Merry Christmas, Natters!

The TFNC Naturalist year came to a close with a wonderful gathering at Clifton. After a sumptious lunch we spent the afternoon crooning with Bing in "White Christmas". Thanks to Shirley who organized the event.

Enjoying the lunch

Preparing for Bing Crosby

Merry Christmas Everyone, and a safe and Happy New Year. See you in 2011.

Camp Somerset

We had a wonderful time at Camp Somerset. Thanks to everyone involved, especially Barry and Bill. The rain kept away, the surroundings interesting to explore, and the accommodation excellent.

TFNC members engrossed in the Rainforest Plants workshop



Facilities a Camp Somerset



Mt Tyson-Stoneleigh area - November

We went looking for the Grassland Earless Dragon. We didn't find it, but we sure found plenty of other reptiles to keep us happy. First of the day was Boulenger’s Skink Morethia boulengeri. It was brightly striped and very photogenic.

Boulenger's Skink Morethia boulengeri

Another reptile that caught members’ attention was the Blind Snake, Ramphotyphlops weidii. Its eyes like two pinholes under its scales are quite clear in the photo.

Rod showing enthusiastic members the Blind Snake Ramphotyphlops sp

Later in the day we came across this beautifully marked Australian Coral Snake Brachyurophis australis. It is such a tiny snake, a true gem.

Australian Coral Snake Brachyurophis australis

Unimpressed! Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata

Underbelly!

The Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata was on the track as we came up to the scrub. As it was being moved to safety away from the vehicles we were able to get ‘close-up and personal’, but it was totally unimpressed with us. We had the chance to look at the markings on its abdomen. Something one doesn’t see very often.

There were plenty of insects and spiders to check out too. If it wasn’t duelling scorpions or fat centipedes carrying their eggs, then it was this colourful little spider that took a liking to Betty.

Yellow Scorpion Spider Arachnura higginsi 
(Not photographed on Betty's arm, however.)

You can just see the eggs under the curve of the abdomen.

One of the highlights of the day was to go into an area of native grassland with little exotic weed. Because of the good rain the grass was as tall as our shoulders. This is how the Darling Downs would have looked to the original inhabitants, and explorers such as Cunningham and Leichhardt. This is reportedly one of the most threatened of Australia's habitats with only 1% remaining.

A Field of Nats in mainly Plains Stipa Grass Austrostipa aristoglumes
Photo by Trish

Bird List for Mt Tyson area: Brown Quail, Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon), Crested Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, White-faced Heron, Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Cockatiel, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Rainbow Bee-eater, Superb Fairy-wren, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Cicadabird, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Horsfield's Bushlark (Singing Bushlark), Golden-headed Cisticola, Common Starling, Common Myna, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, House Sparrow.

Bird List for McEwan State Forest: Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Superb Fairy-wren, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch.

Butterfly & Moth List for Mt Tyson area: Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus, Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona, Caper White Belenois java, Cabbage White Pieris rapae, Common Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata, Common Grass-blue Zizina labradus, Heliotrope Moth Utetheisa pulchelloides, Semi-looper Moth Trigonodes hyppasia.

Butterfly & Moth List for McEwan State Forest: Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Caper White Belenois java, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Common Crow Euploea core, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata, Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria, Crow Moth Cruria donowa, Heliotrope Moth Utetheisa pulchelloides, Heliothis sp. Moth, Semi-looper Moth Trigonodes hyppasia.

Gowrie in the Spring

When we started out from Toowoomba the weather didn't look too hopeful. It was cold and very foggy. However 17 members turned up at Tara Park to be greeted by Diana.

Hairy Vetch Vicia villosa on the lower paddock

First we spent time in the lower paddocks coming back to the house after checking the Austral Cornflower Rhaponticum australe though not in flower. Morning tea and lunch was in their garden full of the scent of blossom and the sounds of birds.

After morning tea we climbed the hill behind the house with magnificent views of Gowrie Mountain and the eastern Downs.

After lunch we drove by road to the back of the property, gaining access via Baxter Rd, Rosalie Heights. From there we went to the Gundry's at Glencoe for afternoon tea.

There will be more on this outing in the TFNC Inc November newsletter.

Nats checking out the flowering brigalow

A female Yellow-spotted Blue Candalides xanthospilos sunning itself in the weak morning sun.

Members’ Bird List – 43 species

Pacific Black Duck, Crested Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, Tawny Frogmouth, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Cockateil, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Pheasant Coucal, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Dollarbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Superb Fairy-wren, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler, Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Golden-headed Cisticola, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Double-barred Finch.

Members’ Butterfly List – 7 species

Orchard Butterfly or Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Black or Common Jezebel Delias nigrina, Cabbage White Pieris rapae, Australian Admiral Vanessa itea, Common Crow Euploea core, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus, Yellow-spotted Blue Candalides xanthospilos.

Natting in the Rain - Picnic Point Outing

TFNC and ANN visitors.

The TFNC crowd came out in force to welcome our visitors from the Australian Naturalists Network, and it was great to see members who can’t always get to our outings. Luckily the weather brightened slightly and so we went ahead with the Picnic Point walk. The Fantail walk has great views out to Tabletop and further east. The flowering vines were particularly noticeable.

Smilax

australis, Barbed Wire Vine

Lunch was also at Picnic Point, and Ed gave a short talk about the history of the Australian Naturalists Network and a vote of thanks to TFNC. The rain got heavier at this point so we abandoned the afternoon program and voted to go to the Cobb and Co Museum where the "Butterfly Man from Kuranda" exhibition was on. We all had a great time.

There were plenty of birds on the outing, but only a few species. The overcast to rainy weather meant they were very active and noisy. Walking down the escarpment makes great viewing as you are above or looking out to the high canopy. Some of the birds are locals, so our interstate and overseas visitors were either getting rare sightings or first sightings. These included Pale-headed Rosellas that came down to the small dam at the end of Tobruk Drive, and the male Red-backed Fairy-wren in all his finery. However the bird of the day and the one that excited our Japanese visitors the most was the Striated Pardalote going in and out of his nesting burrow in the cutting at South Street.

Members’ Bird List - 22 species: Australian Brush-turkey, Pacific Black Duck, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, White-throated Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Silvereye, Red-browed Finch.

Clematis aristata, Old Man's Beard