Outing Report - Wharkuroogma Wetlands, Roadvale, 21 January 2023

Field Natters at the upper dam, Wharkuroogma

The Fassifern Field Naturalists Club Inc. would like to respectfully acknowledge the Ugurapul, and all those of the Yugambeh and Jagera  groups, Traditional Custodians of the Roadvale area on which our outing took place, and pay our respects to both the past and present first peoples, their elders, languages, customs, culture and connection to this wonderful country. 

As this was the annual "early morning bird walk", the bird list started at the front gate where the Crepins saw Brown Quail. 

We all gathered at the carpark and it wasn't long before we headed for the dams. Near one of the smaller dams it was thought a Horsfield's Bushlark was heard, and flying high but unfortunately this was not confirmed.The next stop did produce many different birds including Speckled Warbler, an immature Sacred Kingfisher, and over 200 Tree Martins gathering on the wires over the dam and the trees nearby.

As with all of the Fassifern area at the moment there were few waterbirds. A lovely sighting was a small family of Black Swan, two adults with two fluffy white cygnets.

Eventually we came together at the morning tea spot at the top end of the upper dam. Some of the group were lucky enough to get a sighting of a Latham's Snipe. 

After a welcome break we headed to a small patch of scrub. As it was mid-morning and getting quite warm there was not much activity, bird or human, though we were lucky enough to see two Yellow Thornbill. A bird we see so rarely in our area now.

Lunch was back at the nursery where owner, Claire Ekas, made us welcome and we told her of our morning.

Species Lists (* = introduced species)

Amphibians & Reptiles: Frogs & Toads; Green Tree Frog, Turtles; Freshwater Turtle sp.

Arachnids: Daddy Longlegs Spiders Pholcus phalangioides.

Birds (69 species): Brown Quail, Black Swan (2 families- 1 with 3 mature cygnets, other with 2 juvenile cygnets), Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Common Bronzewing, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, White-faced Heron, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Latham’s Snipe, Galah, Little Corella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Brush Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dollarbird, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Speckled Warbler, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Rufous Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Golden-headed Cisticola, Australian Reed-Warbler, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin (200+), *Common Myna, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch, Plum-headed Finch, Red-browed Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin.

Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Lemon Migrant Catopsilia pomona, Common Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe, Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, *Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia, Common Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina, White-banded Plane Phaedyma sheperdi.

Marsupials: Marsupials; Common Brushtail Possum.

Other Invertebrates: Damsel/Dragonflies; Black-Headed Skimmer Crocothemis nigrifrons, Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes, Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum, Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum, Graphic Flutterer Rhyothemis graphiptera. Moths; Wasp Moth sp. Subtribe Ctenuchina.

Outing Report - Shoreline Trail (western end) Lake Wyaralong, 15 January 2022

Two of our members
disappearing into the distance
on the Shoreline Trail

Traditionally our January outing is an early morning bird walk. No matter the weather it always seems popular. This was true this year even with the cloud of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 hanging over us. It was great to see some members who hadn't been on an outing for a while and also to welcome our newest member, Maureen.

Everyone was eager to see plenty of birds. Unfortunately, with the great season we're having most of the water birds have dispersed and few were seen this morning. Even so large flocks of Great and Little Black Cormorants were recorded flying along one arm of the dam. Also, there were many bush birds in evidence. The Dollarbirds and Sacred Kingfishers in particular were very visible and vocal, and Fairy-wrens were in abundance - both the Red-backed and Superb species. 

The exotic Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has started to build up again but the Comb-crested Jacanas and the Striped Marsh Frogs were loving it.

As usual we found far more than birds to catch our attention and a magic morning in the bush was rounded off with a social-distancing gathering at Lilybrook Recreation Area for refreshments in the welcome shade.

Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
in Oaky Creek, Shoreline Trail

2 cicadas found dead on the Trail,
tentatively identified as a Black Prince (left), 
and a Black Tree Ticker (right).

Photographers: W. Dunn, N. Cooper, L. Beaton

Species List for Shoreline Trail Lake Wyaralong

Compiled from members’ sightings by Club Recorder

introduced species = _*

Fauna
Birds (72 species): Brown Quail, Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Grey Teal, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, White-faced Heron, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Masked Lapwing, Comb-crested Jacana, Galah, Little Corella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, [Australian] King-Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Eastern Koel, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo,  Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dollarbird, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Speckled Warbler, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Varied Sittella, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Golden-headed Cisticola, Tawny Grassbird, Tree Martin, *Common Myna, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin.
 
Amphibians: Striped Marsh Frog, Green Tree Frog.
 
Fish: *European Carp.
 
Butterflies: Fourbar Swordtail (Protographium leosthenes), Lemon Migrant (Catopsilia pomona), Common Grass-yellow (Eurema hecabe), Small Grass-yellow (Eurema smilax), *Wanderer (Danaus plexippus), Lesser Wanderer (Danaus petilia), Common Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina), Meadow Argus (Junonia villida).
 
Damsel/Dragonflies: Common Bluetail (Ischnura heterosticta), Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum), Graphic Flutterer (Rhyothemis graphiptera).
 
Other Invertebrates: Ants: Southern Meat Ant (Iridomyrmex purpureus); Beetles; Darkling Beetle sp., Eucalyptus Weevil (Gonipterus sp.), Red-blue Banded Leaf Beetle (Paropsis obsolete); Cicadas; Black Tree-ticker (Birrima varians), Black Prince (Psaltoda plaga).

Spiders: Australian Jewel Spider (Austracantha minax), Leaf-curling Spider (Phonognatha graeffei).
 
 
Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):
Fungi: Termite-mound Fungus (Podaxis beringamensis) – old fruiting bodies.

Aquatic Plants: *Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). 

Outing Report - Odonata at Lilybrook, 15 February 2020

What a day! 

Chris Burwell entertaining the Field Nats

Due to the heavy rain and closure of the Coulson road junction in the days before our outing, we moved Chris Burwell's presentation on Odonata to the first activity of the day. The shed soon became full with many members remembering Chris as a lad chasing insects on our early Field Nats outings. Did FFNC have a little input into his being senior curator of Entomology at the Queensland Museum? We like to think so.

After knowing a lot more about damsel/dragonflies and being enthused to find our local species we set off for Lilybrook as the junction had opened that morning. They were ideal conditions and a total of 14 different damsels & dragons were identified and one other at the Coulson shed. As well, there were other invertebrates, 13 different butterflies and 41 species of birds.

Starting out for the water with nets to the ready

Plenty of dragonflies here

Capturing a damselfly for identification

Up close and personal

 Fauna  introduced species = _*

Birds: Brown Quail, Plumed Whistling Duck, Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Great Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian King Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Cicadabird, Rufous Whistler, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Tawny Grassbird, Welcome Swallow.

Butterflies: Blue Triangle, Orchard Swallowtail, Lemon Migrant, Common Grass-yellow, Small Grass-yellow, Australian Gull, Caper White, Lesser Wanderer, Blue Tiger, Common Crow, Meadow Argus, Spotted Grass-blue, Common Grass Blue.

Spiders: Australian Jewel Spider (Austracantha minax).

Damsel/Dragonflies: Wandering Ringtail (Austrolestes leda), Eastern Billabongfly (Austroagrion watsonia), Redtail (Ceriagrion aeruginosum), Aurora Bluetail (Ischnura aurora), Common Bluetail (Ischnura heterosticta), Gold-fronted Riverdamsel (Pseudagrion aureofrons), Blue Riverdamsel (Pseudagrion microcephalum), Australian Tiger (Ictinogomphus australis), Palemouth (Brachydiplax denticauda), Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata), Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Black-faced Percher (Diplacodes melanopsis), Water Prince (Hydrobasileus brevistylus), Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum), Short-tailed Duskdarter (Zyxomma elgneri).
Moths: Joseph's Coat Moth (Agarista Agricola) 1.

Other Invertebrates: Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus porosus), Orange Potter Wasp (Eumenes latreilli), Cherrynose [cicada] (Macrotristria angularis).

Amphibians: *Cane Toad.

Reptiles: Red-bellied Black Snake.