Outing Report - Lilybrook Recreation Area, 18 January 2020

Committee meeting in the shelter shed
(Photo J. Ball)

Well, at least the committee turned up, and as it was still pouring with rain we decided to have our committee meeting there and then. We were so busy that we didn't notice until later that an Orange Potter Wasp (Eumenes latreilli) was building her nest under our Secretary's knees!

Orange Potter Wasp
(Photo L. Beaton)

The rain eased as we finished the meeting and a couple of other members turned up so off we went on the walk. As we came down the Goan Track towards the underpass of the Beaudesert-Boonah Rd we were surprised to find the little gully with enough water to make it impassable, and frogs calling vociferously. We followed the gully and eventually our fearless leader found some frogs to identify. "There," he pointed, "their heads are sticking out of the water!" It took some time to convince him that it was kangaroo poo floating in the water! However one head was seen and identified as a Spotted Marsh (or Grass) Frog, and one of the calls as the Graceful Tree Frog. 

Graceful Tree Frog
(Photo L. Cross - not taken at Lilybrook)

Frogs or poo?
Shallow end of the gully
(Photo W. Dunn)

We were hoping to see plenty of butterflies, but unfortunately it was too overcast. Only four butterfly species were seen but eggs and caterpillars of the Wanderer (or Monarch) were found on several exotic Balloon Cotton Bush (Gomphocarpus physocarpus). 

Wanderer caterpillar
on Balloon Cotton Bush
(Photo L. Beaton)

Wanderer eggs on Balloon Cotton Bush
(Photo L. Beaton)

As with our last outing there were plenty of wildflowers although mostly exotic. Here's a couple of natives though.

Blue Trumpet (Brunoniella australis)
(Photo N. Crepin)

Winter Apple (Eromophila debilis)
(Photo N. Crepin)

The humidity had started to rise and the shelter shed was a welcome retreat for morning tea. While we had a cuppa and talked about our observations an Australian Emerald dragonfly hovered over a large puddle dipping her abdomen in the water as she laid her eggs. 

Lastly, here is a beautiful natural piece of artwork found on one of the tracks near Teviot Brook.

Snake skeleton
(Photo A. Podlich)

Fauna: compiled from members’ observations

Birds: Brown Quail, Aust. Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Crested Pigeon, Bar-shouldered
Dove, White-throated Needletail, Aust. Darter, Great Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Aust. Pelican, White-faced Heron, Great Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Whistling Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Buff-banded Rail, Dusky Moorhen, Masked Lapwing, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Little corella rainbow Lorikeet, 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 Wren, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Cicadabird, Rufous Whistler, Aust. Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Aust. Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Jacky Winter, golden-headed Cisticola, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin, Common Myna, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin           67 Birds.

Reptiles: Red-bellied Black Snake

Amphibians: Spotted Marsh (or Grass) Frog, Graceful Tree Frog

Mammals: Eastern Grey Kangaroo      

Butterflies: Small Grass yellow, Wanderer (eggs & caterpillars), Lesser Wanderer, Meadow Argus,

Spotted Pea-Blue. 

Other Invertebrates: European Honey Bee, Orange Potter Wasp, Australian Emerald (dragonfly), Blue Skimmer (dragonfly), Variable Ladybird, Striped Ladybird, Grass Faerie (cicada), Clanger (cicada), Banded Sugar Ant.

Flora seen along the way:

Slug Herb (Murdannia graminea), Yellow Buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum), Australian Dodder (Cuscuta australis), Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestine), Blue Heliotrope (Heliotropium amplexicaule), Lantana (Lantana camara), Phasey Bean (Macroptilium lathyroides), Siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum), Dwarf Morning Glory (Evolvulus alsinoides), Condamine Couch (Phyla canescens), Warrigal Greens (Tetragonia tetragonoides), Blue Bells (Wahlenbergia spp.), Poison Pratia (Lobelia concolor), Bristle Cloak Fern (Cheilanthes distans), Native Sensitive Plant (Neptunia gracilis), Blue Trumpet (Brunoniella australis), Winter Apple (Eromophila debilis), Bladder Cotton (Gomphocarpus physocarpus).

Outing Report - Aloomba Lavender Farm Camp, Liston NSW, 19-22 October 2018

Fassifern Field Naturalist members at Undercliffe Falls, Liston NSW

Girraween's loss was Bookookoorara Creek's gain. Or it was the gain for the Fassifern Field Nats. Originally we were going to have our October camp at Girraween National Park but due to the dry conditions and consequent water shortages, the campground was closed. Never daunted, our fearless leader, Wendy, transferred to the Aloomba Lavender Farm at Liston only 20 kilometres from Stanthorpe. The weather forecast was ominous and though there was some fierce storms about our four days were not marred by rain.

Day 1: was a time for setting up camp and familiarising ourselves with our surroundings.
Day 2: heralded fine weather so we set off for Undercliffe Falls a quarter of an hour away. The storms from the previous days meant that there was plenty of water cascading over the rocks though we only had glimpses of the 150 metre waterfall through the trees. Everyone felt the scramble to the bottom of the falls was just a bit too slippery.

Bookookoorara Creek above the falls had plenty to occupy us. Wildflowers were in bloom, insects on the plants, frogs' spawn and tadpoles were in the quiet pools, the geology was fascinating and everywhere was lichen starting to expand with the welcome rain.

Leaf Beetles, Lamprolina aeneipennis (perhaps?) 

at Undercliffe Falls

Another view of the Leaf Beetles

The 150 m drop of Undercliffe Falls

It was back to camp for lunch and then Peter Bonner (our host) took us to another block of their property called The Glen. We drove through cattle paddocks until we came to a small creek. Here we explored the small spring-fed creek with amazing rock formations which sheltered ferns, staghorns and orchids. We could only imagine how cool and lush this would be in wetter times. 

Rock formations at The Glen

Tongue Orchid, Dockrillia linguiformis

Pineapple Orchid, Bulbophyllum elisae

Wheat-leaved Orchid, Bulbophyllum shepherdii

Day 3: for some it was packing up, while others went on a morning jaunt to Storm King Dam amd Dr Roberts' Waterhole.

Aub and Linda moth hunting at Storm King Dam

Willow-herb Day-moth, Phalaenoides tristifica

Dr Roberts' Waterhole

Narrow-leaved Grevillea, Grevillea viridiflava

Day 4: four members went back to The Glen to explore a little further. Then it was time to pack up and leave. What an absorbing and sociable camp. Thanks, Wendy.

Another shot of the falls

Aloomba Farm camping area and surrounds. Bird list 19/20/21 October 2018

Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Crested Pigeon, Tawny Frog mouth, Straw-necked Ibis (40), Masked Lapwing, Galah, Musk Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Red-winged Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Southern Boobook, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bower bird, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, White-naped Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, White-winged Triller, Varied Triller, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie (12), Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, White-winged Chough, Welcome Swallow.
Other Animals: Echidna, Copper-tailed Skink (Ctenotus taeniolatus), Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides), Rabbit, Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog or Sedge Frog (Litoria fallax).

On road side between Aloomba and The Glen (part of the property)
Pheasant Coucal, Turtle, Painted Lady, Orange Ringlet.

The Glen: 
Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Straw necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle (eating a rabbit), Whistling Kite, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Brush Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Dollarbird, White-throated Tree-creeper, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, White-winged Chough, Dollar bird, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Australian Raven, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Monarch, Jacky Winter, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow.
Reptiles: Red-bellied Black Snake, Eastern Water Dragon, Frogs (not identified).
Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail, Common Grass Blue, Meadow Argus, Wanderer (Monarch). 
Dragonflies: Graphic Flutterer. 
Mammals: Rabbits. 
Of interest: Many different types of lichen on the rocks. Owl pellets, Koala scats. Tongue Orchid in flower, Wheat-leaved Orchid and others mentioned in the separate article.

Undercliffe Falls via Liston
Birds: Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Tree-creeper, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Thornbill (breeding), Brown Thornbill, White-browed Scrubwren, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, New Holland Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie,  Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Monarch, Magpie-lark, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch.
Reptiles: Eastern Water Dragon, Garden Skink, Turtle, Blue tongue Skink, Unknown rough skinned Skink.
Mammals: Red-necked Wallaby.
Butterflies: Meadow Argus, Glasswing, Yellow Spot Blue, Bright Copper, Orchard Swallowtail, Wanderer, Common Brown, Grey Ringlet.

Storm King Dam
Birds: Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Peaceful Dove, Common Bronzewing, Great Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, White-faced Heron, Australian White Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Purple Swamphen,  Black-winged Stilt, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Noisy Miner, Grey Shrike-thrush, Dusky Woodswallow, Pied Currawong, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Dollarbird, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin.
Others: Turtle, Willow-herb Day-moth, (Phalaenoides tristifica).