Outing Report - Sunday 12 June 2022, Cawdor area

We would like to respectfully acknowledge the Jarowair group, belonging to the Wakka Wakka Nation, Traditional Custodians of the land on which our outing took place, and Elders both past and present.

Report adapted from July newsletter

Masked Lapwing eggs at Cawdor

A cool but sunny morning that began with a discussion of the property. The current owner, spoke of his plans. Jean gave us a brief history of the land and the surrounding properties that had been originally owned by her father. For the Aboriginal people this area had been a very important meeting place en route to the Bunya Mountains. 

Before we left the shed area, Rod pointed out that there were White-backed Swallows flying around – a sighting much appreciated by our members as these swallows are not often seen. 

In a convoy we drove to one end of the property –  the vegetation has been radically altered as a result of land use by the British settlers and their descendants since they arrived in the area in the 1840s. The property would have been part of the very extensive (but now largely cleared) Gowrie Scrub, an area of rainforest and dry vine scrub which in 1840 extended from Kingsthorpe Hill to Highfields and Toowoomba. Disconnected remnants of the scrub still remain in the area. Members then walked along a small gully, looking at the flora. The walk led past a dam back to the shed, where it was time for morning tea break. 

The next trip was to a patch of vine scrub forest and by mid-day it had become warmer, and the group all went to the dam on the property to have lunch in the sun. A darter also had the same idea and sat on a log in the dam in its traditional pose. Pointed out was a clutch of eggs in the grass just, 3-4 metres away from us. Four beautiful eggs of a Masked Lapwing which unfortunately appeared to be abandoned.

After lunch, some members went walking around the dam, others went to see where native plants from the Crows Nest Nursery had been planted as part of the rejuvenation of the area, while others went to a forested area to do some birdwatching. 

All in all, everyone agreed, that it was a very enjoyable and instructive outing. 

Species List 

Fauna

Mammals: Northern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon macrourus, Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor. 

Birds: Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Cattle Egret, White-faced Heron, Australian White Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel, Eurasian Coot, Masked Lapwing (southern subspecies), Crested Pigeon, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pale-headed Rosella (southern form), Pheasant Coucal, Laughing Kookaburra, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Eastern Whipbird, Willie Wagtail (southern) , Magpie-lark, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong (eastern Australia), Torresian Crow, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin, White-backed Swallow, Fairy Martin. 

Reptiles: Elegant Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus pulcher pulcher. 

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

Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Stiff Jasmine Jasminum simplicifolium, *Brazilian Nightshade Solanum seaforthianum.

Shrubs: Native Pomegranate or Caper Bush Capparis arborea, Western Prickly Nightshade Solanum mitchellianum.

Trees: Hairy Boonaree (Alectryon pubescens), Prickly Pine (Bursaria incana), Northern Sandalwood Santalum lanceolatum.