Camp Report - Inverell NSW; 25-29 April 2024

Lake Inverell - a great birding spot
Photo: L.Beaton

We had a marvellous weekend. Seventeen members and a friend spent three or more days exploring the area and seeing some great wildlife. It's always exciting to go off our local patch and see a different set of animals.  

We saw 110 bird species, 9 mammals, also butterflies, reptiles, frogs and more including a beautiful Murray Cod which was released back into the Macintyre River.

The flora was different which was to be expected. The Caley's  Ironbark Eucalyptus caleyi was in flower though the birds didn't seem to care. The native bees thought it was wonderful. If you stood underneath one of the trees all you could hear were the bees buzzing. The Xanthorrhoea johnsonii seemed stouter than the ones we get up here.

Xanthorrhoea johnsonii at Five Corners
Photo: P & T Shields

The weather was kind to us being warm and sunny during the day and not too cold at night.

There was lots of chat during "happy hour" when we happily reviewed our sightings, told jokes and listened to anecdotes of camps and outings past.

Freshwater molluscs from Frazer Creek
Photo: P & T Shields 

Brown Treecreeper
Photo: G. Pardey

Jacky Dragon Amphibolurus muricatus
Photo: G. Pardey

Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
Photo: G. Pardey

Eagles at Lake Inverell
Photo: L.Beaton

 

Joseph Wills Park  
Photo: L.Beaton

Mid-week Outing Report - Bus trip to O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, Monday, 15 April 2024

 Adapted from the newsletter report.

View from the coffee shop
at O'Reilly's

This was a new experience for the Field Nats to actually travel by bus to an outing, but 21 members participated.

The chatter of conversation abated somewhat to ‘gasps’ and ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ when our bus met up with oncoming trucks, and tankers on the steep, very narrow, winding road and there was a noticeable movement and lean away from the windows on the driver’s side of the bus as the trucks slid past centimetres outside the windows while those seated on the other side kept an eye on the centimetres of wheel track on the cliff side drop.

King Parrots in a tree as the rain blows in

Little groups headed in different directions. The fitter ones for the longer walks and steeper tracks, but the majority ambled off towards the boardwalk and Tree Top Walk area. Easy walk, plenty of lush vegetation to see and admire, little clusters of fungi, fruiting, flowering and fresh new growth on trees, buttresses and ancient twisted vines, all the time keeping an eye and ear open for the bird sightings and sounds. 

Plenty of calls from the many parrots, especially King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas but it was the little birds that caught our attention as they scuttled around the understory and on the ground. White-browed and Yellow-throated Scrubwrens, and Logrunners. In the trees Satin Bowerbirds were observed and Brown Pigeons but we did not see a Regent Bowerbird or Lyrebird. We did not collate species lists for the day so others may have had quite different observations on their individual walks.

Looking down from the Tree Top Walk

The canopy tree top walk is always a special place to take a leisurely stroll with excellent views into the canopy at eye level. The Mountain Garden, established long ago by Col Harmen with its mix of natural rainforest plants and introduced species is still maintained and
worth a walk through its many meandering tracks. There are just so many walks for differing levels of fitness to choose from but any walk, short or long, in the rainforests of Lamington National Park are most enjoyable.

Most of us arrived back from our walks for a late lunch to be followed by Ranger Will Buch giving us a half hour talk on the positive impact regular and controlled edge of rainforest burns have had on threatened bird and marsupial species

A most relaxing, social and enjoyable outing. Thanks to those who planned and organized it.

Outing Report - Sandy Creek Track, Flinders Plum Reserve, Saturday, 20 January 2024

Adapted from the Fassifern Field Naturalists newsletter. 

January 18, here we go again. 70mm of rain at home in a 2-hour period. January 19, and a check of the council website to see if the park was still open. No closure reported. 

The Sandy Creek track was boggy underfoot in places and the creek crossings required careful navigation to avoid filling the boots. One look at the natters and you would have thought that we had swum across the crossings. Our ‘frantic’ natters pace must have got those sweat glands working overtime.

Birdlife was not as prolific as expected and several birds were heard rather than seen. The sighting of the morning was a good viewing of the club emblem, the Pacific Baza. In flight we were able to see the barring on the body and when perched we could also clearly see the bright yellow eye and also the crest that these birds are recognized by (previously known as the Crested Hawk). Several Red-browed Finch were observed carrying nesting material to nests in the fronds (leaves) of the Hoop Pines near the old stockyards. Of note of the birds heard were the Pacific Emerald Dove and the Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove.
Butterflies were quite prolific and other insects and spiders were observed including Stick insects, Harlequin Beetles and the ‘deafening’ Cicadas. A well-populated Tree Brown Paper Wasp nest was also observed in a bush.

Morning tea (breakfast for some) was held back at the picnic area under the supervision of a large Green Tree Frog who must have been cooking on a beam under the tin roof of the picnic shelter.

Thank you to those who attended and to those who doubted my persistence, well

Bird list: Wonga Pigeon, Pacific Emerald Dove, Rose-crowned Fruit-dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Pheasant Coucal, Koel, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Fantail Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo, Pacific Baza, Laughing Kookaburra, King Parrot, Superb Fairy-wren, Red Backed Fairy-wren, Brown Honeyeater, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Australasian Figbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Eastern Whipbird, Cicadabird, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Leaden Flycatcher, Torresian Crow, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch.

Outing Report - Wild Mountains Environmental Education Centre , Saturday, 18 November 2023

Adapted from different articles in the Fassifern Field Naturalists newsletters.

Views from the meeting place

We couldn’t have wished for better weather on this outing to Wild Mountains. As planned, we met up at the start of the 4WD sign. This was a prime photo area with majestic views of the ranges and surrounding scenery and people took full advantage of their cameras and scopes. 

It’s not easy to move 15 field nats however, we needed to make progress and go on one of the many walks. We chose the downhill section towards the creek. We were fairly spread out when Steve caught our attention. He was so excited; he could barely speak but was pointing to a tree down from the track. There, perched in a large hollow was a Masked Owl. It was a new bird sighting for the majority of us, but to see this rare owl in daylight made it very special.

Fungi at Wild Mountains

Onwards to the bridge. Due to past rain, the vegetation had thickened considerably, but taking our time, we managed to scramble down the steep terrain to view the creek and the mini waterfall. A delightful place to spend some time, that is if you don’t mind leeches. After that we headed in the vehicles to the majestic rainforest walk that borders NSW.

Throughout the day there was plenty to see, especially the birds enjoying the regeneration efforts in the ex-lantana dominated gullies. A huge Small-leaved Fig Ficus obliqua, with roots all over a rocky waterfall, was in fruit. The canopy was in constant motion with a dozen Topknot Pigeons and Regent Bowerbirds standing out. A couple of Barred Cuckoo-Shrikes looked quite trim in contrast.

Further up the road to the top gate and another avian avalanche. Fruit pigeons calling out everywhere. A Noisy Pitta wanting to go “off to work”. A Paradise Riflebird screeching in our ears. A Green Catbird “meowing” – probably wanting a bowl of milk.

The variety of tall trees on this mountain is truly amazing. Far too many to put in a small newsletter. But the Silver Booyong Argyrodendron trifoliolatum, a common tree, were in fruit – little helicopters spinning around and littering the track. 

All too soon it was time to depart. The folk at Wild Mountains took good care of us, even though they were working hard preparing for a big event the following week. We thank them very much for their generosity of time and friendship. We will look forward in the future to pay another visit to this amazing property.

A wild place and a wild gang of Field Nats – what more could you ask for?

Bird List

Wompoo Fruit Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Brown Pigeon, Rose-crowned Fruit- Dove, White-headed Pigeon, Little Black Cormorant, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Fantail Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo, Australian Masked Owl, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Noisy Pitta, Regent Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Scarlet Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, White-throated Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, White-browed Scrubwren, Striated Thornbill, Brown Thornbill, Brown Gerygone, Barred Cuckooshrike, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Common Cicadabird. Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrikethrush, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Spangled Drongo, Black-faced Monarch, Spectacled Monarch, Torresian Crow, Paradise Riflebird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Mistletoebird.

FEBRUARY OUTING CANCELLED

 Due to the inclement weather, the outing to Waterfall Creek Road Maroon  for 17^th Feb 2024 has been cancelled.

Sorry, no Plan B.

Camp Report - Undercliffe, NSW; 6-8 October 2023

Article adapted from the FFNC newsletter

The annual spring camp was in the Granite Belt at Undercliffe in NSW. Stanthorpe, to the west, is about 20 kms away. We camped close to the northern fence line in clearings between the trees. Our hosts had kindly provided a composting toilet which was very much appreciated. Campers were all set up by afternoon tea on Friday with the bird list already started.

View to the east

The property covers some 69 ha of largely uncleared, though previously logged, eucalypt forest. It is on the eastern edge of the Granite Belt and has a view down onto Rivertree (the upper reaches of the Clarence Valley) and across to the Border Ranges.

Our hosts joined us for the weekend activities. They have been actively removing lantana etc which grew well during the recent La Nina event and have to create yet another fence-to-fence track for fire reasons during the last dry. This made access a lot easier for us.

Friday afternoon we took a vehicle trip around part of the property, trying to get our bearings. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the map downloaded from a New South Wales government website had the property in the wrong location!

On Saturday we rambled along one of the many tracks which criss-cross the property noticing plants such as sedges, cycads, fungi and a black bootlace orchid. After lunch we visited Undercliffe Falls on Bookookoorara Creek where we scrambled around the rocks and took plenty of photographs.

Despite the dry conditions, we were able to safely have a fire in a portable steel firepit but evening discussions around the fire were shortened due to the cold nights.

Sunday morning involved a walk along a creek where numerous holes still held water despite the very dry conditions. Of note were the many trigger plants in full flower. Several of us tried to get the trigger to work but with little success.

Pale-spotted Tiger Moth Amata aperta

Watch out for those nippers

Fauna

Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Wonga Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, Masked Lapwing, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Square-tailed Kite, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairywren, Bell Miner, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Thornbill, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail, Magpie-lark, Corvid sp., Eastern Yellow Robin. Marsupials: Red-necked Wallaby. Reptiles: Lace Monitor or Goanna. Frogs: Graceful Tree Frog. Insects and spiders: Butterflies; Lesser Wanderer, Common Brown. Moths; Pale-spotted Tiger Moth,  Others; a dull-coloured long-legged fly, Grey Planthopper, White Wax Scale Ceroplastes destructor. Spider; a red and black spider (Nicodamid species).

Flora: as discussed or taken note of on the camp (not a comprehensive list):

Fungi; none identified. Cycad; a cycad Macrozamia viridis. Ferns; Maidenhair sp., Rock Felt Fern Pyrrosia rupestris, a fern (Blechnum sp.). Grasses Sedges, etc; Grey Tussock-grass Poa sieberiana, Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra, Mat rushes Lomandra sp. Herbs;  a Pennywort, Border Ranges Nightshade Solanum limitare, a Trigger Plant Stylidium sp., a bluebell Wahlenbergia sp., Zieria sp.Orchids; Black Bootlace Orchid Erythrorchis cassythoides. Vines & Scramblers; Clematis sp., Pink Bower Vine Pandorea jasminoides, Monkey Rope Vine Parsonsia straminea, Native Raspberry Rubus parvifolius, Barbed-wire Vine Smilax australis. Shrubs; Wild May Leptospermum polygalifolium, Poison Peach Trema tomentosum. Trees; Mountain Grey Gum Eucalyptus cypellocarpa, Forest Oak Allocasuarina torulosa, Youman's Stringybark Eucalyptus youmanii, Ribbonwood Euroschinus falcate, Sweet Pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum, Broad-leaved Cherry Exocarpos latifolius, Tree Heath/Waddy wood Trochocarpa laurina, Green Wattle Acacia decurrens, Lilly-pilly spp., Breynia sp. 

Outing Report - Mt French, Saturday, 16 September 2023

 A Botanical Outing with a Birdo as Leader

Mt Barney from Mee-bor-rum Lookout

A very small group met at Mt French as more of our members were enjoying a tag-along in the cool, breezy climes of northern NSW.

Meanwhile, we meandered through the Mee-bor-rum Circuit. The first part of the walk was still showing the effects of the burning earlier in the year, so there were no orchids to be found. In fact, very few wildflowers were in flower.

After admiring the south-east view towards Mt Barney we entered the heath where there was some blossom. Luckily, somebody in our small band knew the plants. She pointed out acacias, both Brown Wattle A. brunioides and Sticky Wattle A. viscidula. The leptospermums were also in flower making a white haze around us.

Red-necked Wallaby and joey

Back at the picnic area we sat at a shady table and enjoyed the company of a Red-necked Wallaby and her joey which peeped out from her pouch. We thought a goanna was going to join us but it just sauntered past on its way to somewhere far more interesting. After the break we went to Logan’s Lookout because one can never get enough of this breathtaking view. Then all too soon it was time to go home after another pleasant stroll on our iconic mountain.

Species Lists introduced species = _*
Fauna
Reptiles: Lace Monitor or Goanna Varanus varius.
Birds: Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Lewin's Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Australasian Figbird, Pied Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Mistletoebird.
Marsupials: Brush-tailed Wallaby (on the way up the mountain), Red-necked Wallaby & joey.
Butterflies: *Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia, Orange Ringlet Hypocysta adiante, Meadow Argus Junonia villida.

Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):
Vines, Scramblers & Climbers: Native Sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea.
Grass Trees: Johnson’s Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea johnsonii.
Shrubs: Brown Wattle Acacia brunioides, Sticky Wattle Acacia viscidula, Small-fruited Tea Tree (Leptospermum microcarpum.

Outing Report - Lake Moogerah, Saturday, 19 August 2023

 Adapted from the Fassifern Field Naturalists Club Inc. Newsletter

Plan B: Moogerah Dam and Below the Dam

With the cancellation of the Moon View outing, due to fire threat, our leader had to quickly come up with a Plan B. So, seven hardy Natters turned up at Haigh Park overlooking the Moogerah dam wall on a very windy and cold but sunny morning. A few more joined the group later, making eleven.

A walk across the dam wall was abandoned at the first shelter point, as we attempted to shelter from the cold westerly wind. After photos were taken, we headed for our cars and drove the short distance down to the Lower Recreation area along Reynolds Creek, below the dam wall.

As we set off, one member’s hat was blown into the water, luckily it was reached with a walking pole before it could sink! We strolled downstream to the weir at the end of the picnic area, the wind kept the birds away. Most noted were two Welcome Swallows doing circuits over the area, and four pelicans circling up above.

At the weir our leader told us of the Rhyolite plugs of Mt Edwards towering ahead on the other side of Reynold’s Creek (NNW) and Little Mt Edwards on our side of the creek ahead to NNE. While most returned for morning tea, one went on along the rough track downstream from the weir, to see the huge rock slabs of rhyolite rising up on the right; which had been mentioned.

Then on the grassy bank of the creek with the warm sun and the wind at our backs, a long morning tea was enjoyed with great conversation. We looked at a rock with fish scales and bones fossilized in it, from the Richmond area. The small bird count grew as we sat there. A pair of Rainbow Lorikeets came to check out a hollow in a big tree, and a Kookaburra sat and watched us for a bit. In the end it was so pleasant chatting in the sun that no one wanted to leave!

Birds of August Field Trip

Australian Wood Duck, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Dusky Moorhen, Gull-billed Tern, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Laughing Kookaburra, Striated Pardalote, Spotted Pardalote, Striped Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Restless Flycatcher, Willie Wagtail. Australian Magpie, Torresian Crow, Pied Currawong, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird.

Outing Report - Mt Alford, Saturday, 15 July 2023

From the Fassifern Field Naturalists Club Inc. newsletter

Koala seen on the property

It wasn’t anywhere as near as cold as expected for the July outing. In fact, it was pleasant enough for 17 members to join our hosts at their home. As usual with Nats, we stood around chatting for a while, munching mandarins that were picked from the nearby tree earlier. We eventually set off down the paddock disturbing the Whiptail, or Pretty-faced, Wallabies on the way. The Red-backed Wrens and Silvereyes twittered around us. It wasn’t long though before we were all clustered under a eucalypt admiring a large, healthy, male Koala. It was a great sighting and many photos were taken.

Around the firepit

Eventually the party split into two groups with some taking the high road, and some taking the low road. There were plenty of bush birds with a male Rose Robin and a couple of Jacky Winters being highlights. Once we were all back at the house, we settled around the firepit for our sausages generously prepared and supplied by our hosts. The fire’s warmth invited lots of conversation and laughter. The species list call came before dark and the night-spotting. Forty-three birds, three mammals and one butterfly were accounted for.

Then it was time for a few members to head homeward ..... but a few intrepid naturalists braved the cool by increasingly moving their chairs closer to the fire, before heading out with torches in search of elusive night creatures. There wasn't much wildlife around (probably all tucked up in bed), but we were lucky enough to spot a rufous bettong, a microbat and another red necked wallaby. We heard frogs around the dam but didn't manage to spot the barn owl which is rumoured to sit on the fence wire each night!

Species Lists for Kooroomba Drive:

Birds: Brown Quail, Australian Wood Duck, Australasian Grebe, Peaceful Dove, Great Egret, White-faced Heron, Little Pied Cormorant, Masked Lapwing, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Weebill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Varied Sitella, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Rose Robin, Restless Flycatcher, Jacky Winter, Magpie-lark, Welcome Swallow, Silvereye, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch.

Mammals: Koala, Rufous Bettong, Whiptail Wallaby, Red-necked Wallaby, Microbat sp.

Butterfly: Wanderer.

Outing Report - Bunburra, Saturday 17 June 2023

Adapted from the FFNC Inc. Newsletter

A lovely fine winter’s day greeted us when we went to Bunburra in June. We gathered and jumped into 4-wheel drives. Our host led us out the back of his place to “Dingo Creek” – a local name for a gully draining off the highest point on his property.

Birds were rather scarce. But the views were spectacular. And the gully was full of interesting
plants.

A fig in an Ironbark 

A fig (probably Ficus rubiginosa) had lodged about 30 m up in the top of a huge Ironbark (probably Eucalyptus crebra) and had dangled a very long tap root all the way to the ground – a definition of persistence. It will probably develop a bigger canopy and survive long after the Ironbark has died. The gully was dominated by Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus), but there was also a really big Crow’s Ash (Flindersia australis), some Scrub Ironbark (Bridelia leichhardtii) and a Yellow Tulip (Drypetes deplanchei).

Above Dingo Creek

The protected hillside was also dominated by Brush Box, with their lignotubers providing sustenance during harsher times. In some landscapes, a “whip-stick” form of Brush Box can establish – conditions are not good enough for big trees to develop, but just enough for thin trunks to dominate. True to form, Field Nats scattered in all directions .... but hunger got the better of them and they all straggled back eventually.

Looking to the east