30/11/2012 Yamba Myna Workshop

Thirty-five people packed the Old Kirk Hall at the Yamba Museum to overflowing to hear what can be done about this nasty bird. As well as locals there were also a couple tourists from Sydney and Melbourne who were looking for help with mynas there. We were also pleased to have Bruce who single handed keeps the mynas at bay in Wooli, his comments were most helpful.

Well done Paul our Yamba coordinator who organised the venue and publicity. Thanks also to Helen of Angourie Landcare who delivered flyers to residents of Angourie and Woolewayah and a special thanks to Pam our Grafton coordinator who provided morning tea and assisted on the day.

The audience seemed very interested as there were lots of questions both during the presentation and over the friendly cuppa afterwards. I always felt Yamba was a bit slow on taking up the program but maybe I was wrong, two traps have been placed since the meeting and we are hopeful of more.



Yamba Roundup Results - 4/03/12

Well this was the first year Wetlandcare have undertaken the Annual Yamba Toad Muster and what a wonderful success it was. With Marty from Clarence Council, Nigel from CMA, Dell, Steve and Geoff from NPWS and no less than 7 CVCIA volunteers working alongside Wetlandcare, it was a real joint effort.

Glenis and Max help out in community education at the Yamba Toad Roundup.

Bevan, Rob and Sharon R took the bus to Yamba Sportsground to help out while Max and Glenis kept watch on the golf course and helped people out. Kath and I stayed back at the gold club and helped with the mammoth task of processing toads people brought back in.

The event attracted a total of 270 participants. The total number of Cane Toads collected on the night was 2,521. The most caught by any one group was 130, and the heaviest toad weighed 277g. I was so proud of the 7 CVCIA volunteers that attended to help run the event. I don't think the night would have been such a success without us so thank you all so much. The gas bottle was without a fitting and Max was able to find a mate there on the night who was a plumber and fixed it. Kath was so wonderful weighing and processing toads for hours and I had to drag Rob and Bevan away at the end of the night. You guys are awesome and I know Wetlandcare really appreciated your help. Cheers, Sharon.

21/03/11 - Townsend Tiger Snakes and a bucket of toads

This fabulous report (and disturbing photo!) from Jo of the Townsend Tigersnakes...

Since the wet weather has been hampering our toading activities we decided on a new game plan - RAINCOATS !! We are now armed for all toading situations.

Wednesday night Mel and I headed out to Yamba to see what was out and about. The sewer works road was fruitful with many morphs popping up out of the grass into the light. The best toad of the night was on Middle Rd Palmers with a 330gm female bagged late in the night. In all we collected 49 toads that night.

Saturday night saw plenty of rain cancel the training session so we donned our raincoats and went out anyway. Mel, Julie and I did a lap of the Red Cliff area and came up with a whopping 315 toads which is a new record for us in one night.

Cane toads collected from Yuraygir National Park by CIA Vol Jo, Mel and Julie.

There were dozens of males in the water staking their patch to call in the ladies. We just put a dampener on their plans as they now have a one way ticket to Freezer Island. It was also lovely to see so much native frog spawn in many of the water holes and no toad spawn : ) also a beautiful juvenile carpet python popped out of the bushes.

Cheers, Jo

P.S. We have caught 997 toads in 5 weeks guys – YAY!!

Thanks Jo. You guys are amazing!! And yes, I will be packing my waders for this Friday at Mororo. :)

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 3 - 12/11/10 - Yamba

This was the night of the Junior Landcare members!! Check out these groovers...

CIA junior Landcare members on a Yamba cane toad hunt.

Their eyes are so good and being closer to the ground, I find junior Landcare members can pounce on cane toads quickly!

We were a bit disorganised and a large storm threatened to throw us into a spin, but we still ended up picking up 190 cane toads in a few hours, all from Carrs drive and the Yamba Sportsground. CIA members were met with words of encouragement (and a little laughter) from the exercise group leaving the sports centre at 10pm!!

Funniest moment of the night was when Simone bought me 2 toads stuck together (you know what I mean). I said "Oh look. They are in amplexis". Simone said "what does that mean?" It only takes a look and then she said "eeeeewwww" and dropped them into the sack. Simone was even more grossed out when I told her about the cane toad Kath got last season who was in amplexis with a female who ahd obviously been dead for at least 2 days!! Any minute....

So thank you to the standard crew - Bevan, Rob, Simone, Kath and Judith. We need some more people out so warm up those gumbbies CIA vols! We need you!! If my 5 and 7 year old children can do it, come on... do something!

Supermodel in Hi-Vis

Legend Junior Landcare Lehmanite

And top marks to poor Sharon D who found the Lawrence ferry out of action, then tried to take the Tullymorgan road, missed the turn and finally decided it was not meant to be. We hope to see you next week Sharon.

Cheers, Sharon Lehman.