April Outing Report - Aubigny, 07 April 2024

 Adapted from the newsletter "The Darling Downs NATURALIST"

A Brown Songlark’s sweet soliloquy high over our assembly was a good augury, with the croaking of a gutter of Spotted Grassfrogs nearby providing a nice counterpoint. Patches of blue overhead lifted the mood on a dubious wet day.

En route to our destination we tarried awhile at Nev Bidgood Grove, a pleasant little bit of parkland along the Oakey Pittsworth Road at its junction with Brennan Road, Aubigny. Bird life was in fine fettle here and it was good to see a small charm of Zebra Finch dipping to safety in an African Boxthorn Lycium ferocissimum. These lovely little birds are on the decline in our neighbourhood and the flocks encountered these days are miniscule compared to those of my childhood in the 1950s. 

Over smoko we were given an overview of the property. Considering that these four hectares were only acquired in 1998 as an unimproved bush block, today it is a beautifully landscaped arboretum and nature refuge. The house was built in 1999 and initially the owners used to run horses. The last horse passed on in 2015 and in the intervening years the property has been transformed into the showpiece it is today. It has now become a regular haunt for Toowoomba-based botanists and birdwatchers in particular.

On our visit members dispersed to all points to pursue their various interests. We collected a good list of fauna for our troubles especially of birds. The property hosts a rich representation of the avifauna of the grasslands and Coolabah country of the eastern Darling Downs.  

It was a great day out with wonderful hosts, and good fellowship. It is always good to hear Grey-crowned Babblers and watch Double-bars, Zebra Finches and Superb Fairy-wrens over lunch.  And a large, foraging Striped Ctenotus glistening in its new skin.  

Species Lists

Earthstar Fungi

Assembly area, near corner of Warrego Highway and Oakey Pittsworth Road, Oakey: 
Birds: Zebra Finch, Brown Songlark Frogs: Spotted Grassfrog Limnodynastes tasmaniensisNev Bidgood Grove and Brennan Road, Tangkam: Birds: Brown Quail, Spotted Dove, Crested Pigeon, White-faced Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, Black-shouldered Kite, Galah, Pale-headed Rosella (southern form), Striped Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Grey-crowned Babbler (eastern), Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Currawong (eastern Australia), Australian Magpie, Grey Butcherbird, Willie Wagtail (southern), Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Common Myna Butterflies and Moths: Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona argenthona, Varied Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina nerina, Meadow Argus Junonia villida villida, Orchard Swallowtail (Australian subspecies) Papilio aegeus aegeus Bees, Wasps and Ants: Banded Sugar Ant Camponotus consobrinus, Southern Meat Ant Iridomyrmex purpureus, an ant Calomyrmex sp., Green-head Ant Rhytidoponera metallica Fungi: an earthstar Geastrum saccatum (a second earthstar also seen but not able to identify to species level). 

Aubigny property: Mammals: Red-necked Wallaby, European Brown Hare: Birds: Brown Quail, Spotted Dove, Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Red-rumped Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella (southern form), Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Superb Fairy-wren, Striped Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Striated Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Grey-crowned Babbler (eastern), Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Currawong (eastern Australia), Australian Magpie, Pied Butcherbird, Grey Butcherbird, Willie Wagtail (southern), Torresian Crow, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Tree Martin, Common  Myna. Reptiles(lizards): Straight-browed Ctenotus Ctenotus spaldingi* Frogs: Spotted Grassfrog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis, Common Green Treefrog Litoria caerulea Spiders: Dew Drop Spider Argyrodes antipodianus, Black House Spider Badumna insignis, Tent Spider Cryptophora moluccensis, Golden Orb-weaver Trichonephila edulis Dragonflies and Damselflies: Aurora Bluetail Ischnura aurora, Australian Emperor Anax papuensis, Australian Emerald Hemicordulia australiae, Tau Emerald Hemicordulia tau, Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes, Wandering Percher Diplacodes bipunctata, Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum Butterflies and Moths: Caper White Belenois java teutonia, Lemon Migrant Catopsilia pomona, Tailed Emperor Charaxes sempronius sempronius, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia, Small Grass Yellow Eurema smilax, Meadow Argus Junonia villida villida, Orchard Swallowtail (Australian subspecies) Papilio aegeus aegeus Bees, Wasps and Ants: Southern Meat Ant Iridomyrmex purpureus, Stick-nest Brown Paper Wasp Ropalidia revolutionalis Fungi: a puffball Calvatia lilacina.

*Taxonomy in dispute, also called Ctenotus robustus (Robust Ctenotus, Striped Ctenotus)