Outing Report - Waterfall Creek Reserve, 18 June 2022

Crossing the creek on the waterfall track

 The brilliant but cool sunny day of our June outing brought out our newest members, a few we hadn't seen for a while,  some visitors, as well as the usual gang. 

First we went to look at the waterfall. It meant a bit of rock hopping and some of us didn't make it quite to the end but the geological scenery all along the creek gorge was magnificent. 

Amazing geology

We returned to the cars for morning tea and a chat. Then it was off to follow Waterfall Creek around the edge of the reserve. There was little bird life and less insect life as it was quite cool. The ferns and mosses were abundant and photos were taken for identification.

Maidehair Adiantum sp.

This was enough for some of the group and they decided to laze in the sun and chat about past outings and other memorable places. However, the majority decided to follow the rather overgrown track on the southern side of the reserve to the Mt Barney lookout. Here the birding was much better and they even saw a koala. On their return we all had lunch and then wandered on home.

Everybody agreed this was a wonderful spot and should be visited more often. Thank you Wendy for bringing us here. 
 

Species Lists
* = introduced species
Fauna
Arachnids: Jumping Spider sp.
Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Lorikeet sp., Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Silvereye, Red-browed Finch.
Marsupials: Koala. (Bandicoot sp. – diggings only)
Butterflies: *Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Evening Brown Melanitis leda, Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius.
 
Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):
Ferns: Maidenhair Fern Adiantum aethiopicum, Rough Maidenhair Fern Adiantum hispidulum, Basket Fern Drynaria rigidula.
Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Hoya Hoya australis, Pandora sp.
Shrubs: Brown Wattle Acacia brunioides, Chain Fruit Alyxia ruscifolia, Cocaine Bush Erythroxylum australe, *Lantana Lantana camara.
Trees: Hairy Bird's Eye Alectryon tomentosus, Small-leaved Scrub Ironbark Bridelia leichhardtii, Bursaria sp. – probably Sweet Bursaria Bursaria spinosa, River She-oak Casuarina cunninghamiana, Smooth-branched Ironbark Eucalyptus dura – some in flower, Tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys, Ribbonwood Euroschinus falcatus, Small-leaved Fig Ficus obliqua, Brush Box Lophostemon confertus, Black Tea Tree Melaleuca bracteata.