Bio-calendar September

True Spring 

(September to October)

The start of True Spring corresponds with the European Calendar Spring; however it does not include November which is considered Early Summer in the Bio-calendar.

True Spring is characterised by increasingly longer days and a marked rise in temperatures. Many species of birds are well into their nesting cycle, some with chicks in the nest, insects are becoming more active and there is prolific flowering of plants.

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

Threatened Fauna

• Australian Mudfish Galaxias cleaveri; begins migration to the sea which last through to November.
• Barking Owl Ninox connivens; midway through breeding cycle
• Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius; breeding season August – January
• Common Dunnart Sminthopsis murina; commencement of breeding season which last through to late March.
• Dwarf Galaxias Galaxiella pusilla; last month of spawning season.
• Eastern Barred Bandicoot Perameles gunnii; midway through preferred breeding season.
• Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis; arrival in Australia from northern hemisphere migration where they feed in coastal wetlands until March.
• Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae; mid way through nesting period (August – November) in dense, wet old-growth forests.
• Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus wallicus; breeding from September to December in Victoria.
• Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis; second month of breeding season along Victorian coastline.
• Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae; passing through Victorian waters on southward migration.
• Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii - arrives (August - September) after migrating from breeding areas in Japan and south-east Siberia.
• Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata; commencement of egg laying
• Mallee Emu-wren Stipiturus mallee; start of nesting through to Nov.
• Swift Parrot Lathamus discolour; migration across Bass Strait from mainland feeding areas back to Tasmanian breeding areas almost complete.
• Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura; nesting commenced through to November.
• White-footed Dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus; females giving birth in September through to October.
• Yarra Pigmy Perch Edelia obscura; spawns between September to October, in water temperatures between 16 and 24°C.

Threatened Flora

• Candy Spider-orchid Caladenia versicolor; commencement of flowering to October
• Elegant Spider-orchid Caladenia formosa; commencement of flowering over next 6 weeks
• Fragrant Leek-orchid Prasophyllum suaveolens; commencement of flowering through to November
• Grampians Pincushion-lily Borya mirabilis; flowering September to October.
• Grampians Rice-flower Pimelea pagophila; commencement of flowering through to November
• Hoary Sunray (White Sunray) Leucochrysum albicans ssp. albicans var. tricolour; flowering September – February.
• Mellblom's Spider-orchid Caladenia hastata; commencement of flowering to November.
• Metallic Sun-orchid Thelymitra epipactoides; first month of flowering through to November.
• Rigid Spider-orchid Caladenia tensa; commencement of flowering to October
• Tawny Spider-orchid Caladenia fulva; commencement of flowering to October
• Wimmera Spider-orchid Caladenia lowanensis; commencement of flowering to October
• Yellow-lip Spider-orchid Caladenia xanthochila; commencement of flowering to October

Other native Flora and Fauna

Fauna

• Australian Gannet; start of breeding season which last through to November at Lawrence Rocks & Pt Danger Portland.
• Platypus; eggs being laid in nesting burrow (September to October).

Flora

• Sticky Everlasting usually start flowering.
• Cherry Ballart starts flowering.

• Contact SWIFFT and contribute to the list