Non-outing Report - Heritage Rd, Spicers Gap, 21 August 2021

Austral Indigo
(Indigofera australis) 

Although the change in the COVID-19 restrictions came too late to resurrect our outing, five of our members decided it was too beautiful a day to miss. They were rewarded with some lovely naturalizing (Is that a word?) at Spicers Gap.

The first stop was the campground where they checked out the previously burnt areas in and around the monument. The undergrowth in this area had been thoroughly burnt out in the 2019 fires. You would not know that it had happened now with lots of new growth taking place. Plenty of weed species are emerging too. The dominant plant in this area, especially in and around the car park is the lovely Austral Indigo (Indigofera australis) which is spring flowering. Mostly the shrubs were in bud, but Noela managed to find a couple of good sprays of flowers to take a photo. The area should be lovely in just a couple of weeks’ time.  

Also around the monument area, the spikes of Donkey Orchids (Diuris sulphurea) were showing themselves in the grassy areas. 

Donkey Orchid (Diuris sulphurea)

The other plant which has been noticed on Mt French and elsewhere this year is the beautiful Native Sarsaparilla (Hardenbergia violacea) which probably has had its most prolific flowering season for a couple of years. This was trailing all over the campground, attaching itself to sticks, tree trunks and other plants to climb higher to display its lovely purple sprays of flowers. It certainly is putting on a good show. 

Native Sarsaparilla (Hardenbergia violacea)

On the walk up to the Heritage Road, on the moist sheltered banks, we found numerous Greenhood Orchids in flower, all the same species, Pterostylis curta.

Easily identified by its slightly off centre twisted tongue. Here, also, the Hardenbergias were the dominant flowering species.

All of the Xanthorrhoeas in the National Park were sprouting new pale green heads, no flower spikes, but recovering well, as they do, after the fires. Really quite spectacular with their clean black trunks and heads of green. 

Thanks to Noela, Tricia and Wendy for their lists and reports.

Greenhood Orchid
(Pterostylis curta)

Greenhood Orchid
(Pterostylis curta) -
showing twisted tongue

Australian Buttercup or Yarrakalgamba
(Ranunculus lappaceus)

Rock Felt Fern
(Pyrrosia rupestris)

Scopula sp.

Fauna

Birds: Spicers Gap Campground: Brown Quail, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Spotted Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Olive-backed Oriole, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow.
Moss’s Well area: Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Golden Whistler, Red-browed Finch.
Heritage Road area: White-throated Treecreeper, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, White-throated Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird.
Moths: Scopula sp.
Other Invertebrates: Planthopper - unknown species.

Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):
Ferns: Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera), Resurrection Fern (Doryopteris concolor), Rock Felt Fern (Pyrrosia rupestris).
Grasses, Sedges, Rushes, etc.: Blady Grass (Imperata cylindrica), Wattle Mat-rush (Lomandra filiformis), Broad-leaved Mat-rush (Lomandra laxa), Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia),  Weeping Grass (Microlaena stipoides),  Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra).
Herbs: Blue Flax Lily (Dianella brevipedunculata), Purple Running Pea (Kennedia procurrens), Australian Buttercup or Yarrakalgamba (Ranunculus lappaceus), Dwarf Darling-pea (Swainsona luteola).
Orchids & Epiphytes: Donkey Orchid (Diuris sulphurea), Blunt Greenhood (Pterostylis curta).
Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Native Sarsaparilla (Hardenbergia violacea), Rubus sp., Barbed Wire Vine (Smilax australis).
Grass Trees: Johnson’s Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii).
Shrubs: Austral Indigo (Indigofera australis).

Outing Report - Mt Mathieson Trail, 18 July 2020

Spotted Amber Ladybird
(Hippodamia variegata)
Photo: M. Podlich

Sorry, somehow I forgot to post this! (Adapted from our Club newsletter)

A beautiful day and great scenery greeted 30 Field Nats on our first outing since February (due to COVID restrictions). It appeared all of us wanted to get out in the bush once more and soak in the smells, sounds and sights. Not only our club, but a whole bunch of bush walkers were congregating and assembling at the entrance to the Mathison Trail as well, but they had long gone by the time we got our act together. 

The track was a bit stony and tree-root riddled at the start, but towards the top of the 2km walk the journey was easier to negotiate. There were a few larger rocky outcrops but that did not cause too much effort to pass through. The past fires in late 2019 had left much of the forest blackened with many of the older trees severely damaged as well. However, a lot of the bush was recovering and clumps of fresh eucalypts sprouting out of the sides of the trunks. It lifts the spirit to see this growth after the fire devastation. The grass trees Xanthorrhoea had spouted fresh upright grass-like leaves and many had formed a flowering spike, but alas we were a few weeks short of the prime blooming period and missed out on birds and bugs feeding on the tiny flowers. 

Mt Mitchell from the lookout
Photo: F. Shute

Those who made it to the lookout were well rewarded with some magnificent scenery. The Cunningham Highway leading up to The Gap was clearly visible. Mt Mitchell looked stunning from a different angle. Plenty of rocks around made great seating for morning tea. 

Looking around it was hard to imagine that we were standing on what was once an active volcano. The eastern part of this volcano once spread over the Fassifern Valley, Boonah, and even to Ipswich. The western side spread towards Warwick. 

The return 2km journey was mostly downhill and quicker than the upward journey. However, there were a few stops to see fauna, at one in particular a male Rose Robin was seen.

The picnic spot soon had a large circle of Field Nats seated around to chat and compare photos, notes and generally socialize. Thanks to all who attended including new members and guests. 

Correct social distancing at lunch, Spicer's Gap campground
Photo: L. Beaton

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Notes on Vegetation and Other Things at Mt Mathieson by the President

Our first outing since the Covid-Crash was a very pleasant affair. Everyone was ready for some fresh air and company. It was good to check-out this particular landscape after the fires late last year. 

Cunningham’s Gap area was repeatedly hit by serious bush-fires. Some areas seemed to be totally devastated, with lots of black dead trees, whilst some areas were nice and green with minimal coppicing. Most areas though were blackened, with lots of resprouting going on. Of course, some big trees fell down and some large logs disappeared into a pile of ash. 

Burnt out tree trunk
on the edge of the escarpment
Photo: F. Shute

The burnt understorey was a mass of regenerated weeds mixed with natives. Inkweed (Phytolacca octrandra) was thick and it shows the resilience of weed seeds to remain dormant for decades, waiting for a fire to release them. Silvereyes were having a ball with the quickly ripening fruit – they go from green to black. Another weed (or perhaps a native – some botanists think it is native) was Indian Weed (Sigesbekia orientalis) with tiny yellow flowers. Indigo (Indigofera australis), a native, was prolific and almost ready to start flowering. 

The drier areas are dominated by Tallowwood (Eucalyptus Microcorys) and some Yellow Stringybark (E. acmenoides) and the understorey was thick with younger trees. They were all black sticks but resprouting from the base. I did notice a lot of fresh galls on the new branch tips. They were small ball-shaped growths coloured green or white or red. Once again it shows how some organisms (gall wasps or mites) wait a long time, perhaps decades, to go through their lifecycles.

Grass tree flower spike with fly sp.
Photo: L.Beaton

Of particular note were the Grass Trees (Xanthorrhoea latifolia?). They were in flower everywhere. The flower arrangements – comprising a scape (or tall woody stalk good for making temporary walking sticks) and a spike with tiny white flowers – were not very tall. They were in a rush to flower, so didn’t have much time for making tall spikes.

With so much growing going on, insects were still busy and the birds seem to have stayed for winter – they usually leave and come down to my place closer to the coast. Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were common, which is quite unusual.

Species Lists for Mt Mathieson Trail, 18 July 2020 from members' observations

Birds: Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wonga Pigeon, Australian Pelican, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Shining Bronze-cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Striated Thornbill, Brown Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, White-naped Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Varied Sittella, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Varied Triller, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Grey Fantail, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch.

Butterflies: Lemon Migrant, Common Grass-yellow, Small Grass-yellow, Meadow Argus.

Other Insects: European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Grey Rhiniin Fly (Metallea incisuvalis) – on grasstree flowers, Spotted Amber Ladybird (Hippodamia variegata).

When is an apple, not an apple?

Apple galls

On our latest field trip, we came across these funny looking growths on the fresh eucalypt regrowth along the burnt ridge of the Mt Mathieson track. Questions were asked and other than that they were galls made by small insects nothing else was offered.

Recently I've been reading some of our old newsletters and the words of one of our contributors came to me - “…the impulse to know, to want to learn, to discover for one’s self,  .... in other words one gets caught up in the excitement of discovery.” This was me in a box. I wanted to know more about these galls.

Searching the www finds a little information though usually quite academic but I was hooked. I was caught up in the excitement of discovery. 

More apple galls

The type of gall depends on the parasite that produces it. They can be wasps, beetles, midges or something even smaller such as viruses, fungi and bacteria. The insect parasite lays her egg in the plant which forms a protective, woody growth around it. Hence a gall. Psyllids, tiny sap-sucking insects related to lerps, cause galls on native trees. Schedotrioza spp. form distinctive spherical “apple” galls on eucalypt leaves.

Psyllids are approximately 4 mm long and hold their wings roof-like over their bodies and look a little like miniature cicadas. The immature psyllids are specialist feeders, with many species restricted to one plant type or even a single species of plant, and often to particular parts of the plant (leaves, new shoots, etc.) or growth stages (either young or mature foliage). Adults disperse over short distances by jumping or flying, but many species may travel long distances on air currents.

Apple Gall through a Eucalypt leaf

Webliography:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sternorrhyncha

http://oneminutebugs.com.au/gall-inducing-insects/

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/390283/Psyllids-Insect-Pests-of-Eucalypts.pdf

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/390283/Psyllids-Insect-Pests-of-Eucalypts.pdf 

Mt Mathieson Trail Reconnoitre

The leader and I went to check the Mt Mathieson Trail for the July outing on Friday. 

Grasstree spikes on a burnt ridge, Mt Mathieson

It was beautiful weather, warmer than usual for this time of the year. We only went as far as the Lookout, about 2 km. It was upsetting to see how bushfire damaged the area was. A phantom of its former glory. 

Yes, shoots are coming back on the trees and the Xanthorrhoea (grasstrees) are looking healthy but so little canopy and few birds. By the time of our outing the grasstree flower spikes should be fully out. Already some of the early bloomers were attracting bees and butterflies.

Large Grass-yellow on grasstree flower spike

Not all the grasstrees survived however. The one below had this fungi growing on its rotting stem. Don't know which species of fungi it is.

Fungi growing on burnt grasstree

Although fire-ravaged it was a lovely walk with amazing views at the lookout and plenty of birdlife in the thicker scrub. I'm looking forward to our return on Saturday July 18. See previous post for details.

July Outing - Trip Mt Mathieson Trail, Spicer’s Gap, 18 July 2020

Moss's Well Track since the 2019 bushfire (Photo taken May 2020)

April 2011 was the last time the club paid a visit to Spicer’s Gap. Time to revisit this area. We will also check out the fire damage of 2019 and how the bush is recovering.

Time: 8.30am meet – 9am start, 18th July 2020

Where: Spicer’s Gap Picnic Ground (next to the Camp grounds).

Directions: From Boonah drive south on the Maroon/Rathdowney Road for 4 kms and turn right onto the Mt Alford Road and onto Mt Alford. Bear right at Mt Alford, past the school, and drive up the Teviot Range on the Lake Moogerah Road. At 18.7 km from Boonah turn left onto the Mt Edwards/Lake Moogerah Road at the back of the Lake, some of this road is gravel. Continue on the Mt Edward/Lake Moogerah Road for 10.6km then turn left into Spicer’s Gap Road. Drive up Spicer’s Gap Road 7km to Spicer’s Gap Picnic Ground. This road is gravel and is in good condition to Spicer’s Gap Picnic Ground.
For those travelling from Ipswich/Brisbane, head along the Cunningham Highway and 5km after Aratula turn left into Lake Moogerah Road. Drive 5.7km and turn right into Spicer’s Gap Road and continue up to the Spicer’s Gap National Park Picnic Ground.

Features: Rainforest, eucalypt forest, birds, butterflies and other invertebrates, and occasionally koalas can be seen in the area. The Pioneer Graves and Moss’s Well are some of the historical features to view during this expedition.

Activities/Level of Fitness: This is a field trip that should suit everyone. We will walk along part of the Mount Mathieson Trail which is 3.6 km return. There is a longer circuit walk approximately 8.1 km which can be arranged at the time for those who wish to participate in this. For the less energetic, pottering around the area at Spicer’s Gap Picnic area and the Pioneer Graves will bring many delights. This is a nice time to catch up with fellow field naturalists. Lunch will be back at the Spicer’s Gap Picnic Grounds. 

Facilities: There are composting toilets at the Picnic Grounds.

What to Bring: Morning tea, snacks, lunch, drinks and chairs. The usual protective gear for a walk including hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, plenty of water for drinking and washing hands, hand sanitizer, camera and binoculars. Good walking shoes are advisable.

Upon Arrival: Please register in the Attendance Book and pay your $2 per person participant fee. 

Some of the Government COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted and the FFNC field trips will follow the guidelines set out below.
Guidelines at 16th June 2020 (this possibly may change by 18th July)

1. Club activities will be restricted to 20 people

2. Members must register via email at least 48 hours before the start of the outing.
3. Participants will need to maintain social distancing as much as possible.
4. Please do not attend any outings if you are feeling unwell or showing cold or flu-like symptoms.
5. The club will provide hand sanitizer at the sign on station.
Please bring your own sanitizer to use at the drop toilet near the picnic ground/campground and for other personal needs.