Wildflowers at Hartmann Park, Crows Nest

Pink and cream Stylidium laricifolium

At Hartmann Park we set off with Kym and her naturalist pre-schooler, Jamie. Lovely yellow Donkey Orchids soon had the cameras clicking. We almost walked on the Chloanthes parviflora with their mauve flowers, growing on the side of the track. Xanthorrhoea was everywhere. Perhaps the highlight was the masses of Stylidium laricifolium or Tree Trigger Plant. A fascinating plant on which the narrow leaves grow in a thick mass up the stems giving the plant a furry look. The tiny pale pink, four-petalled flowers grow up the stem above the leaves. We had difficulty finding any to trigger and decided maybe the rain had set them off. Along the track we found only two specimens of  Stylidium graminifolium, a very different upright plant with fine strap leaves supporting its base.

The miniature white flowers of the Leucopogan were more difficult to see, as were the tiny flowers of the purple Hylanthus and Glycene Pea Glycine tabacina hiding in the grass.

Kym pointed out New England Blackbutts Eucalyptus montivaga and told us there was a very rare suite of eucalypts in this park. Jamie pointed out his favourite flower Pimelia linifolia. We got to smell the leaves of the Platysace lanceolata (a member of the carrot family.)

A banksia was in flower, and the very thick stem of the Parsonsia vine was easy to see. Here Kym pointed out Angophora woodsiana, another member of the unusual suite of trees. 

Amata nigriceps in a Toowoomba garden

Further along the track Jamie’s sharp eyes found a lovely black and orange moth on the underside of the Xanthorrhoea. It was a White Antenna Wasp Moth, Amata nigriceps.

Arriving back at our starting point we agreed it had been a very successful walk, and as we headed for the cars Jamie pointed out Great Cormorants flying overhead.

                                                                                                                                                   by Donalda

Applegum Bird Walk in October

By the time I arrived at Bullocky’s Rest there was great excitement as Grahame and Donalda had already seen a Buff-banded Rail which was a new species for the area. There were only five people brave enough to turn up on a rainy, early morning but we had some great birding with 44 species seen or heard in about 2 hours.

There were plenty of wildflowers in bloom especially a little Pink Rock Orchid, Dendrobium kingianum which Donalda and I found beside the track. Another delight was the sighting of two Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii at the Pump Hole.

Pink Rock Orchid

The rain had come on more heavily by then but it didn't deter the birds with the smaller bush birds in abundance.

We arrived at Hartmann Park for morning tea, and while we were waiting beside the creek Donalda and I had a good sighting of an Azure Kingfisher. This was a new species for the park.

  

Bird List for Crows Nest Outing, compiled from members’ sightings

Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Crested Pigeon, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Cormorant (o’head), Australian White Ibis (o’head), Straw-necked Ibis (o’head), Buff-banded Rail, Dusky Moorhen, Masked Lapwing, Galah, Rainbow Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Azure Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, White-throated Treecreeper, White-browed Scrubwren, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Brown Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Welcome Swallow, Red-browed Finch.

Also seen in and around Crows Nest: Australasian Grebe, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Little Friarbird.      Total: 47 species                                                                                                                             

White Mountain, September

It was a lovely time to venture into the far western edge of the Helidon Hills area, near White Mountain. Our first stop was at the creek crossing below Greg's place to look at the havoc caused by the January flood.

Jenny & Nick in the ravaged creek

After morning tea we had an invigorating walk through his property. A particular plant of interest was the Climbing Orchid Erythrorchis cassythoides or Black Bootlace Orchid. 

Erythrorchis cassythoides 

 

The black stems

                                                                                    

Looking at the long dark stems you can see the reason for its name. Go to Trish Gardner's blog for more about this lovely orchid,  toowoombaplants2008.blogspot.com/2009/09/black-bootlace-orchid.html. Other plants that caught our attention were Large-leaf Hop-bush Dodonaea triquetra, the vulnerable Four-tailed Grevillea Grevillea quadricauda, and the Koala Fern Caustis blakai subsp macrantha. 

Four-tailed Grevillea

Plenty of Koala Fern 
on the rocky slopes

John and Bob coming through
the Koala Fern and Grass Trees

Bird list: +/- 250m from S27º 25.724'  E152º 05.377' The honeyeaters were out in force on this fine spring day. The Scarlet Honeyeaters particularly were calling and fluttering everywhere. So though there was plenty of activity only 12 species were recorded on the morning. Perhaps some quiet time beside the creek may be worth investigating in the future. We also saw Button-quail platelets. Possibly Painted Button-quail as they've been recorded at Paradise Creek which is close by. Lorikeet sp. (Rainbow/Scaly-breasted), Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong. 

Relaxing at lunch

Photos by Lesley & Heather.
  

Durikai State Forest – 7 August 2011

This was certainly a day for honeyeaters as far as birders were concerned. 16 different species were seen. The highlight would have been the lunch stop at Durikai Waterhole where we had wonderfully close views of a number of species as they came in to drink. Particularly amazing as there were about 20 people sitting around chatting. The lone Bell Miner was a very unusual bird to get at the waterhole.

The group of 5 Emus on the way home was also a special sighting for our overseas guest.

Durikai Waterhole (28° 11’ 20”S/151° 37’ 27” E) 
Little Lorikeet, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Fuscous Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater, Bell Miner,  Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Crested Shrike-tit, Grey Shrike-thrush, Olive-backed Oriole, Eastern Yellow Robin, Mistletoebird. 

Lorraine took us to the Scientific Area of the Durikai, and we searched along the fence line with success for fossils of the fern Otozamites feistmantelli from the Jurassic period. 

Looking for fossils

And finding them!

There was plenty for the botanists too, with 3 types of mulga, several different wattle in flower, and other plants of the 'traprock' country.

Green Mallee Eucalyptus viridis flower

The wonderfully coloured calyptus, the bud-cap,
of the Baker's Mallee Eucalyptus bakeri.

Butterfly List

There was only one species seen flying on the day, a White or Common Migrant Catopsilia pyranthe. One was caught by Nicholas Matheson and identified by members before being released. There were two individuals fluttering around the morning tea spot at the Karara Showgrounds.

The brown hairy caterpillar found on the mistletoe (possibly Smooth Mistletoe Dendrophthoe glabrescens) was the larvae of a Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona. An ugly duckling of a larva compared to the beautiful butterfly it becomes. 

Scarlet Jezebel caterpillar

Mt Peel Reserve & Federation Park - July

This reserve on the south-western side of Toowoomba is a remnant patch of eucalyptus and acacia woodland. Many of the Yellow Box Eucalyptus melliodora were in flower and one tall tree in particular was heavily blossomed with Rainbow & Little Lorikeets and Noisy Friarbirds making a cacophony of sound as they fed in the high canopy. Nearer the northern peak Scarlet Honeyeaters were in abundance whereas the southern peak attracted a flock of 50+ Silvereye. Tricia and I thought we heard Speckled Warblers but they were elusive and we gave up the search.

Federation Park was a perfect place to lunch on a windless day, with a short walk afterwards and a good sighting of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo.

Setting out 

Yellow Box flower

Golden Orb-weaver

Reserve – Crested Pigeon, Cockatiel, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch.
Federation Park – Spotted Dove, Galah, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Butcherbird, Grey Fantail, Magpie-lark, Common Myna, Double-barred Finch.  

Eagleby Wetlands - June

With Ben driving the bus, we set off for the Eagleby Wetlands and were joined by more Nats for morning tea in the picnic shelter, with a Brahminy Kite overhead. Most of us had never been to this part of Logan before so were very impressed with the wetlands, particularly the boardwalk. Here we got delightful views of Black Swans with cygnets, and a watchful Owlet Nightjar. Lovely.

Natters at Old Beenleigh Town for lunch

Owlet Nightjar

Natters checking out the Owlet Nightjar
with Black Swans checking out the Natters!

 After lunch at Old Beenleigh Town we went to two properties along Schmidt Road which gave us some species we don't normally see up on the range.

Gull-billed Terns on the Steen property

The outing finished with afternoon tea at the Logan River Parklands, and a quiet and safe drive home.

Afternoon tea at the Logan River Parklands

Bird Lists: 

1)    Eagleby Wetlands - Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australian Owlet-Nightjar, Australasian Darter, Intermediate Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Brahminy Kite, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Comb-crested Jacana, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Little Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Golden-headed Cisticola, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

2)    Properties on Schmidt Road - Australian Wood Duck, Chestnut Teal, Australasian Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Australasian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Intermediate Egret, Cattle Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Whistling Kite, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Black-winged Stilt, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Gull-billed Tern, Little Corella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Striated Pardalote, Scarlet Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Welcome Swallow, Common Myna, Australasian Pipit

3)    Logan River Parklands - Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Eastern Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Australian White Ibis, Purple Swamphen, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Australian Magpie, Torresian Crow.

Roadside sightings - Spotted Dove, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.           

Mt Beppo - Camp Somerset

On the second day of camp it was such a pleasure to visit “Peppertrees”, the Fysh property at Mt Beppo. They knew they had a piece of scrub with a reputation in the district as being of good quality, but I don’t think they knew, until Bill started recording the species, just how good it is. We started to see unusual things even on the drive in, which follows a long row of native dry rainforest trees (mostly Whalebone Tree Streblus brunonianus, Scrub Boonaree Cupaniopsis parviflora, and Scrub Wilga Geijera parviflora).

Starting the walk at Peppertrees

Native Bryony, Diplocyclos palmatus

The two Barrys enjoying a cuppa

The view from Peppertrees

Many of the trees and vines are butterfly host species, so it was not surprising that even at this time of year we found quite a few butterflies. The scrub must be alive with them in summer. We finished our morning with a picnic lunch on the lawn, and thanks to Betsy and Frith for letting us wander around their interesting property.

Bird List: Brown Quail, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Australasian Grebe, Little Pied Cormorant (overhead), Australian Pelican (overhead), White-bellied Sea-Eagle (overhead), Pale-headed Rosella, Red-backed Fairywren, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Varied Triller, Rufous Whistler, Australasian Figbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Mistletoebird.

Butterfly List: Grass-yellow sp. Eurema sp., Black Jezebel Delias nigrina, Pearl White sp. Elodina sp., Evening Brown Melanitis leda, Tailed Emperor Polyura sempronius, Glasswing Acraea andromacha, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Common Crow Euploea core, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus.