Peter Gibney

What Bevan and Donna caught in their myna trap this week...

A massive Blue Tongue Lizard! Lucky these traps are non-lethal. He followed Donna while she took some photos. Cute!

Angourie toadbust - 11/03/11

What a night! We had two new toadbusters which was great as Imelda knew all of the secret pathways at Angourie. Best of all, we saw 4 carpet pythons, 3 of which were gorgeous little babies. I saw a bush stone curlew and nearly fell off my perch!

Up close and personal with a baby carpet python

Oh yeah, the toads. Well, six of us bagged 117 toads for the night and as a reward for good behaviour, I released Bevan, Rob and Sharon R at Yamba Sportsgrounds and let them collect 51 toads in 30 minutes.

Large female toad caught at Angourie

Hope to see you next saturday night! Sharon L.

Toadbust 10 - Lake Arragan - 12/02/11

Jo headed out to Lake Arragan with new member Mel Saturday night and bagged a whopping 118 toads! They saw 2 dingoes and a white-crowned snake. What else would you do on a Saturday night?! Way to go girls!!

Spotted-tailed Quoll

I found this guy yesterday on Rogans Bridge Road near Copmanhurst. Roadkill Spotted-tailed Quoll - mainland Australia's largest carnivorous marsupial and threatened in NSW (vulnerable). These guys are most at risk from cane toad invasion. Poor critter - he ended up in the freezer at NPWS so the museum can use him for research if needed.

Coucal pheasant feeds cane toad juveniles to young

This wonderful story and accompanying photos were passed on to me from Lyle McNamara. Photos taken by Alan Rayward.

Alan Rayward had been photographing a Coucal feeding young at his Byron property and spotted this one carrying what appears to be a Cane Toad. It fed it to a single chick. Young left the nest a week later -- alive.