Mt Peel Reserve & Federation Park - July

This reserve on the south-western side of Toowoomba is a remnant patch of eucalyptus and acacia woodland. Many of the Yellow Box Eucalyptus melliodora were in flower and one tall tree in particular was heavily blossomed with Rainbow & Little Lorikeets and Noisy Friarbirds making a cacophony of sound as they fed in the high canopy. Nearer the northern peak Scarlet Honeyeaters were in abundance whereas the southern peak attracted a flock of 50+ Silvereye. Tricia and I thought we heard Speckled Warblers but they were elusive and we gave up the search.

Federation Park was a perfect place to lunch on a windless day, with a short walk afterwards and a good sighting of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo.

Setting out 

Yellow Box flower

Golden Orb-weaver

Reserve – Crested Pigeon, Cockatiel, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch.
Federation Park – Spotted Dove, Galah, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Butcherbird, Grey Fantail, Magpie-lark, Common Myna, Double-barred Finch.  

Eagleby Wetlands - June

With Ben driving the bus, we set off for the Eagleby Wetlands and were joined by more Nats for morning tea in the picnic shelter, with a Brahminy Kite overhead. Most of us had never been to this part of Logan before so were very impressed with the wetlands, particularly the boardwalk. Here we got delightful views of Black Swans with cygnets, and a watchful Owlet Nightjar. Lovely.

Natters at Old Beenleigh Town for lunch

Owlet Nightjar

Natters checking out the Owlet Nightjar
with Black Swans checking out the Natters!

 After lunch at Old Beenleigh Town we went to two properties along Schmidt Road which gave us some species we don't normally see up on the range.

Gull-billed Terns on the Steen property

The outing finished with afternoon tea at the Logan River Parklands, and a quiet and safe drive home.

Afternoon tea at the Logan River Parklands

Bird Lists: 

1)    Eagleby Wetlands - Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australian Owlet-Nightjar, Australasian Darter, Intermediate Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Brahminy Kite, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Comb-crested Jacana, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Little Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Golden-headed Cisticola, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

2)    Properties on Schmidt Road - Australian Wood Duck, Chestnut Teal, Australasian Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Australasian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Intermediate Egret, Cattle Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Whistling Kite, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Black-winged Stilt, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Gull-billed Tern, Little Corella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Striated Pardalote, Scarlet Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Welcome Swallow, Common Myna, Australasian Pipit

3)    Logan River Parklands - Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Eastern Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Australian White Ibis, Purple Swamphen, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Australian Magpie, Torresian Crow.

Roadside sightings - Spotted Dove, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.           

Mt Beppo - Camp Somerset

On the second day of camp it was such a pleasure to visit “Peppertrees”, the Fysh property at Mt Beppo. They knew they had a piece of scrub with a reputation in the district as being of good quality, but I don’t think they knew, until Bill started recording the species, just how good it is. We started to see unusual things even on the drive in, which follows a long row of native dry rainforest trees (mostly Whalebone Tree Streblus brunonianus, Scrub Boonaree Cupaniopsis parviflora, and Scrub Wilga Geijera parviflora).

Starting the walk at Peppertrees

Native Bryony, Diplocyclos palmatus

The two Barrys enjoying a cuppa

The view from Peppertrees

Many of the trees and vines are butterfly host species, so it was not surprising that even at this time of year we found quite a few butterflies. The scrub must be alive with them in summer. We finished our morning with a picnic lunch on the lawn, and thanks to Betsy and Frith for letting us wander around their interesting property.

Bird List: Brown Quail, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Australasian Grebe, Little Pied Cormorant (overhead), Australian Pelican (overhead), White-bellied Sea-Eagle (overhead), Pale-headed Rosella, Red-backed Fairywren, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Varied Triller, Rufous Whistler, Australasian Figbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Mistletoebird.

Butterfly List: Grass-yellow sp. Eurema sp., Black Jezebel Delias nigrina, Pearl White sp. Elodina sp., Evening Brown Melanitis leda, Tailed Emperor Polyura sempronius, Glasswing Acraea andromacha, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Common Crow Euploea core, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus.

Snakes, Slugs and Sparklers

Coming into Camp Somerset in the late afternoon

May was a busy month for TFNC as we also had our annual camp with Bill McDonald from the Qld Herbarium. Once again Barry organised a superb camp and we all had a great time. Having visitors from other organisations was an added bonus. 

Phil and Lauren

Highlights were: 
1) Celebrating Lauren's 65th birthday with sparklers, cakes and a serenade in Danish. 






2) Seeing a Brush-tailed Planigale on one of the bird walks. (Sorry about the quality of the Planigale photos.) The phascogale is a rat-sized marsupial with a black ‘bottle-brush’ tail. It is said to be nocturnal, shy and rarely seen. Mating occurs between mid-May and early July. After that quite frantic activity all the males die. Females may live to three years old.

Fuzzy photo of the Planigale. 

  

The brush tail

Ros, Bill, Sandra, Dawn, Marie
and Helen on the bird walk

Red Triangle Slug,Triboniophora graeffei   

A Welcome Swallow
enjoying the morning sun

All fun and games, some of the evening entertainment.

3) Another good find was a Keelback Snake, Tropidonophis mairii. They are diurnal and found near freshwater  dams, creeks, rivers and swamps. They are harmless, eat their prey rear first, and are able to eat small Cane Toads!

Young Keelback Snake hanging on Neil's glasses.

Bird List:  (compiled by lesley from members’ sightings)
Australian Brush-turkey, Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Bush Stone-curlew, Masked Lapwing, Gull-billed Tern, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Beeeater, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Dusky Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Little Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch.


Butterfly list: (compiled by Don from members’ sightings)
Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Black Jezebel Delias nigrina, Caper White Belenois java, Evening Brown Melanitis leda, Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius, White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherdi, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus, Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata.