Bio-calendar June

Winter

(June to mid July)

June is characterised by a cooling trend and the shortest length of daylight hours. The sun is low in the sky and shadows are long. Southward facing slopes, deep valleys and ravines receive minimal direct light. It is a time for ferns, fungi, lichens and mosses to flourish.

Rainfall starts to replenish waterways and the freshwater environment becomes active with movement upstream and downstream by many species.

The following list provides an insight to various life stages for some of the native plants and animals in Victoria during June, of course there will be some variation across different areas of the State.  Please contact SWIFFT so we can add to the list.

Threatened fauna

• Australian Grayling Prototroctes maraena; spawning from late May into early June in the Barwon River. A drop in water temperature and an increase in flow are factors which trigger spawning conditions. Newly hatched fry are swept downstream to brackish water in an estuary or to the ocean where they remain for around six months.
• Australian Mudfish Neochanna cleaveri; start of spawning season which last through to August. Either eggs or lavae are washed down to marine environments.
• Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa; start of birthing season which runs to early August.
• Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae; passing through Victorian waters on northward migration.
• Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster; over-wintering along south-west Victoria coastal wetlands.
• Powerful Owl Ninox strenua; commencement of breeding season.
• Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis; migration from Antarctic waters to more temperate waters. They can be seen off the south-west coast and may take up position in nursery areas such as Logans Beach, Warrnambool to give birth.
• Spot-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculates; mid-way through breeding season, males actively moving about.
• Swamp Antechinus Antechinus minimus; breeding season, giving birth July – August.

Threatened flora

• Fragrant Leek-orchid Prasophyllum suaveolens; emergence of leaf from underground tuber.
• Wimmera Rice-flower - blooms in mid-winter, between April and August which is different from most grassland plants.

Other native Flora and Fauna

Fauna

• Galaxias larvae are being washes downstream whilst glass eels migrate from the sea into estuaries.
• Australian Shelduck; start of breeding season.
• Australian Magpie breeding time begins, though they have been breeding more often outside of their normal breeding period in recent years.
• Flame Robin moves to lower elevation and more open areas.
• Golden Whistler moves to lowlands.; (breeds around August).

Flora

• Swamp Gum, Long-leaved Box, Grey Box, White Box, Blue Gum and Yellow Gum are in flower, providing a valuable food source for honeyeaters possums and gliders.
• Sweet Bursaria fruiting begins.

Contact SWIFFT so we can add to the list