Outing Report - Sunday 3 April 2022, McEwan State Forest & Irongate Conservation Park

This post is adapted from a number of reports in the Toowoomba Field Naturalists Club newsletter by different authors, as well as the blog administrator.

McEwan State Forest

Argiope bullocki (no common name)
(photo: Glenda Walter)

Glorious autumn weather and green countryside made for a very pleasant, early Sunday morning drive to Pittsworth. From there it was only a short drive to McEwan State Forest at nearby Stoneleigh. This 314-hectare property was generously bequeathed to the Queensland Government as a park/recreational facility, or State Forest with public access, after the death of its owner Jack McEwan, aged 92, in 2006. 

The area is primarily Mountain Coolibah/Narrow-leaved Ironbark ridge, with a significant area of predominantly native blue grass alluvial flats, from which regenerating trees are actively removed. Noticeable was the number and extent of weed species, including Lantana, Velvety Tree Pear, and Purple-topped Verbena.

A magnificent mackerel-belly sky facilitated pleasant walking conditions, along the cleared track. Noticeable was the number and extent of weed species, including Lantana, Velvety Tree Pear, and Purple-topped Verbena. Butterflies seen close-by included, Monarch, Lesser Wanderer, Orchard Swallowtail, and Glasswing. Colourful dragonflies, including Blue Skimmer, Australian Emperor, Scarlet Percher, and Tau Emerald flew about near the track. Numerous huge, shining yellow webs of large Golden Orb-weaver Spiders were a spectacular sight. Little Dewdrop Spiders were noticed scavenging in the webs of these Golden Orb-weavers. An uncommon Argiope bullocki orb-weaver was the spider find of the day. There are few Queensland records for this species 

Back at the park entrance, in the shade, during morning tea, animated conversations, and lists of plants, insects, birds and other wildlife were shared. Thanks to Rod for sharing his knowledge and to Glenda and Sandy for accompanying him on the reconnaissance. 

Don't forget to scroll down for the Irongate Conservation Park report.

The following lists have been compiled from field notes and photographs from Toowoomba Field Naturalist members and guests.

McEwan Fauna & Flora

introduced species = _* 

Fauna:

Amphibians & Reptiles: Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea), Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata), South-eastern Morethia Skink (Morethia boulengeri). 

Arachnids: Broun's Marbled Orb-weaver (Backobourkia brouni), Garden Orb-weaver (Eriophora transmarina), St. Andrew’s Cross Spider (Argiope bullocki), Jewel Spider (Austracantha minax), Dewdrop Spider (Argyrodes antipodianus), Australian Golden Orb-weaver (Trichonephila edulis), Leaf-curling Spider (Phonognatha graeffei), Black House Spider (Badumna insignis). 

Birds: Brown Quail, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Whistling Kite, Brown Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Galah, Pale-headed Rosella, White-browed Scrubwren, Speckled Warbler, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Rufous Whistler, Pied Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch. 

Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus), Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus), White Migrant (Catopsilia pyranthe), Common Grass-yellow (Eurema hecabe), Small Grass-yellow (Eurema smilax), Caper White (Belenois java), Narrow-winged Pearl-white (Elodina padusa), *Cabbage White (Pieris rapae), *Wanderer (Danaus plexippus), Lesser Wanderer (Danaus petilia), Common Crow (Euploea core), Yellow Admiral (Vanessa itea), Meadow Argus (Junonia villida), Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi), Glasswing (Acraea andromacha), Large Purple Line-blue (Nacaduba berenice).

Marsupials & Mammals: Red-necked Wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus), *Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). 

Other Invertebrates: Beetles: a leaf beetle (Callidemum sp). Damsel/Dragonflies: Red & Blue Damsel (Xanthagrion erythroneurum), Australian Emperor (Anax papuensis), Australian Emerald (Hemicordulia australiae), Tau Emerald (Hemicordulia tau), Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata), Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum), Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens), Common Glider (Tramea loewii), Flies; Yellow-headed Snail Parasitic Blowfly (Amenia imperialis). Grasshoppers & Locusts; Giant Green Slantface (Acrida conica), Bark-mimicking Grasshopper (Coryphistes ruricola),  Crested Tooth-grinder (Ecphantus quadrilobus), Froggatt’s Buzzer (Froggattina australis), Handsome Macrotona (Macrotona mjoebergi), Giant Valanga (Valanga irregularis),
 
Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):
Grasses, Sedges, Rushes, etc.: Slender Bamboo Grass (Austrostipa verticillata), Lobed Bluegrass (Bothriochloa biloba),  Barbed Wire Grass (Cymbopogon refractus), a sedge (Cyperus clarus), Queensland Bluegrass (Dicanthium sericeum subsp. sericeum), Slender Rat’s-tail Grass (Sporobolus creber). 

Herbs: Yellow Burr Daisy (Calotis lappulacea), Yellow Buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum), Blue Flax Lily (Dianella brevipedunculata), Kidney Weed (Dichondra repens), Native Geranium (Geranium solanderi), *Purple-topped Verbena (Verbena bonariensis). 

Succulents: *Velvety Tree Pear (Opuntia tomentosa). 

Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Stiff Jasmine (Jasminum simplicifolium subsp. australiense), Native Pennyroyal (Mentha satureioides), Northern Silk Pod (Parsonsia lanceolate). 

Mistletoes: Northern Mistletoe (Lysiana subfalcata). 

Shrubs: Fragrant or Berry Saltbush (Chenopodium parabolicum [Syn. Rhagodia parabolica]), Sticky Hop Bush (Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima), Wombat Berry (Eustrephus latifolius), Brush Wilga (Geijera salicifolia*Lantana (Lantana camara), Brigalow Senna (Senna coronilloides), Small-leaved Nightshade (Solanum parvifolium subsp. parvifolium), Square-stemmed Broom (Teucrium junceum). 

Trees: Sally Wattle (Acacia salicina), Hairy Boonaree (Acronychia pubescens), Soap Tree (Alphitonia excelsa), Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), Red Olive Plum (Elaeodendron australe var. integrifolium), Narrow-leaved or Red Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra), Mountain Coolibah (Eucalyptus orgadophila), Gumby Gumby (Pittosporum angustifolium), Sweet Susis or Shiny-leaved canthium (Psydrax odorata).

Irongate Conservation Park

Chequered Swallowtail
on Mayne’s Pest (Glandularia aristigera),
(photo: Robert Ashdown)

After a leisurely lunch we headed off to nearby Irongate Conservation Park that lies about 17 kilometres north-west of the Darling Downs township of Pittsworth. A circular 1,200 metre walking track runs through the park so there’s not too much of a worry about distracted naturalists wondering off to lose themselves in the surrounding boonies. 

The main vegetation types are a stand of Brigalow along the roadside to the west, Mountain Coolibah in the north-east corner and Belah along the southern boundary. The balmy conditions experienced in the morning persisted into the afternoon with all parties gradually drifting back to the assembly point about mid-afternoon exhausted but enthused about the richness of this small estate.

Dragonflies were out in force especially two of the larger species, Tau Emerald and Australian Emperor. Ditto for butterflies such as the Chequered Swallowtail, White Migrant and Large Grass Yellow; however Irongate produced some rarer species including No-brand Grass-yellow, Grey Ringlet, Small Green-banded Blue and Large Purple Line-blue. It was interesting to see the Small Green-banded Blue in numbers around the Alphitonia. The discovery of a Black Rock Scorpion raised quite a bit of interest. The plant list for this estate is somewhat scant for the day. All the botanists had departed early for Toowoomba! 

I reckon it was an enjoyable day out in two of our less-visited protected estates, and everybody seemed to agree. Before closing I should mention that several people asked me the identity of the large road-killed snake on St. Helens Road, Springside, on the way to Irongate. We stopped for a good look at it on our way home and it proved to be a massive Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) The Darling Downs is prime habitat for this dangerous but magnificent reptile. Today’s snake was huge, well over two metres long with a prodigious girth. I’ve seen numerous of these snakes in my life but can count the number of this size on one hand. The interesting thing is that today’s reptile didn’t have the orange blotching on its cream-yellow belly that is typical of the species, however this feature can fade away in old snakes according to my herpetological friend, Steve Wilson. It was sad to see this end to such an impressive reptile. 

The following lists have been compiled from field notes and photographs from Toowoomba Field Naturalist members and guests.

Irongate Fauna & Flora

introduced species = _* 

Fauna:

Arachnids: Grey Huntsman (Holconia immanis), Leaf-curling Spider (Phonognatha graeffei), Black Rock Scorpion (Urodacus manicatus), a wolf spider (Venatrix sp.)  

Birds: Brown Quail, *Spotted Dove, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, White-necked Heron, Goshawk, Galah, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti sensu lato), Weebill, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Cicadabird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Leaden Flycatcher, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch. 

Butterflies: Blue Triangle (Graphium sarpedon), Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus), Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus), White Migrant (Catopsilia pyranthe), No-brand Grass-yellow (Eurema brigitta), Large Grass-yellow (Eurema hecabe), Scarlet Jezebel (Delias argenthona), Caper White (Belenois java), *Wanderer (Danaus plexippus), Lesser Wanderer (Danaus petilia), Common Crow (Euploea core), Grey Ringlet (Hypocysta pseudirius), Common Brown (Heteronympha mirifica), Varied Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), Meadow Argus (Junonia villida), Glasswing (Acraea andromacha), White-banded Plane (Phaedyma sheperdi), Small Green-banded Blue (Psychonotis caelius), Large Purple Line-blue (Nacaduba berenice), Spotted Pea-blue (Euchrysops cnejus), Common Grass Blue (Zizina labradus).  

Mammals: *European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus).  

Other Invertebrates: Bees & Wasps; Chequered Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus caeruleopunctatus), Beetles; a soldier beetle (Chauliognathus sp.),  a piedish beetle (Pterohelaeus sp.), Bugs; Clown Bug (Amorbus robusta), Wattle Hopper (Dardus abbreviates), Pale Cotton Stainer (Dysdercus sidae), Damsel/Dragonflies: Red & Blue Damsel (Xanthagrion erythroneurum), Australian Emperor (Anax papuensis), Tau Emerald (Hemicordulia tau), Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata), Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum). Grasshoppers & Locusts; Giant Green Slantface (Acrida conica), Froggatt’s Buzzer (Froggattina australis), Yellow-winged Locust (Gastrimargus musicus), Handsome Macrotona (Macrotona mjoebergi), Mantids; Large Brown Mantis (Archimantis latistyla).

Reptiles: Dubious Dtella (Gehyra dubi), Tree-base Litter Skink (Lygisaurus foliorum). 

Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):

Grasses.: Slender Rat’s-tail Grass (Sporobolus creber). 

Orchids: Black Orchid (Cymbidium canaliculatum). 

Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Stiff Jasmine (Jasminum simplicifolium subsp. australiense), Wonga Vine (Pandorea pandorana), Northern Silk Pod (Parsonsia lanceolate). 

Shrubs: Broom Bush (Apophyllum anomalum), Currant Bush (Carissa ovata var. ovata), Fragrant or Berry Saltbush (Chenopodium parabolicum [Syn. Rhagodia parabolica]), Ellangowan Poison Bush (Eremophila deserti), Brush Wilga (Geijera salicifolia), Square-stemmed Broom (Teucrium junceum).

Trees: Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla), Scrub Boonaree (Alectryon diversifolius), Soap Tree (Alphitonia excelsa), Red Olive Plum (Elaeodendron australe var. integrifolium), Narrow-leaved or Red Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra), Native Olive (Notelaea macrocarpa), Gumby Gumby (Pittosporum angustifolium), Weeping Pittosporum (Pittosporum phylliraeoides).