Outing Report - Mt Colliery, 20 February 2021

Ruby Bonnets (Mycena viscidocruenta) 
Photo: N. Crepin

What a special area Mt Colliery is. On the ridge where we parked our cars it was eucalypt woodland and as we dropped down the steep slope to the east it became thick rainforest. 

It wasn't long before we were setting off for a bit of bush bashing through that rainforest. It was quite misty with low cloud when we arrived and there had been rain in the preceding days so it was wet and slippery underfoot. We had to walk carefully.

There was plenty of fungi about and it was heads down, bums up as members started taking photos of specimens on the forest floor, the fallen logs and lower tree trunks.

Heads down and bums up
Photo: L. Beaton

The forest floor with rotting logs, ferns, lichens, mosses, sedges and fungi.
Photo: L. Beaton

More fungi - Earthstars (Geastrum sp.)
Photo: C.Bonner

The track disappearing into the rainforest
Photo: L. Beaton

..... and truly awe-inspiring
Photo: N. Crepin

The beauty of the rainforest
is truly stunning .....
Photo: N. Crepin

Eventually we were lead to a private lookout over the Cambanoora (Condamine) Gorge. Here we met up with another one of our groups busily inspecting mistletoe.

Cambanoora Gorge

The birds were heard but not often seen though we did record 29 species, as well as a few butterflies and other invertebrates. While some of us were lucky enough to see the Red-bellied Black Snake go for a swim in the dam.

By lunchtime the sun was in full glory and we were seeking the shade to chat about our glorious time.

Species Lists

* = introduced species

Fauna

Birds:  Most of the birds were heard rather than seen. The Bell Miner and Pied Butcherbird were heard from the lookout so we're not sure that they were actually on the property.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, White-throated Needletail – flying overhead at the top of the driveway, Wedge-tailed Eagle – above the paddocks on Sunday Plains Rd, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, King-Parrot, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Albert's Lyrebird, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird.

Reptiles: Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus).

Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) – caterpillars & adults , Small Grass-yellow (Eurema smilax), Australian Gull (Cepora perimale), Black Jezebel (Delias nigrina), Yellow Albatross (Appias paulina) - male, Common Pearl White (Elodina angulipennis) which feeds on Capparis (note C. arborea was on site and the likely host plant), *Wanderer (Danaus plexippus).

Damsel/Dragonflies: Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum).

Moths: Joseph's Coat Moth (Agarista agricola) – caterpillar.

Other Invertebrates: Bees; Blue-banded Bee (Amegilla cingulate). Bugs; Metallic Shield Bug (Scutiphora pedicellata) - instar. Flies; Robber fly sp.

Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):

Fungi: Wood Ear sp. (Auricularia sp.), Leathery Goblet (Cymatoderma elegans), Orange pore Fungus (Favolaschia calocera), Earthstar sp. (Geastrum sp.), Ruby Bonnet (Mycena viscidocruenta), a bracket fungi (Trametes modesta).

Ferns: Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aethiopicum).

Grasses, Sedges, Rushes, etc.: Variable Sword-sedge (Lepidosperma laterale), Bog Bulrush (Schoenoplectiella mucronata).

Herbs: Native Geranium (Geranium solanderi), Indian Weed (Sigesbeckia orientalis), Stinging Nettle (Urtica incisa).

Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Common Silkpod or Monkey Rope (Parsonsia straminea).

Mistletoes: Myrtle-leaved Mistletoe (Muellerina myrtifolia).

Shrubs: Native Pomegranate or Caper Bush (Capparis arborea),

Palms: Walking Stick Palm (Linospadix monostachya).

Trees: Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii), Black Booyong (Argyrodendron actinophyllum), Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius), Giant Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide excelsa), Sydney Blue Gum (Eucalyptus saligna), Rock Fig (Ficus rubiginosa) Python Tree (Gossia bidwillii), Wild Quince (Guioa semiglauca), Green Bolly Gum (Neolitsea australiensis), Flintwood (Scolopia braunii), Red Cedar (Toona australis).