Figure 5 - Ray Ackroyd at the foot of ‘John’s Tree’
concerned, and there are often no proper roads so that the terrain damages his vehicle tyres. The sheaths of metal around the trees have to be covered with camouflage paint so they are not obvious to human predators and the nails re-fixed if necessary. This is particularly important after a dry period as the nails often work loose. Apart from the tinning and pruning work, Ray also plants camel melons near to breeding trees. These melons are apparently poisonous to human beings, but their seeds are eaten with relish by the cockatoos. The melons were introduced to Australia by Afghans as a food source for their camels, when these were an important means of transport in the outback. The parrots also feed on pine nuts (probably Callitris columellaris), Wilga seeds (Geijera parviflora), seeds from the mulga tree (Acacia aneura) and
20 BIRD SCENE
Figure 6 - close up the plaque dedicated to John Mollindinia and the PSUK
tobacco bush (probably Solanum mauritianum) as well as thistledown and various seeding grasses. On his return John Mollindina proposed that the Parrot Society UK (PSUK) support the tinning project with regular donations. When he died in January 2001 the Council decided to continue to support the conservation work in New South Wales, in part to commemorate John Mollindinia’s involvement. In March 2002 David Coombes, who had just retired as Secretary of the Parrot Society UK, travelled to Australia with other members of the Society and an active nesting tree was chosen on the Tandau farm of some 206,000 acres (82,400 hectares), which is several hundred miles west of Sydney and north-west of Melbourne, as the memorial site for him. Together with Ray Ackroyd they fastened a metal plaque to the tree - a Curly Mallee (Eucalyptus gillii).
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