Looking very much like the weedy capeweed, the plant known as bear's-ear is in fact a native plant, indigenous to the Ballarat district.
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The main difference between the native and the exotic is the yellow centre of the bear's-ear. The capeweed flower has a prominent black centre.
Another difference is that the capeweed's leaf is indented to the stem, whereas that of the bear's-ear is shallowly-toothed, around the edges only.
Unlike the annual capeweed, bear's-ear is a perennial plant, resprouting at the same spot for several years at the end of summer. It is found mostly in forested or lightly-forested places, as well as in undisturbed native grassland.
Bear's-ear is currently flowering alongside many other wildflowers - pink-bells, nodding greenhoods, early Nancies, running postman and more.
Blackwood flowers are adding their pleasant perfume to the springtime experience, along with the calls of fan-tailed cuckoos and yellow-faced honeyeaters. Bear's-ear shares its habitat with all of these.
Where did the old-English name of bear's-ear come from?
There is a plant of the same name in Europe; the leaves of our native bear's-ear and the European plant are rather similar in shape.
The European plant is a primula, not a daisy, so, although its leaves are similar, its flowers are not.
Botanically, the plant is known as austral bear's-ear, or Cymbonotus preissianus.
There are two more South African capeweed species in Victoria, but they are not found in the Ballarat district.
OWL SIGHTINGS
Owls are not often seen during daylight, so two recent local daytime sightings are of interest.
The first was a barn owl, perched in a gum tree alongside the Yarrowee River at Sebastopol, and the second was a pair of boobook owls at Campbelltown.
The barn owl - which is the typical white owl often pictured in books - was perched in low outer branches of a leafy tree, remained in position facing the observer, thus enabling excellent views of this seldom-seen nocturnal bird.
A boobook owl (southern boobook) was flushed from a dense eucalypt. Its appearance and flight caused warning calls from honeyeaters, woodswallows and other birds.
More scolding was heard back at the site from which this bird flew, with inspection then revealing a second boobook.
This one flew ten metres before perching on a branch and allowing a good look. Again, its appearance caused honeyeaters and other birds to fuss and scold.
Bird watchers seldom discover owls during the day, so the recent sightings were unexpected and welcome.
Boobooks are widespread throughout the Ballarat region. Barn owls are also widespread, but much scarcer.
NATURE QUERIES ANSWERED
What does this egg belong to? Its background is a pink colour, and there are darker spots, mostly at one end. The egg had a broken end, but was probably about 30 mm long.
R.E., Mt Clear.
This is a red wattlebird's egg: pale pinkish, slightly glossy, and sparingly spotted and blotched with reddish-brown, mostly towards and over the larger end. Books give the measurements as 33 x 22 mm.
Red wattlebirds make a nest of thin dry sticks, fairly loosely-constructed, and lined with softer materials. It is usually built in a fork or a shrub or tree - especially a eucalypt - at three or four metres above the ground.
Usually only two of these attractive eggs are laid, but sometimes three. They take around 18 days to hatch.
Red wattlebirds become quieter and more secretive when nesting, with boldness returning after the chicks hatch.
- Questions and photos are welcome. Send to Roger Thomas at The Courier, PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353, or email to rthomas@vic.australis.com.au