Boodua/Acland, September 2012

The lagoon

It was a perfect spring day for our outing. Boodua Environmental Park was our first stop. This is a 6.5 ha remnant of poplar box and Weeping Myall Woodland with a grassy understorey.

Because of the decline in Weeping Myall Woodlands in Queensland they are listed as endangered nationally. Most remnant patches are 1-2 ha, and really this is the same at Boodua. Most of the area is taken over by a picnic ground. There is a weir further down stream and the water backs up for 3-5 kms in a good season forming a lovely lagoon.

We walked through the patch of woodland where wilga and weeping pittosporum were in flower. Trish showed us how to recognize the Darling Pea Swansonia queenslandica. We also had excellent views of a Brown Goshawk as it flew quite low above us.

Weeping Myall Woodland at Boodua

Species lists compiled from members' sightings. 

Boodua Reserve, 27°23'32"S   151°50'50"E, 250m radius.  

Birds:Brown Quail, Spotted Dove, Australasian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Straw-necked Ibis (o’head), Black-shouldered Kite, Brown Goshawk, Galah, Little Corella, Cockatiel, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Apostlebird, Golden-headed Cisticola. 

Insects: Butterflies: Cabbage White Pieris rapae, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Saltbush Blue Theclinesthes serpentata, Common Grass Blue Zizina labradus. 

Mammals: Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus.

From Boodua we drove on to Acland via the Kudo-Silverleigh Road with expansive views south to Oakey, and the New Hope Acland Coal Mine to the north. What a contrast! We spent some time here. First we walked up to the old underground coal mine, then had a stroll through Glen Beutel's garden. He is one of the last residents in the township and he came and talked to us about the life and death of the town. His interest is in photography and he had several photo boards illustrating a wide range of fauna from the district.

Listening to Glen Beutel

Acland Township, 27°18'17" S, 151°41'18" E, 500m radius.

Birds:Straw-necked Ibis, Masked Lapwing, Galah, Cockatiel, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Apostlebird, Rufous Songlark, Welcome Swallow, Common Myna. 

Insects: Butterflies: Orange Grass Dart Taractrocera anisomorpha, Greenish Grass Dart Ocybadistes walkeri, Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus, Lemon Migrant Catopsilia, Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona, Striated Pearl White Elodina parthia, Grey Ringlet Hypocysta pseudirius, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus.

After lunch we retraced part of our route to "Blue Wren" at Greenwood. This property has a lovely patch of scrub on their sugarloaf. We spent some time checking out the road verges, then the lovely garden which was alive with birds, before setting off for the sugarloaf.

The sugarloaf from the garden.

Judas Tree and Banksia Rose in the garden
at 'Blue Wren'.

Trish & Jean set about checking out the plants in the scrub while others lingered over the lovely 180° views. A stalwart band of natters decided to tackle the peak, but most of us wended our way home after a great day in the bush.
“Blue Wren” at Greenwood, 27°19'10" S, 151°45'18"E, 500m radius

Birds:Bar-shouldered Dove, Black-shouldered Kite, Galah, Pale-headed Rosella, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Golden-headed Cisticola, Rufous Songlark, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Australasian Pipit.
Insects: Butterflies: Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona, Yellow-spotted Jezebel Delias nysa.

Roadside sightings, not recorded at the major stops, between Meringandan/Acland and return. 

Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Crested Pigeon, White-faced Heron, Spotted Harrier, Nankeen Kestrel, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Common Starling.

Insects: Black Jezebel Delias nigrina.

Unidentified beetle found at 'Blue Wren';
 a species of Cryptocephalinae perhaps?