Outing Report - Mt French, August 2016

FFNC members investigating the flora and fauna on the Mt French escarpment

Considering rain was forecast it was more members than expected who assembled in the Mt French car-park. We had to jostle for parking spaces with the large numbers of rock-climbers attempting the Frog Buttress cracks. Before we left the car-park Keith pointed out the Eucalyptus dura, also known as the Smooth-branched Ironbark, or Gum-topped Ironbark, which is fairly uncommon but found on the peaks in our area.

Nats in the Mt French heath

Mt French is always a botanist's delight and it wasn't long before we were scattered along the Mee-bor-rum Circuit track as people stopped to discuss and identify plants. Unfortunately the Moogerah Pea (Bossiaea rupicola) had finished flowering and there were only occasional blooms to be seen.

Moogerah Pea (Bossiaea rupicola) - a lone flower.

However there were acacias in full flower and Wonga Vine (Pandorea pandorana) was tumbling down the rocky escarpment in a shower of creamy bells. Hoya australis was also climbing over the rocks and up the trees, and Hibiscus heterophyllus bushes were clinging to the edge but neither were flowering at this time of the year. Many of the Grass Trees (Xanthorrhoea sp.) were in flower, and Keith spotted scratchings on one of the stems which looked as if they could have been made by a small glider. The native bees also enjoy the nectar and were buzzing around the tall spikes.

                     

Morning tea was back at the picnic tables then we set off for the North Cliff walk and the stupendous view at Logan's Lookout.

Kalbar from Logan's Lookout on Mt French

The habitat is quite different in this section though similar to the car-park and camping area. Young Celery Wood (Polyscias elegans) and Kurrajong (Brachychiton sp) were noted by the side of the track.

      

It was back to the picnic tables for lunch, and time to recap on what we had observed, catch up with members we don't always see on our outings and cheer our decathlon winner in the Games. (Some people can't live without their gadgets!) The group split up after this with some members heading home and others going to the lower section of the national park.

              

The ground was damper here and the track was littered with tiny yellow fungi and Pale Sundew (Drosera peltata). We searched the leaf litter for native ground orchids and though we saw leaves of some varieties it was a little early for their flowers. In the dry creek bed we found Lacy Wedge Fern (Lindsaea microphylla).

                

Certainly a day for the botanists.

Des, cleaning his boots to help eradicate the Phytophthora cinnamomi or Root Rot, a mold which infects native vegetation.
Heathlands and dry Eucalypt forest are particularly at risk.  

Birds:

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Spotted Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Silvereye, Mistletoebird

Butterflies:

Black Jezebel (Delias nigrina)

Skinks:

Wall Skink (Cryptoblepharus virgatus)

Spiders:
Leaf Curling Spider (Phonognatha graeffei), egg sacs of the Magnificent Spider (Ordgarius magnificus)