Outing Report - Early morning walk at Cunningham's Gap, 19 January 2019

Rainforest Floor [Photo: N. Crepin]

Cunningham’s Gap’s cool heights beckoned on this warm January morning, and 14 members and one visitor took advantage of avoiding the 36°C heat in the valley.

The rainforest was very dry along the Main Range and it was sad to see it in such a condition. Flowers and fungi were scarce though the Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus) was in flower. Stepping out into the woodland along the eastern escarpment we heard the Bellbirds (Bell Miners) calling from below. They were quite clear above the loud drone of the traffic. 

Back at the picnic grounds we had our breakfast before exploring the lower end of the Box Forest Track. Down by the creek the Mat Rush (Lomandra longifolia) was covered in little flies. It was only later when photos were checked that we realised they were tiny flying ants with pretty little wings. There was one lone Christmas Orchid flowering by the track near the picnic area but plenty more in bloom further in. 

Unidentified Flying Ants by West Gap Creek
[Photo: A. Podlich]

Rainforest Circuit: - Birds: White-headed 
Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Koel, Channel-billed Cuckoo, White-throated Treecreeper, Green Catbird, Satin Bowerbird, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Australian Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Bassian Thrush, Mistletoebird. (38)

Butterflies: Blue Triangle (Graphium sarpedon), Orchard Swallowtail, Black Jezabel (Delias nigrina) [dead], Wanderer (Danaus plexippus).

Mammals: Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica wilcoxi).

Reptiles: Yellow-faced Whip Snake (Demansia psammophis.

West Gap Picnic Area & Box Forest Track - Birds: Brown Cuckoo-Dove, White-throated Needletail, Brown Goshawk, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Green Catbird, Satin Bowerbird, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Crested Shrike-tit, Golden Whistler, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Eastern Yellow Robin, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch, Red-browed Finch. (36 species)

Yellow Spot Blue (Candalides xanthospilos)
[Photo: A.Podlich]

Butterflies: Splendid Ochre (Trapezites symmomus), Macleay's Swallowtail (Graphium macleayanum), Blue Triangle (Graphium sarpedon), Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus), Common Grass-yellow (Eurema hecabe), Black Jezabel (Delias nigrina), Common Albatross (Appias paulina),  Wanderer (Danaus plexippus), Brown Ringlet (Hypocysta metirius), Common Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), Large Purple Line-blue (Nacaduba berenice), Yellow Spot Blue (Candalides xanthospilos), Hairy Line-blue (Erysichton lineata). (13 species)

Other Invertebrates: Donovan's Day Moth (Cruria donowani).

Reptiles: Unidentified dead snake, unidentified large tadpoles (possibly Great-barred Frog), unidentified crayfish.