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.