Outing Report - Wharkuroogma Wetlands, Roadvale, 15 June 2019

Meeting in the leafy car park

About 30 members gathered in the car park of the Wharkuroogma Nursery. Claire Ekas welcomed us and gave a short history of the property. When Claire and her husband bought the property in the 70s there was hardly a tree on the place, and now there are thousands. These trees provide windbreaks and wildlife corridors and the Field Nats saw for themselves that many birds used these havens. The two large dams are known as an important wetland in south-east Queensland.

Australasian Darter (female)

                                                      

 

Great Cormorant

Restless Flycatcher

It was wonderful to see that the dams had enough water to attract many birds, and we spent a long time here enjoying the activity. After morning tea we walked around the upper dam keeping our eyes peeled for koalas, but none showed their faces this time. Lunch was munched in the verdant surrounds of the nursery.

Steelblue Ladybird (Halmus chalybeus)

Enjoying lunch

Species Lists:

Nursery & Yards:

Birds: Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Double-barred Finch.

Butterflies: Lesser Wanderer (Danaus petilia), Common Crow (Euploea core).

Other Invertebrates: European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Steelblue Ladybird (Halmus chalybeus), Granny's Cloak Moth (Speiredonia spectans).

Paddocks & Dams:

Golden-headed Cisticola

Birds: Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Pink eared Duck, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Great Egret, White-faced Heron, Australian White Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Australian King-Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Azure Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Golden-headed Cisticola, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin.

Butterflies: Lemon Migrant (Catopsilia pomona), Common Grass-yellow (Eurema hecabe), Small Grass-yellow (Eurema smilax), Black Jezebel (Delias nigrina), Common Albatross (Appias paulina), Wanderer (Danaus plexippus), Lesser Wanderer (Danaus petilia), Common Crow (Euploea core), Meadow Argus (Junonia villida), Plumbago Blue (Leptotes plinius).

Spiders: Daddy Longlegs Spiders       (Pholcus phalangioides)

Amphibians: Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea).

Other Invertebrates: European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

Reptiles: Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii), Elegant Snake-eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pulcher). 

June Outing - Wharkuroogma Wetlands, Roadvale

Lower dam at Wharkuroogma

We can't promise as much water as this on our June outing but it will still be very special.

Not only waterbirds are in abundance but bush birds such as Speckled Warbler, finches, honeyeaters and fairy-wrens. Koalas are sometimes seen and there's usually butterflies flitting around the mistletoe and grasses. It might be a bit cool for dragonflies but who knows ........

Latecomers please shut all gates.

Time: 8.30am.

Where: Top of the farm driveway at the Wharkuroogma Nursery carpark, 144 Roberts Rd, Roadvale.

Directions: from Boonah: take Coronation Drive, turn onto Hoya road, drive 8.4km, turn right onto Roadvale Road, drive 3km and turn left onto Roberts Road, drive 1.5 on gravel road to the Nursery/wetlands which will be on your right, drive up to the nursery carpark. 

Activities: Exploring the property by walking along the wildlife corridors linking the remnant brigalow scrub and spending time at the dams. 

Level of Fitness: Easy

Facilities: Toilets at the nursery

What to Bring: chairs, water, morning tea and lunch, insect repellent, hat, and the usual gear.

Upon Arrival: Please register in the Attendance Book and pay your $2 per person participant fee plus $5 entrance fee. 

Autumn Camp Report - Canungra Valley, 3-5 May 2019

Canungra Creek
below the campsite

What a spot! Paul Finch of Spring Gully Stays had slashed a section above the creek especially for us, in a paddock away from the main camping area. With a port-a-loo on site we were in camping seventh heaven. 

A beautiful sunset after the rain

 It was hard to leave the campsite as it was so peaceful and picturesque.

The camp by the creek

The campsite

With walks along the creek, nightspotting and yarns under the canvas awning the damp weather was ignored, and Sunday dawned clear and sunny. The day-trippers arrived and we were off to a local Land for Wildlife property, Greenlee Cottages. Paul and Robyn Lee were delightful hosts. Besides the 4 cottages they also have a small macadamia farm and honey business. It wasn't long before the "nats" were striding past the macadamia trees along the track up the ridge.

Up the track, past the macadamias.

Looking down into the valley

Barry admiring the beautiful creek

What the ....?

Autumn Camp - 4-6 May

This year's camp is at Spring Gully Stays’, Canungra. Pre-booking is essential.

Outing Report - Karawatha Forest, 13 April 2019

It was a brilliant, warm sunny morning when the Fassifern Field Nats met at the Discovery Centre at Karawatha. There was a mixture of newer and long-term members; some meeting for the first time. We spent a wonderful half-hour at the Centre which is an amazing resource. Our walk started out on the Ironbark Circuit which is predominantly Ironbark and Spotted Gum that changed to predominantly Ironbark and Stringybark as we grew closer to the sandstone ridges. 

Fungi - Amanita ochrophylloides

             

Nats in Karawatha Forest

Shepherd's Crook Orchid (Geodorum densiflorum)

Orange Ringlet (Hypocysta adiante)
Photo: L. Euston

Carpet Python in our hosts' garden

Common Crow (Euploea core)
on Monkey Rope Vine (Parsonsia straminea), also in the garden 

Boletellus sp.

Birds: (also MS) = also seen at Mildura Street: Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Laughing Kookaburra (also MS), Rainbow Bee-eater, White-throated Treecreeper, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner (also MS), Scarlet Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird.

Butterflies: Small Grass-yellow (Eurema smilax), Black Jezebel (Delias nigrina), Wanderer (Danaus plexippus), Common Crow (Euploea core), Orange Ringlet (Hypocysta adiante).

Mammals: Wallaby sp.; too quick for identification.

Reptiles: Elegant Snake-eyed Skink or Wall Skink (Cryptoblepharus pulcher).

Spiders: Garden Orb Weaver (Eriophora transmarina), Golden Orb-Weaver (Nephila plumipes), Daddy Longlegs (Pholcus phalangioides).

Some of the plants that caught our interest: Our walk started out in predominantly Ironbark and Spotted Gum woodland and changed to predominantly Ironbark and Stringybark as we grew closer to the sandstone ridges.

Heterodea muelleri, (a common ground lichen in open eucalypt forests of South East Queensland).

Flat-stem Wattle (Acacia complanata), Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis), Soap Tree or Red Ash (Alphitonia excelsa), Smooth-barked Apple (Angophora leiocarpa), Rough-barked Apple (Angophora woodsiana), Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculata), Bailey's Stringybark (Eucalyptus baileyana), Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys), Needlebark Stringybark or Bastard Tallowwood (Eucalyptus planchoniana), Grey Gum (Eucalyptus punctata), Yellow Jacket (Eucalyptus similis), Shepherd's Crook Orchid (Geodorum densiflorum), Brush Box (Lophostomen confertus), Swamp Box or Swamp Mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens), Monkey Rope Vine or Common Silkpod (Parsonsia straminea) - flowering, Quinine Tree (Petalostigma pubescens) - fruiting.

Also at Mildura Street, Stretton

Butterflies: Greenish Grass Dart (Ocybadistes walker), Common Crow (Euploea core), Large Purple Line-blue (Nacaduba berenice), Speckled Line Blue (Catopyrops florinda).

Reptiles: Carpet Python (Morelia spilota)

Other Invertebrates: Stick Insect (possibly Anchiale austrotessulata)

Spiders: Brisbane or Brown Huntsman (Heteropoda jugulans)

April Outing - Karawatha Forest

Time: 8.30 am, 13th April 2019

Karawatha Forest track from Wikipedia
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karawatha_Forest)

Please notice the change of the customary Saturday due to our usual time falling over Easter. 

Where: Meet at the Discovery Centre via the Acacia Road entrance at Karawatha Forest. 

Directions: There are a number of routes but make sure you arrive at the Discovery Centre in the northern section of the park.

Activities: The Council is currently working on the tracks and our leaders, Paul & Jan, will decide closer to the day which we'll take. Morning tea at the Forest. Lunch at our leaders' home.

Level of Fitness: Whatever walks we take they will be of an easy to moderate nature with slight inclines.

Facilities: Toilets at the Discovery Centre.

What to Bring: Morning tea, lunch, snacks, hat, sunblock and water to carry on the walks. If you wish, bring binocs, digital cameras and some identification books for use at our lunch break. A chair for lunch.

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

AGM Report - Boonah, 16 March 2019

Our President speaking about
the Friends of Mt French at our AGM

Our AGM was another successful event, once again with rain in the air which raised everybody's spirits.

The President gave his report on the year's activities, and what was going on behind the scenes with the committee. The Treasurer relieved all our minds, informing us that our coffers were not empty, the insurance was paid, and he thought our dues should remain at the current rate.

The Recorder gave a short summary on what had been seen and recorded in our local area in the last year. With a breakdown of what animals were most common and those sightings that were more unusual.

The only other piece of business was to update our constitution to the latest Model Rules (of the Office of Fair Trading), Version 6. This was done in no time and we were able to get on with the entertainment for the evening.

The  98 amphibian reports in 2019 was well down from the 178 recorded in 2018,
and unfortunately the Cane Toad was the most common.

This consisted of four presentations by our members on our iconic mountain, Mt French:

• geology and special plants
• butterflies
• native orchids
• fauna records from the Club database

Only a small section of Mt French is national park, and an even smaller area has been covered by the Club. As a Club we already survey as much of Mt French as possible, both in our outings and as individual members. 

Rough mud map of national park within Mt French (the blue outline)

There is a variety of different vegetation types within the park which provide habitat for a number of rare plants and animals. More could, and should, be known about this mountain. The talks gave an insight into this magnificent treasure we have on our doorstep, and gave rise to much suppertime conversation.

AGM - Boonah, 16 March 2019

Time: 6.15 pm for 6.30 pm start

Featuring talks on Mt French

Where: Baptist Hall, cnr Church & Macquarie Streets, Boonah

What to Bring: a plate of supper to share, show-&-tell relating to Mt French

Upon Arrival: Please register in the Attendance Book and pay your $4 per person participant fee (This helps to pay for the hire of the hall. 

Agenda:

• Executive reports
• Motion to change the constitution – a general tidy-up to match the Model Rules set by the State. (You must be a financial member to be eligible to vote.)
• Voting for the executive positions for 2019 
• Guest Speaker: This year we feature Mt French. A number of our members will paint a wide-ranging picture of the many treasures that are found around our iconic mountain. We have been visiting Mt French for decades. So, bring your memories/records/photos of Mt French to share.
• This will be followed by supper and socializing with time to view the interesting items and photos.

Outing Report - February Outing - Scenic Tag-along and Rainforest Walk, 16 February 2019

Adapted from the newsletter report:

Overcoming the obstacles along the rabbit fence walk

The first stop for the group was at a small clearing just over a Teviot Creek causeway crossing, now very dry, just below the steep ascent to The Heads. In usual Field Nats style there were soon little groups and individuals heading in all directions. Plenty to see and do. The ‘birdos’ had their ears and eyes attuned, the ‘butterfliers’ were stalking with their cameras in hand, while others just strolled.

Next was the slow, steady drive up to the Teviot Falls viewing area. Just over the top we parked adjacent to the rainforest access to the Wilsons Peak rabbit fence. This walk brings us close to the huge trees in this particular area of Wilsons Peak. The forest floor was littered with a heavy leaf fall and amongst the litter the bright coloured fruit of the rainforest trees glowed. After a leisurely stroll in the area, the group once again tagged along the road to the Koreelah National Park campground for a prolonged later lunch stop. After lunch we strolled the couple of hundred meters to the Koreelah Gorge falls and viewing area. It was the driest many of us had ever seen. No water over the rocks and only shallow pools visible in the Gorge.

Natural art on the rabbit fence walk

Birds: Pacific Black Duck, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, White-necked Heron, White-faced Heron, Collared Sparrowhawk, Dusky Moorhen, Masked Lapwing, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Green Catbird, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Dusky Woodswallow, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch.

Spotted Katydid
(Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata)
seen near the Teviot Creek crossing

Butterflies: Blue Triangle, Orchard Swallowtail, Black Jezebel, Common Albatross, Wanderer,  Lesser Wanderer, Brown Ringlet, Common Grass Blue.

Other Invertebrates: Three-punctured Diving Beetles (Cybister tripunctatus), Spotted Katydid (Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata). The case of a Saunders Case Moth (Metura elongates).

Spiders: Sac Spider sp.

Damsel/Dragonflies: Common Flatwing, Scarlet Percher, Blue Skimmer.

Mammals: Brown Hare, Red Deer.

Some plants of interest: Teviot Crossing, Head Rd: Black Bean (Castanospermum australe), River Oak (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Cissus sp., Blue Quandong (Elaeocarpus grandis), Dunn's White Gum (Eucalyptus dunnii), Bolwarra (Eupomatia laurina), Creek Sandpaper Fig (Ficus coronata), Cheese Tree (Glochidion ferdinandi), White Beech (Gmelina leichhardtii), Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta), Round Leaf Vine (Legnephora moorei), Brush Box (Lophostomen confertus), Red Kamala (Mallotus philippensis).

Rabbit Fence: Black Booyong (Argyrodendron actinophyllum), Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium australasicum), Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius), Hares Foot Fern (Davallia pyxidata), King Orchid (Dendrobium speciosum), Tamarind (Diploglottis australis), Crows Ash (Flindersia australis), White Beech (Gmelina leichhardtii), Brush Box (Lophostomen confertus), Elkhorn (Platycerium bifurcatum), Yellow Carrabeen (Sloanea woollsii), Purple Cherry (Syzygium crebrinerve).

February Outing - Scenic Tag-along and Rainforest Walk

Date: Saturday, 16th February

Koreelah Gorge looking west

Time:  7 am sharp for departure at 7.30 a.m. – important to be on time!

Where: Boonah Primary School carpark for organisation of car-pooling, if necessary.

Directions: The scenic route we are taking will be via part of The Falls Drive Route, over The Head Road, then later past Wilsons Peak, to the Koreelah National Park campground and back to Boonah via White Swamp and the Boonah Border Gate. Just follow the Tag-along leaders.

Activities: Stopping at Teviot Falls Lookout, walking & morning tea at Wilson's Peak rainforest walk along the rabbit fence, lunch and walk to the Gorge at Koreelah National Park. 

Level of Fitness: All walks are easy walking. 

Facilities: Picnic tables and toilets are available at the Koreelah National Park.

What to Bring: The usual protective gear, hat, sunscreen, tick/leech spray. Binoculars, camera, reference books, water to carry on the walk, morning tea, lunch, chairs etc.

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