Outing Report - Lutter Road, Charlwood, May 2017

The weather, after not looking promising on the Friday, dawned warm and sunny on Saturday morning, and stayed that way all day. The Fassifern Field Naturalists met at Lutter Road and caught up with old friends or made acquaintance with new ones. Lutter Road is on the western slopes of Mt French. 

It was misty on the Great Divide

We then set off in two groups; one to explore the scrub along the slashed tracks, and the other to admire the chooks, fossick in the scrub edges and walk up to the dam. We all met back for morning tea where we sat in the sunshine glorying in the magnificent view of the Great Dividing Range. Afterwards the group split up again; the adventurers diving into the scrub on the northern side of the block and the others meandering along the drive admiring the number and diversity of butterflies flitting about in the sunshine. By this time the scrub-bashers had joined the others for a wander along the road before returning to the view for lunch. By this time we were all sitting in the shade.

A juvenile White-bellied Sea-eagle circled above us while birds, butterflies, frogs, moths and vine scrub plants were all discussed over our delicious lunches. All except for Wendy who was on a bread and water diet!

Inspection of the Flindersia xanthoxyla leaves

On the property were some Long Jack or Yellow-wood, Flindersia xanthoxyla (derived from the Ancient Greek xanthos "yellow", and xylon "wood".) Read more ....

White Looper Moth or Flower-eating Caterpillar, Pingasa chlora

This magnificent specimen was resting on one of the carport posts. It can be forgiven for thinking it is the trunk of a gum tree because it is still well camouflaged. Click on the image to enlarge. Then you will see its hairy wings. Read more ....

Species lists

Bees: Blue-banded Bee Amegilla cingulate.

Beetles: Variable Ladybird Coelophora inaequalis.

Birds, 43 species: Brown Quail, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australian Pelican (in the far distance), White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Brown Goshawk, Wedge-tailed Eagle (a pair in the far distance), Pale-headed Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Rainbow Bee-eater, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Speckled Warbler, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Varied Triller, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Martin sp., Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch.

Butterflies, 11 species: Clearwing Swallowtail Cressida cressida, Common (Large) Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe, Yellow or Common Albatross Appias paulina, Tailed Emperor Polyura sempronius, Glasswing Acraea andromacha, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Yellow Admiral Vanessa itea, Common Crow Euploea core, Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata.

Frogs: Striped Marsh Frog Limnodynastes peroni, Eastern Sedge Frog Litoria fallax.

Moths: White Looper Moth or Flower-eating Caterpillar, Pingasa chlora.

Spiders: Garden Orb Weaver Eriophora transmarina, Golden Orb-Weaver Nephila sp.

Plants of interest: Rosewood Acacia fasciculifera, Brush Ironbark Bridelia exaltata, Long Jack or Yellow-wood Flindersia xanthoxyla, Crow's Apple Owenia venosa, Poison Peach Trema tomentose.

May Outing 2017 - western slopes of Mt French

It's been a while since FFNC explored this side of Mt French. We will be on private property. It is mainly regrowth wattle with some vine scrub in the gullies. In the clearing around the cabin there's plenty of naturalising to do including a gentle walk to the dam. There are magnificent views of the Great Dividing Range from the property.

Meet: at the property on Saturday 20th May at 8.30 am. 

Bring: Morning tea, and lunch. Bring the usual stuff – camera, sun screen, insect repellent, walking shoes, water, etc. CHAIRS! Reference books.

Fitness/Mobility: This outing caters for all. The more adventurous can explore the tracks through the bush while the more genteel can amble around the cleared areas. Some very interesting insects were discovered during the recce. 

Please email us for more information.

Camp Report - Cullendore, NSW

Cullendore High Country is an ideal spot for a field naturalists camp. Overlooking the Maryland National Park on the Qld-NSW border, it is at high altitude, and on the edge of the Granite Belt. This means there are different species of fauna, flora and fungi that we don't always get in the western Scenic Rim. We had a great time walking and driving the tracks. There was so much to see and do. Here's some photos which show what we got up to.

Species lists follow the photos.

All images are by members of the Fassifern Field Naturalists Club.

Fassifern Field Naturalists at Cullendore High Country

Matty's Dam, Cullendore High Country

 Australian Bluebells (Wahlenbergia sp) with wasp pollinator

White Patch Bark Moth (Scioglyptis lyciariap)

Russell’s Greenhood (Diplodium russellii)

White Stemmed Wattle Moth

Beautiful waterlilies

Ringed Xenica (Geitoneura acantha)

Water Snowflakes (Nymphoides indica)

Unknown insect (probably Tipulidae sp.) but several found flying close to the leaf litter in Maryland National Park

More Craneflies Tipulidae sp.

Morning Tea Reflections - stunning!

Species List: compiled by the Club Recorder from members’ sightings.

Birds Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Bar-shouldered Dove, Wonga Pigeon, White-faced Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Masked Lapwing, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Musk Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Azure Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Brown Tree-creeper, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Western Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Striated Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-eared Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Brown Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Black-faced Woodswallow, Dusky Woodswallow, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-Lark, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Jacky Winter, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch, Red-browed Finch, Australian Pipit. 

Mammals Red-necked Wallaby, Common Brushtail Possum, Rufous Bettong, Common Ringtail Possum, Brown Hare

Reptiles Carpet Python, Red-bellied Black Snake, Wall Skink

Amphibians Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog, Striped Marsh Frog, Beeping Froglet

Ants Jumper Ant (Myrmecia nigrocincta), Many more but couldn’t identify them.

Butterflies Greenish Grass-dart, Small Grass-yellow, Glasswing, Lesser Wanderer, Wanderer, Common Brown, Ringed Xenica, Common Grass-blue (unconfirmed Shouldered Brown)

Moths White Stemmed Wattle Moth (Chelepteryx chalepteryx), White-patch Bark Moth (Scioglyptis lyciaria)

Dragonflies Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum)

Native Orchids - In Flower: Dark Mosquito Orchid (Acianthus exsertus), Common Wasp Orchid (Chiloglottis diphylla), Russell’s Greenhood (Diplodium russellii). 
Not In Flower: Pink Rock Orchid (Dendrobium kingianum, now with a taxonomic name change - Thelychiton kingianus), King Orchid (Dendrobium speciosum, also a name change - Thelychiton speciosus), Climbing Orchid (Erythrorchis cassythoide