Outing Reports - 6 September, 2015: Felton South via Leyburn

A good turnout for 2015’s first spring outing, with Len Mengel leading members through a part of the Downs with which he is very familiar. The outing started beside the well-known dam on the Back Plains – Clifton Road. The dam, which is on private property, could be seen easily from the road and yielded a number of bird sightings, listed elsewhere in the newsletter. Plant lovers were also rewarded with a number of interesting species that are listed at the end of this report.

Leaving the dam, we took the Felton View Road, turning first left into Snell Road and then right onto Mill-brook Road where we were able to stop beside the road for morning tea and a chance to explore the verges.  Refreshed, we moved on to Leyburn for a comfort stop and then onto the Condamine Reserve where we stopped for lunch. The spacious reserve has recently been the focus of some revegetation work under the auspices of the Condamine Alliance, and offers bush campers well-shaded sites under massive River Red Gums, (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) along the banks of the Condamine. The presence of Common Nardoo (Marsilea drummondi) and Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus meristus) provided evidence that parts of the Reserve are inundated during flood.

A leisurely lunch and investigation of the Reserve was followed by a visit to a popular swimming area further along the Condamine. Thereafter most members returned home, while seven hardy souls went on to Durikai State Forest, to see the famous Durikai mallees, and look for wildflowers. Thank you, Len, for a relaxing day with lots to see.

Plant list:

By the dam: Scrub Wilga (Geijera salicifolia), Mitchell’s Native Caper (Capparis mitchelli), Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), Jasmine sp.,  Notolea sp., Senna artemisoides subsp. zygophylla, Psydrax odorata subsp. buxifolium, Cough Bush (Cassinia laevis), Prickly Moses (Acacia farnesiana (exotic)), Wombat Berry (Eustrephus latifolius).

Millbrook Road: Stiff Jasmine, Sandalwood (Santalum lanceolatum), Gumbi Gumbi (Pittosporum angustifolium), Orangebark (Denhamia bilocularis), Square-stemmed Broom (Spartothemnella juncea), White tamarind (Elattostachys xylocarpa).

Condamine Reserve: Rough-barked Apple (Angophora floribunda), Common Nardoo  (Marsilea drummondi),  Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus meristus), a spectacular spread of red Slender Darling Pea, (Swainsona brachycarpa) and the broad leafed Scrub Cherry (Exocarpus latifolius).

(Report by Deb Ford)

On the Durakai

Acacia sampler, Durikai (photo Trish Gardner)

Six of us decided that it would round off our highly enjoyable outing to the Felton area, to take advantage of Nicci Thompson’s local knowledge and offer to lead us to a stand of Durikai mallee (Eucalyptus infera) in the Durikai State Forest. It was very interesting. It is so rare for us to see a pure stand of mallee in Queensland that it seems a remarkable sight - rather like being in South Australia. To add to the pleasure, the trees were in flower - tight clusters of flowers of the typical eucalypt type, but unusually small, as were the gumnuts which we also found. 

Stone gecko Diplodactylus vittatus at Durikai - photo Diana Ball

Eucalyptus infera is listed as vulnerable, and is found only on the southern Darling Downs, usually restricted to traprock country. We had also hoped to see the wildflowers for which the area is known but we were too early for them, except for the wattles. There were plenty of these. We seemed to find a new species every time we stopped.

(Report by Trish Gardner) 

Felton/Leyburn Fauna Report

We all gathered at the Ashwell Dam where immediately the birdos trained their eyes on the dam while the botanists and entomologists studied the road verges. It wasn’t long before we had an impressive bird list, demonstrating that these farm dams are so important to wildlife in the dry areas. It isn’t only water birds that were in abundance but a variety of bush birds were seen and heard. We had good views of pelicans, spoonbills, and fairy-wrens, and a Little Grassbird was heard but remained elusive. Our leader, Len, gave us plenty of time here but eventually we had to move on. 

Our morning tea stop was on the verge of Millbrook Road where we were delighted by the bush birds especially the male and female Rufous Whistler, Speckled Warblers and Variegated Fairy-wrens. We took a detour into Leyburn for a comfort stop. This was a good move as far as the birdos were concerned as a Mugga, Eucalyptus sideroxylon, was in flower nearby and was full of honeyeaters. We then returned to the Millbrook area for lunch at the Condamine Reserve. Here the pardalotes fossicked in the leaves above us and the cockatoos and corellas screeched at us for disturbing their peace.

Lastly, Len took us to our last stop on the Condamine at Felton Inn, an old Cobb & Co staging post. Five more bird species were added to our list including the White-plumed Honeyeater. This is one of the closest areas to see this species near Toowoomba as it’s at the eastern limit of its range in Queensland.

P.S. As we were so close to the Durikai Forest at the end of the outing seven stalwart members continued on to check out the wattles and mulga in the traprock country. There was blossom but not many birds with only White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Golden Whistler not seen earlier in the day.

A = Ashwell Dam (28 species); M = morning tea stop, Millbrook Rd (14 species); L = Leyburn (8 species); C = lunch stop, Condamine Reserve on Passmore Rd (18 species); F = Felton Inn on the Condamine River (6 species); R = miscellaneous sightings along the byways. Total 55 species)

Birds:

Australian Wood Duck (L, C), Grey Teal (A), Pacific Black Duck (A, C), Hardhead (A), Australasian Grebe (A), Crested Pigeon (A, M, L), Bar-shouldered Dove (A), Australasian Darter (A), Little Pied Cormorant (A), Little Black Cormorant (A), Australian Pelican (A), White-faced Heron (F), Straw-necked Ibis (L), Yellow-billed Spoonbill (A),Black-shouldered Kite (R), Black Kite (C), Wedge-tailed Eagle (C), Nankeen Kestrel (R), Masked Lapwing (F), Gull-billed Tern (A), Galah (A, C), Little Corella (A, L, C), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (A, C, F), Little Lorikeet (C), Red-winged Parrot (M), Pale-headed Rosella (C), Laughing Kookaburra (C), Superb Fairy-wren (A), Red-backed Fairy-wren (A), Variegated Fairy-wren (M), Speckled Warbler (M), White-throated Gerygone (A, M, C), Striated Pardalote (A, M, C), White-plumed Honeyeater (F), Noisy Miner (A, M), Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (L), Brown Honeyeater (L), Blue-faced Honeyeater (F), Noisy Friarbird (L), Little Friarbird (C), Striped Honeyeater (A, C), Rufous Whistler (M), Olive-backed Oriole (M), Grey Butcherbird (A), Pied Butcherbird (A, C), Australian Magpie (M, C), Pied Currawong (F), Grey Fantail (A, M), Willie Wagtail (A), Australian Raven (C), Torresian Crow (A, M, C, F), Apostlebird (M), Little Grassbird (A), Silvereye (A, M), Mistletoebird (L).

Geckoes: Stone Gecko Diplodactylus vittatus 

Butterflies: Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax (C), Cabbage White Pieris rapae (A,M,C), Meadow Argus Junonia villida (C), Wanderer Danaus plexippus (R-Durikai), Long-tailed Pea Blue Lampides boeticus (C).

Macropods: Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus (R); Red-necked Wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus (M, R); Common Wallaroo, Macropus robustus (R-Durikai).   

Mammals: Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes (R-dead). Black-tailed Antechinus (Antechinus arktos)

Those wanting to follow up Bob Fuller’s report of a discovery of more species of the black tailed Antechinus will find plenty of interest on the internet. This is a new species discovered last year. At the time it brought the total number of antechinus species up to 13.

(Report by Lesley Beaton)

Swainsona brachycarpa - Condamine Reserve, Felton South (;photo by Trish Gardner)

The following photos and identification are by Diana Bull:

Wattle at Durikai

Wattle at Durikai

In

Instar phase of the long-nosed grasshopper Acrida sp. (beside river lunch spot)

Senna bush

Tragopogan porrifolius

The Tragopogan porrifolius was growing on the verge where we parked our cars on the Back Plains - Clifton road and caused a certain amount of interest as it is not a commonly seen weed in these parts.  Also known as oyster plant as the cooked roots of the cultivated plant are edible and apparently have a delicate oyster flavour.

September Speaker - a Report

“Habitat is what it is all about!” - This was the main theme of the guest speaker at the September meeting, hard-working and dedicated koala carer Clare Gover. Assisted by volunteer carer and friend Pam Allen, Clare outlined the current predicament of koalas in the wild, and detailed some of the problems and challenges of being a koala carer. Clare said increasing loss of habitat leads to koalas having to travel farther to find nourishment, and so often having to traverse open land, and to cross roads and highways. This readily leads to attacks by dogs - and even by horses and cows in paddocks - and to death or serious injury when struck by motor vehicles.

Clare’s graphic and sometimes confronting photos showed koalas maimed or killed on roads. They also pictured stressed koalas driven from their natural habitat atop suburban fences, street electricity poles, and even large advertising signs. In this stressed condition, koalas are vulnerable to conjunctivitis and other serious ailments. 

Other points from Clare’s talk -

·      Koala caring is 24-hours a day. Rescuing koalas is risky, and the caring, as well as being rewarding, is hard work and can be distressing.

·      Government rules state that a koala, nursed back to good health, must be released within one to five kilometres of where it was originally found, unless its habitat has been destroyed. In this case, special application has to be made for relocation. 

·      Clare is in the process of moving her caring facility from Cabarlah to Hampton and needs to plant thousands of the handful of eucalyptus tree species that koalas eat. A new clinic is partially built but needs more funding. Money is also needed for other necessary equipment, including humidicribs for baby koalas.

Clare urged anyone finding even a recently killed koala to contact her. It was possible the koala had a Joey in the pouch, and also that the koala, if recently killed, could be a source of pap, a specialised gut flora needed to digest eucalyptus. Clare has established Return to the Wild, Inc., a non-profit association based in south-east Queensland. It provides rescue, trauma care, hand-rearing and rehabilitation of koalas and other Australian wildlife. For rescues on the Darling Downs, contact Clare on 0427969860.

 (Report by Michael Rooke)

Looking back at Redwood Park - Outing Report from Newsletter 70 of June 1958

AUGUST OUTING REPORT - East Creek and Table Top Estate area

About 20 members gathered at Picnic Point for a BBQ lunch at noon. We were very lucky to secure one of the BBQs as it was a beautiful mild late-winter day and many families were out enjoying the area. There was a lot of bird activity whilst we enjoyed our meal, with several species investigating the many hollows in the mature trees – a welcome indication that the warmer weather is, perhaps, not too far away.

After eating, we moved up to the Waterbird Habitat on Mackenzie Street where we started our exploration of the new water retention systems along East Creek. The Ballin Drive detention basin works are now completed, and the screens removed, but the fencing will remain in place until sometime in September to protect the new plantings while they get established. The contractors are responsible for maintaining the new plantings for a period of three months, and will replace any casualties during this period. The detention basin has a capacity of 40ML and approximately 310 trees, 20,000 shrubs and 53,000 ground covers have been planted, many of these native and flood-tolerant species. Because of the fencing we were unable to get close enough to the newly planted areas to positively identify species, but the consensus was that overall there appears to be a vast improvement to the habitats and increased biodiversity.

Returning to the cars we then proceeded through the Waterbird Habitat to the Alderley Street end of Garnet Lehmann Park. We all remember the public protests regarding Council’s plan for this park, but judging by the end results an excellent compromise was eventually reached. There is still a large area of the old mature trees with grass cover and, despite the ravages of the floods, the creek bed still has many mature tree ferns on the banks, with regeneration of young ferns evident. Between this informal area and South Street, a new water detention bund (capacity 67ML) has been built with the landscaping work creating a natural looking creek bed with a wide range of riverine habitats to encourage wildlife diversity. A new pathway and attractive bridge provide good viewing areas with interpretive signage. There has also been extensive planting of trees, shrubs and ground cover which bodes well for the local bird populations.

Judging by the increased numbers of residents now utilising these areas the water detention scheme has certain-ly improved the recreational facilities of our city. I have very distinct memories of going with our grandson to look for yabbies in the old creek bed about 10 years ago, when it was just a trickle at the bottom of steep muddy banks. It eventually ran into a dull concrete gutter. Now city kids can spend many hours exploring the riverine landscapes created just above and below the outlet, with different water environments including sandy and pebbly bottomed pools, ripple areas and all sorts of environments on the banks. Let’s hope the local wildlife will eventually take up abode there. It will be interesting to watch, when/if they are put to the test, just how effective these detention basins prove to be in making our city much more resistant to major rain events in the future. Incidentally, these basins are not designed to ‘retain’ water, but to ‘detain’ and safely manage flood water in East Creek.

David Hill showing some of his nesting boxes (Photo: F. Mangubhai

Our day was concluded with a visit to David Hill’s Land for Wildlife Property in the Table Top Estate. David himself was unable to be with us until almost dusk, but he made us very welcome in absentia for afternoon tea on his deck and browsing through his garden where he has introduced a wide range of native vegetation and an even wider range of home-made nesting boxes, from minute to gigantic, which all seemed to be occupied or regularly visited. With such a large (and dare I say noisy) group, ‘spotting’ of the residents was somewhat limited, but very satisfying when it was achieved.

All in all this turned out to be a very relaxing and interesting outing, and proved that it is not always necessary to make a long journey for a productive field trip, and just how lucky we are to live in The Garden City.

(Report by Shirley Cormack)

Panoramic view of Ballin Drive (photo by Dougal Johnston)

Report on August Speaker

August is the month of the AGM of the Toowoomba Field Naturalists Club and the speaker for the meeting is selected from among the members. On this occasion the speaker was Cheryl Haxen, ably supported by Philip at the computer. Their talk was entitled ‘Leonardo da Vinci – Designs of art and nature’.

Flying machine

Cheryl and Philip had visited the Museo Leonardo da Vinci Firenze which displayed works constructed out of the designs found in da Vinci’s many notebooks. These designs, constructed into reality using wood, showed weapons, including a work that we would now term as ‘a weapon of mass destruction’ because it was a circular enclosure that allowed firing in all directions at the same time. Another weapon was four scythes set on a rotating shaft – four times as much carnage as one scythe could inflict. As Cheryl explained, it was ironic that da Vinci had so many diagrams dealing with making warfare more bloody when he had, at one stage, professed to be against war. But there were other designs also: including an odometer, a pedal-operated paddleboat and a flying machine that was no different from our modern ‘hang glider’.

Maratus jactans

 Cheryl then went on to show the genius of nature and talked about and showed slides of the peacock spiders, e.g. Maratus volans which is a species in the jumping spider family, belonging to the peacock spider genus. The male spiders put on a performance for the female which includes displaying their coloured flap-like extensions of their abdomen. These spiders are only about 5 mm in body length and can be found in parts of Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania. The names of Jurgen Otto and David Hill are associated with these species.

      

      1. Maratus splendens. Collected in 1896 by the aptly named W.J.Rainbow,

it was only re -discovered by Jurgen Otto in 2011 near Sydney.

2. Maratus personatus. Recently discovered Blueface.  Female of the blueface. Most females of peacock spiders are similar to thisi.e. lacking display colours.

         3. Maratus elephans. Recently named for the elephant design on his abdomen.

Maratus skeletus

        4. Maratus jactans. Along with the next species discovered only this year at Wondul Range National Park not far from Toowoomba by Berkeley student Madeleine Girard and Australian Eddie Aloise King. Madeleine dubbed this'sparklemuffin' for its flashy displays which include inflation of the spinnerets.  

     5. Maratus skeletus which Madeleine termed 'skeletorus' for its skeletal markings.

 

     Cheryl mentioned that Youtube films of these spiders are available and given below is a link to one such film: 

      

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d yYC5r8xMI.

      (Report by Francis Mangubhai with help from Cheryl Haxen)

THE ENDANGERED PLANT Commersonia inglewoodensis

I recently had the pleasure of leading the Toowoomba Field Nats on their July outing, part of which took us into Bringalily State Forest near Inglewood in south-east Queensland. One of the objectives of the day was to show attendees a rare and threatened plant that is only known from a single site in this state forest. This plant is the small prostrate Commersonia inglewoodensis (Family Byttneriaceae) that is regarded as an endangered species under state and federal legislation. Whilst the day’s activities will be competently reported upon in the trip report this plant did attract quite a bit of interest so I thought that I might submit a few more detailed notes for the reader’s information.  

This plant has no common name but was described by the Director of the Queensland Herbarium Dr. Gordon Guymer in 2006. The description is from specimens taken from along Andersons Road and its verges in Bringalily State Forest. The plant is growing on a deeply weathered duricrust and in shallow red sandy loam with pea gravel in an area where the road transects low heathland and shrubland communities. An old abandoned quarry abuts the road here. The adjacent shrubland is dominated by Calytrix sp., Micromyrtus sessilis, Babingtonia densifolia and Boronia. In 2011 C.F.Wilkins and B.A.Whitlock erected a new genus for 22 species of plant previously described as Commersonia, four species formerly described as Rulingia and seven new species in the genus Androcalva. This included the plant under discussion; however a recent enquiry to the Queensland Herbarium revealed that this institution does not accept Androcalva and are staying with Commersonia for these plants.  

Commersonia inglewoodensis is a ground-hugging and spreading shrub to 100mm in height with trailing stems to about 90mm long. The branchlets are covered in fine hairs. The leaves are dark green on the dorsal side, broadly ovate to ovate to 20mm long by 19mm wide. The upper side of the leaf has impressed veins and a sparse covering of fine hairs. The underside of the leaf is paler with a dense cover of hairs and raised veins. The leaves are irregularly serrated and the leaf-stalks are hairy to 7mm long.  

Commersonia inglewoodensis has been recorded flowering in February, March, October and November. The small creamy white flowers are about 3mm in diameter and occur in groups of three on stalks to 1mm long. The seed capsules are globular, 6.5-8mm in diameter.  

And that is about all that I can offer on this somewhat nondescript but very significant little plant. Some excellent photos from Bruce Thomson will give readers a much better idea of the habit and habitat of this rare species.

References:  

Guymer, G.P. (2006). New species of Commersonia J.R.Fortst. & G.Forst. (Sterculiaceae) from Queensland, Austrobaileya,  -ol. 7(2): 369-71.  

Wilkins, C.F. & Whitlock, B.A. (2011). A new Australian genus, Androcalva, separated from Commersonia (Malvaceae s.l. or Byttneriaceae). Australian Systematic Botany, vol. 24(5):284-349.               

Report by Rod Hobson 08/07/15

(Both photos below by Bruce Thomson) 

Commersonia inglewoodensis habit 

Commersonia inglewoodensis leaves and flower 

JULY 2015 OUTING REPORT

Well this was quite an outing! Twenty or so field Nats and six visitors/guides in 10 vehicles, zig zagging over almost 100 kilometres of rough, dusty tracks across the back blocks of Millmerran. We turned off the bitumen into the Wondul Range National Park and were introduced to our first rare plant, the cycad Macrozamia machinii. This is an unprepossessing straggly plant not much more than knee high. Some bore a large cone and apparently pollination is done by a beetle. Damage to some cones suggested predation by some animal. M. machinii mostly occurs on deep sandy soils from Texas north to the Wondul Ranges. Due to its limited distribution and vulnerability to malentities such as fire, it is perhaps not entirely secure.  

Further into the forest we were told about some native wells nearby testifying to human occupation over the ages. We stopped here and there to admire the masses of white flowers of Olearia sp. Musk Daisy Bush, to bird watch and to have lunch overlooking a small dam. Glossy Black Cockatoos flew noisily overhead and through the persistence of a few persons a reasonable bird list was compiled (see below). Of special interest seen in Bringalily State Forest was the plant Commersonia inglewoodensis, its dull green leaves spreading flat over the track and found only in this area. (So rare it would not Google!!) By mid-afternoon we were thoroughly disoriented and dependent on our guides to lead us out of the forest.  

Thank you Ben for organizing us and a particular thank you to National Park Rangers: Rod Hobson, Mark Weaver, Martin Ambrose and Toby Esstoe who gave so generously of their time and knowledge to make this a very memorable field excursion. This National Park was gazetted to ‘conserve open woodland species typical of the Western Downs’. It will do this even more effectively if the adjoining Bulli State Forest is also given this status. 

Report by Neil McKilligan

Bird list for July outing: Wondul Range N. P: et environs (compiled by Nicci Thompson)

Little Pied Cormorant, Peaceful Dove, Laughing Kookaburra, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-eared Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater,  Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Speckled Warbler,  Weebill, Grey-crowned Babbler, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Grey Shrike-Thrush, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail,  White-winged Chough, Silvereye, Double-barred Finch

Macrozamia machinii (female)

Small leaved Olearia - Olearia microphylla

Macrozamia machinii (male cone)

(Above photos by Mike Ford)

Scorpion  Isometrus melanodactylus or Lychas
viriatus from Wondul NP (ID by Rod Hobson;
photoby Al Young)

Eastern Tiny Blue China Orchid -
Cyaniluca caerulea, taken in
 Bringalily SF 0 (ID by Rod Hobson,
photo by Al Young) 

Puff ball - photo by F. Mangubhai