Outing report - Wyaralong Shoreline Trail, Saturday 15 April 2023

Hypericum japonicum
Photo L. Beaton

Well, we didn't come across any horses or any cyclists along the trail, but not long after we arrived the carpark was full of young canoeists. Luckily we had some time beforehand to see the swamphen, stilt and dotterel feeding on the muddy spit. Also, we chatted to a young couple who were catching their breakfast of Red Claw Crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. Six plump crayfish were in their bucket. We soon left the milling throng behind and set out along the trail.

There were plenty of bush birds about though the waterbirds were a bit scarce. No swan or coot, only one pelican, less than a dozen duck but we did see all three egrets; the Great, Intermediate and Little.

Antictenia punctunculus
Photo: T. Shields

There was much activity in the woodland where Weebill, Golden and Rufous Whistlers, Rose Robin and Varied Sitella, and the Club emblem Pacific Baza, were some highlights. A beautiful specimen of a Carpet Python, moths and wildflowers also caught our attention. 

Some of us turned back at the bridge over Oaky Creek but most walked onto the point about another 500 metres further on. We finished the outing by leaving the crowded carpark and having a convivial time at Lilybrook Recreation Area. 

Red Claw Crayfish 
Cherax quadricarinatus
Photo: N. Crepin

White-breasted Woodswallow
Photo: C. Bonner

                                                                                                

Species Lists

introduced species = _*

Reptiles: Eastern Water Dragon Intellagama lesueurii - 1 juvenile, Carpet Python Morelia spilota - 1.

Birds: Brown Quail - 3, Australian Wood Duck - 5, Grey Teal - 2, Australasian Grebe - 8, Common Bronzewing - 1, Bar-shouldered Dove - 1, Australian Darter - 2, Little Pied Cormorant - 2, Great Cormorant - 1, Pied Cormorant - 1, Australian Pelican - 1, Great Egret - 1, Intermediate Egret - 1, White-faced Heron - 1, Little Egret - 1, Royal Spoonbill - 3, Pacific Baza - 2, White-bellied Sea-Eagle – 2 (1 adult, 1 immature), Whistling Kite - 2, Australasian Swamphen - 4, Dusky Moorhen - 4, Pied Stilt - 6, Black-fronted Dotterel - 4, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo - 2, Australian King-Parrot – 1 (heard), Pale-headed Rosella - 3, Azure Kingfisher - 1, Laughing Kookaburra - 1, Forest Kingfisher – 1 (heard), Rainbow Bee-eater – 1 (heard), Superb Fairy-wren – 11-20, Red-backed Fairy-wren - 8, Weebill - 1, White-throated Gerygone - 3, Striated Pardalote - 6, Noisy Miner - 5, Brown Honeyeater - 4, White-throated Honeyeater - 8, Blue-faced Honeyeater - 1, Striped Honeyeater - 9, Varied Sittella - 1, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike- 1, Golden Whistler-2 (♀ or immature), Rufous Whistler - 7, Grey Shrike-thrush - 1, Australasian Figbird - 1, White-breasted Woodswallow - 2, Grey Butcherbird - 2, Australian Magpie - 2, Pied Currawong - 2, Grey Fantail - 2, Willie Wagtail - 2, Torresian Crow - 5, Restless Flycatcher – 1 (heard), Magpie-lark - 2, Rose Robin – 1 (♂), Golden-headed Cisticola - 3, Tawny Grassbird - 1, Silvereye - 5, Tree Martin – 20⁺, Red-browed Finch – 6.

Butterflies: Clearwing Swallowtail Cressida Cressida – 2, *Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia - 8, Common Crow Euploea core - 1, Evening Brown Melanitis leda - 1, Meadow Argus Junonia villida - 5, Glasswing Acraea andromacha - 3, White-banded Plane Phaedyma sheperdi – 1. 

Crustacean: *Red Claw Crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (a native species, introduced from northern Australia) - 6. 

Other Invertebrates: Bees; Blue-banded Bee Amegilla cingulate - 4, *European Honey Bee Apis mellifera – 20⁺, Dragonflies; Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum - 4, Moths; Antictemia punctunculus moth – 1.