Outing Report - Pine Ridge Conservation Park, 18 August 2018

Using "Mangroves to Mountains" 
to identify this beautiful shrub

The Fassifern Field Nats don't often head down to the coast so it was an enthusiastic group that met at the Pine Ridge Conservation Park at Runaway Bay. This perfect patch of Wallum is a gem as it is one of the last remnants of natural bushland on the Gold Coast and was gazetted in 1984. How it survived we don't know but we're glad it did.

Before we set out on the walk Peter explained how the sand ridges and swales in the park were formed. Due to the continuing drought the swales weren't swampy but contained a variety of interesting flora nevertheless.

In fact, for such a small park it has a variety of habitats: Eucalypt open forest on sand ridges, Melaleuca tall open forest on sand plains, wet and dry coastal heath on sand plains, Banksia woodland on dunes and sand plains. The first two ecosystems being considered endangered. Also Tiny Wattle (Acacia baueri subsp. Bauera) is considered Vulnerable, Christmas Bells (Blandfordia grandiflora) and Lesser Swamp Orchid (Phaius australis) as Endangered. [Ed. I would love to see the orchid in flower.)]

We were kept busy identifying some of the unfamiliar plant species, listening for bird calls and trying to photograph insects. One animal not often seen by us was a Dark Bar-sided Skink (Concinnia martini) hiding in the crevice of a tree.  

Photographing Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major)

Flying Duck Orchid
(Caleana major)

Wallum Tea-tree (Leptospermum semibaccatum)

Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda)

Dense heath beside white sand tracks

Wallum Zieria (Zieria laxiflora)

After spending some considerable time in the park we went 3.5 kms down the road to Jabiru Island. No Jabirus were seen but we did have a very convivial lunch in the shade while fending off the marauding magpies. After lunch we followed the path under the main road and enjoyed the short boardwalk in the Phi Hill Environmental Park to the edge of the Coomera River.

We saw an Osprey perched on the mast of one of the sailing boats, and heard the Mangrove Gerygone, and Mangrove Honeyeater.

It was a beautiful day and we all agreed we had a wonderful time on the coast. Thank you Peter and Tricia for organizing the trip.

Boardwalk into the mangroves, Phil Hill Environmental Park

Admiring the ultra-modern Osprey platform

Silver Gulls on the edge of the Coomera River

Photos by Doreen, Lesley and Noela.

Pine Ridge Conservation Park, Hollywell (Runaway Bay) Qld, 18 August 2018

Birds: Spotted Dove, Tawny Frogmouth, Australian White Ibis, Whistling Kite, Rainbow Lorikeet, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Striated Pardalote, Striated Thornbill, Variegated Fairy-wren, Eastern Spinebill, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird.

Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail, Lemon Migrant, Common Grass-yellow, Small Grass-yellow, Black Jezebel, Wanderer, Evening Brown, Common Eggfly.

Other: Dark Bar-sided Skink (Concinnia martini), Golden Orb-Weaver (Nephila plumipes), Bush Orb Weaver (Plebs eburnus), Potter Wasp (Abispa ephippium).

Some plants noticed on the way – Pixie Caps (Acianthus fornicates), Black Wattle (Acacia concurrens), Prickly Moses (Acacia ulicifolia), Wallum Banksia (Banksia aemula), Coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia), Swamp Water Fern (Blechnum indicum), Wallum Boronia (Boronia falcifolia), Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major), Curly Sedge (Caustis recurvate), Small-leaf Grape (Cissus opaca), Devil's Rice (Conospermum taxifolium), Pink Bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia), Dillwynia floribunda, Golden Wedge Pea (Gompholobium virgatum), Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda), Wallum Tea-tree (Leptospermum semibaccatum), Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus), Macaranga (Macaranga tanarius), Forest Quinine (Petalostigma triloculare), Swamp Grasstree (Xanthorrhoea fulva), Forest Grasstree (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii).

Jabiru Island, Gold Coast Qld, 18 August 2018

Birds: Little Black Cormorant, Australian White Ibis, Noisy Miner, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Torresian Crow, Welcome Swallow.

Butterflies: Scarlet Jezebel.

Phil Hill Environmental Park, Gold Coast Qld, 18 August 2018

Birds: Eastern Osprey, Caspian Tern, Rainbow Lorikeet, Rainbow Bee-eater, Mangrove Gerygone, Mangrove Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater,

Some plants noticed on the way – Saltwater Couch (Paspalum vaginatum), Mangrove spp. http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/bf/fs-mangroves.pdf