May Activity Details: Meeting - 3 May 2024. Outing - 5 May 2024

Meeting, 3 May 2024

Justine Rice of Lockyer Uplands Catchments Inc. As LUCI's project coordinator, Justine manages two conservation projects, one being Bunyas to Border, which is part of the Great Eastern Ranges (GER) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Koala Climate Corridors project.  It involves LUCI working with local partners to enhance the critical koala habitat corridor in the western ‘horn’ of the Greater Border Ranges, which covers the landscape from Main Range, Helidon Hills and the Bunyas; an important movement pathway for wildlife and an area rich in many threatened native animals and plants. 

Photo: from Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland website. 

Outing, 5 May 2024

Private property in Ravensbourne. On arrival there will be a talk on the work that has been undertaken and future plans. Following morning tea we will visit the small eucalypt forests.

In the afternoon we can wander in the gardens or watch a show of wildlife photos to those who prefer to have a rest.

Bring a chair, morning tea, lunch, water, hat and an enquiring mind. 

For directions: Members see your May newsletter. Non-members, please contact us at toowoombafieldnaturalists@gmail.com for details.

April Outing Report - Aubigny, 07 April 2024

 Adapted from the newsletter "The Darling Downs NATURALIST"

A Brown Songlark’s sweet soliloquy high over our assembly was a good augury, with the croaking of a gutter of Spotted Grassfrogs nearby providing a nice counterpoint. Patches of blue overhead lifted the mood on a dubious wet day.

En route to our destination we tarried awhile at Nev Bidgood Grove, a pleasant little bit of parkland along the Oakey Pittsworth Road at its junction with Brennan Road, Aubigny. Bird life was in fine fettle here and it was good to see a small charm of Zebra Finch dipping to safety in an African Boxthorn Lycium ferocissimum. These lovely little birds are on the decline in our neighbourhood and the flocks encountered these days are miniscule compared to those of my childhood in the 1950s. 

Over smoko we were given an overview of the property. Considering that these four hectares were only acquired in 1998 as an unimproved bush block, today it is a beautifully landscaped arboretum and nature refuge. The house was built in 1999 and initially the owners used to run horses. The last horse passed on in 2015 and in the intervening years the property has been transformed into the showpiece it is today. It has now become a regular haunt for Toowoomba-based botanists and birdwatchers in particular.

On our visit members dispersed to all points to pursue their various interests. We collected a good list of fauna for our troubles especially of birds. The property hosts a rich representation of the avifauna of the grasslands and Coolabah country of the eastern Darling Downs.  

It was a great day out with wonderful hosts, and good fellowship. It is always good to hear Grey-crowned Babblers and watch Double-bars, Zebra Finches and Superb Fairy-wrens over lunch.  And a large, foraging Striped Ctenotus glistening in its new skin.  

Species Lists

Earthstar Fungi

Assembly area, near corner of Warrego Highway and Oakey Pittsworth Road, Oakey: 
Birds: Zebra Finch, Brown Songlark Frogs: Spotted Grassfrog Limnodynastes tasmaniensisNev Bidgood Grove and Brennan Road, Tangkam: Birds: Brown Quail, Spotted Dove, Crested Pigeon, White-faced Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, Black-shouldered Kite, Galah, Pale-headed Rosella (southern form), Striped Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Grey-crowned Babbler (eastern), Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Currawong (eastern Australia), Australian Magpie, Grey Butcherbird, Willie Wagtail (southern), Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Common Myna Butterflies and Moths: Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona argenthona, Varied Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina nerina, Meadow Argus Junonia villida villida, Orchard Swallowtail (Australian subspecies) Papilio aegeus aegeus Bees, Wasps and Ants: Banded Sugar Ant Camponotus consobrinus, Southern Meat Ant Iridomyrmex purpureus, an ant Calomyrmex sp., Green-head Ant Rhytidoponera metallica Fungi: an earthstar Geastrum saccatum (a second earthstar also seen but not able to identify to species level). 

Aubigny property: Mammals: Red-necked Wallaby, European Brown Hare: Birds: Brown Quail, Spotted Dove, Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Red-rumped Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella (southern form), Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Superb Fairy-wren, Striped Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Striated Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Grey-crowned Babbler (eastern), Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Currawong (eastern Australia), Australian Magpie, Pied Butcherbird, Grey Butcherbird, Willie Wagtail (southern), Torresian Crow, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch, Tree Martin, Common  Myna. Reptiles(lizards): Straight-browed Ctenotus Ctenotus spaldingi* Frogs: Spotted Grassfrog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis, Common Green Treefrog Litoria caerulea Spiders: Dew Drop Spider Argyrodes antipodianus, Black House Spider Badumna insignis, Tent Spider Cryptophora moluccensis, Golden Orb-weaver Trichonephila edulis Dragonflies and Damselflies: Aurora Bluetail Ischnura aurora, Australian Emperor Anax papuensis, Australian Emerald Hemicordulia australiae, Tau Emerald Hemicordulia tau, Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes, Wandering Percher Diplacodes bipunctata, Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum Butterflies and Moths: Caper White Belenois java teutonia, Lemon Migrant Catopsilia pomona, Tailed Emperor Charaxes sempronius sempronius, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia, Small Grass Yellow Eurema smilax, Meadow Argus Junonia villida villida, Orchard Swallowtail (Australian subspecies) Papilio aegeus aegeus Bees, Wasps and Ants: Southern Meat Ant Iridomyrmex purpureus, Stick-nest Brown Paper Wasp Ropalidia revolutionalis Fungi: a puffball Calvatia lilacina.

*Taxonomy in dispute, also called Ctenotus robustus (Robust Ctenotus, Striped Ctenotus)

September Activity Details: Outing; Crows Nest - Sunday 03 September 2023

 

Doesn't she look sweet, but she's a killer!

CLUB MEETING: Friday 01 September 2023    

Dr Meg Edwards is a Lecturer in Wildlife Science at the University of Southern Queensland. She completed her  PhD in Queensland investigating innovative techniques to help counteract the effects of introduced predators. Her current research focuses on threatened species conservation. Meg’s talk will detail her research into native mammalian wildlife and how they react to introduced predators such as cats and foxes.

CLUB OUTING: Sunday 03 September 2023 - Crows Nest. 

Time: 8.30 am. If you're not a Toowoomba Field Naturalists Club member, please let us know you're coming,  toowoombafieldnaturalists@gmail.com, in case there are last minute changes.

The tracks
for the first part of the day

Where: Crows Nest in the car park beside the swimming pool.

Description: Take a walk through  open woodland, on private property,  to see a variety of eucalypt trees from gums to stringybarks, bloodwoods and ironbarks, plus acacias and small shrubs, many in flower. Move on to Hartmann Park, William Street, Crows Nest for a choice of walks and wildflower displays. Lunch will be at the picnic area below William Street.

Level of Fitness: Slashed tracks will make for easy walking. 

Facilities: Toilets and picnic tables at Hartmann Park. However we may gather away from the tables so it is advised you bring your own chairs.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, water, morning tea, lunch, a chair, a friend and an enquiring mind.

Trigger plants last month

Banksias
were in flower last month

                     

March Outing Report - Cooby Dam, 05 March 2023

 (Adapted from the newsletter)

White-bellied Sea-eagles' nest,
Cooby Dam
Photo: K. Stephensen

The area surrounding Cooby Dam, which the Field Nats visited on 05 March, is an area where there is much to observe and enjoy. Thanks go to Dougal for explaining, to the 20 or so Field Nats and visitors gathered in the shady park beside the dam wall, some fascinating aspects of the complex geology of the dam environs.

As the group climbed the stairs to the top of the dam wall, we gazed down at the shiny, black, fine-grained rock at the base of the spillway, Dougal suggested that this hard trachyte would have solidified after forcing its way to the earth’s surface through a fault zone. The dark, intrusive rock was a clear contrast to the reddish- brown mudstone and basalt layers beside it. 

 Cooby Dam spillway
 Photo: K. Stephensen

Clear water trickled over the trachyte, forming shallow pools, in which tiny fish swam and Eastern Snake-necked turtles Chelodina longicollis and Murray turtles Emydura macquarii were observed surfacing to breathe. A White-faced Heron gliding in the clear blue sky above the spillway, delighted the bird enthusiasts, while shiny Scarlet Percher and iridescent aqua Blue Skimmer dragonflies flitted about at eye level.

At the top of the dam wall, we beheld the magnificent sight of the breeze blown water of Cooby Reservoir. The brief appearance of a White-bellied Sea Eagle added to the spectacle. The call of Dusky Moorhens, alerted us to look in the water below to view several of these aquatic birds. 

In the distance, sail boats floated peacefully, as we enjoyed the cooling breeze and vibrant colours of fresh green eucalyptus leaves under an azure blue sky. Strolling across the top of the dam wall, I felt privileged to be able to appreciate this beauty, just over a half hour drive from Toowoomba. 

As shiny white cumulous clouds gathered, it was relaxing to sit in the shade marvelling at the ever-changing reflections on the wide water, before heading for lunch at a neat picnic spot on the bank of Cooby Creek, a short drive away.

Loveday Cove Birds: Compiled by N. Thompson

Black Swan (11), Maned Duck (12), Pacific Black Duck (2), Hardhead (2), Brown Quail (7), Dusky Moorhen (1), Eurasian Coot (20), Australian Grebe (2), Great Crested Grebe (4), Masked Lapwing (2), Little Pied Cormorant (3), White-faced Heron (2), Whistling Kite (1), Pale-headed Rosella (2), Superb Fairywren (6), Red-backed Fairywren (3), Brown Honeyeater (1), Noisy Miner (2), Weebill (2), White-browed Scrubwren (1), Pied Currawong (1), Willie Wagtail (2), Magpie-lark (1), Australian Reedwarbler (2), Golden-headed Cisticola (1), Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (5).

Cooby Dam Birds: Compiled by K. O'Dea

Black Swan, Australian Wood Duck, Hardhead, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Great

Red-browed Finch nest
Photo: F. Mangubhai

Crested Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, White-faced Heron, Little Pied Cormorant, Masked Lapwing, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dollarbird, Azure Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Superb Fairy-wren, Brown Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater,  Scarlet Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, White-browed Scrub Wren, Striated Thornbill, Olive-backed Oriole,  Golden Whistler, Eastern Whipbird,  Pied Currawong, Australian Magpie, Grey Butcherbird, Magpie-lark, Torresian Crow, Red-browed Finch, Double-barred Finch.

Reptiles: Eastern Snake-necked Turtle Chelodina longicollis, Murray Turtle Emydura macquarii

Dragonflies: Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum, Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes

March Outing Details: Cooby Dam - Sunday 05 March 2023

Australian Wood Duck 
Chenonetta jubata - male
from Wikipedia 

Time: 9.00 am (If carpooling, please meet at the Neil Street Carpark, to set off at 8.30 am.) If you're not a Toowoomba Field Naturalists Club member, please let us know you're coming,  toowoombafieldnaturalists@gmail.com, in case there are last minute changes.

Where: at the lower picnic area of the Cooby Dam

Description: Cooby Dam is a rock–fill embankment dam with an un-gated spillway across  Cooby Creek, a tributary of the Condamine River, at Groomsville in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. The main purpose of the dam is for potable water supply of the Toowoomba region. Wikipedia

Activities: Before we start our walk, there will be a brief talk about the geology of the area. 

Level of Fitness: easy on level walking tracks

Facilities: Toilets and picnic tables at the picnic area. However we may gather away from the tables so it is advised you bring your own chairs.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea and lunch, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

February Outing Report - Kumbarilla State Forest, 5 February 2023

Report adapted from the Club newsletter article.

Many thanks to our leader for pre-viewing and organising the Field Nats excursion, and to Gary Hearle for guiding the group of nine vehicles through the maze of tracks in the 86,000-hectare Kumbarilla State Forest, of which we visited a relatively small area. Ongoing logging occurs in some areas of the forest, along with some cattle grazing leases, which reduce the grass fire fuel load. Extensive coal seam gas development was evident, throughout the area we visited.

After travelling through dry, sandy, open forest country, we were pleased to arrive at a shady spot beside the abundant clear water of Wilkie Creek. Aquatic vegetation flourished in the shallows of the creek.

Kurrajong leaf tier moth bag
(Photo: M. Ford)

Nearby was a group of young Kurrajong trees (probably Brachychiton populneus) which were host to many larvae of the Kurrajong Bag Moth, or leaf tier moth. The caterpillars feed in groups, and make a bag by weaving leaves together to form a shelter. The 25 mm long, pale green caterpillars do some feeding within the shelter and come out at night to feed on other leaves. They pupate within the shelter and moths emerge. 

Francis Mangubhai 
checks waxiness of rare 
Acacia lithgowiae 
(Photo D. Pagel)

A highlight was an area of endangered Acacia lithgowiae*. It was very heartening to find a considerable, healthy stand of this rare species. It may have been aided by the fact that taller trees had been destroyed by fire allowing the pioneer Acacia to colonise the area. A striking pink flowering bull-oak mistletoe was a bonus sight near the acacias.

Unable to complete the circuit drive through the forest, due to road damage caused by heavy rain, we retraced out tracks to arrive at the very full Lake Broadwater for lunch. 

Ed: *Acacia lithgowiae

The specific epithet is a Latin word meaning “modest” or. “bashful”, an allusion to the anonymity of the species. 

Bird List for Kumbarilla/ Lake Broadwater outing (Submitted by T. Allen)

Kumbarilla State Forest: Superb Fairy Wren, Yellow Thornbill, Noisy Miner, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Cicadabird, Rufous Whistler, Grey Butcherbird, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Willie Wagtail. 

Lake Broadwater: Cattle Egret, Australian White Ibis, Dusky Moorhen, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Corella, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Noisy Friarbird, Currawong, Apostlebird.

 

Invertebrates at Kumbarilla State Forest and Lake Broadwater (Submitted by G. Walter)

Butterflies and moths: Wanderer or Monarch, Danaus plexippus; Lesser Wanderer, Danaus chrysippus; Common Crow, Euploea core; Meadow Argus, Junonia villida; Yellow Migrant, Catopsilia scylla; Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegus; a case moth caterpillar in the Psychidae family; Caper White, Belenois aurota; Orange ringlet, Hypocysta adiante.

Insects: A cockroach in the Blattidae family; a gall on Eucalypt, Apiomorpha species; two insect galls on Eucalyptus populneus; Midge gall, Asphondylia tonsura, on Enchylaena tomentosa; Giant slantface Grasshopper, Acrida conica; Bark-mimicking Grasshopper, Coryphistes ruricola; Froggatt’s Buzzer Grasshopper, Froggattina australis; a stick insect in the Phasmatidae family; Pollen beetle, Dicranolaius bellulus; Variegated Ladybird, Hippodamia variegata; Pittosporum Bug, Pseudapines geminata; a wasp in the Crabronidae family; the nest of a wasp, Ropalidia species.

Spiders: St Andrews Cross spider, Argiope bullocki, male, female and egg sac; Leaf curling spider, Artiphex species; Jewel spider egg sac, Austracantha minax; Two-spotted Sandalodes, Sandalodes scopifer. 

Snails: Camaenidae family.

February Outing Details: Kumbarilla State Forest - Sunday 05 February 2023

Map of area for outing

The Toowoomba Field Naturalist Club Inc. would like to respectfully acknowledge the Barunggam people, Traditional Custodians of the Kumbarilla area on which our outing will take place, and pay our respects to both the past and present first peoples, their elders, languages, customs, culture and connection to this wonderful country. 

Time: 9.15am in Dalby (7.45am in the Neil Street carpark if car-pooling from Toowoomba).

Where: Thomas Jack Park - entry off Pratten Street, Dalby

Description: Kumbarilla State Forest is a small park to the south of Dalby. The forest is immediately to the south of Kumbarilla township which takes its name from its original railway station which was in turn an Aboriginal word in a local dialect meaning ironbark tree/timber. ("Kumbarilla – town (entry 18594)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 January 2017.) 

Activities: Morning tea will be around a pretty waterhole on Wilkie Creek with good birding and many small plants and shrubs. Wilkie Creek, a tributary of the Condamine River, flows through varied and bio-diverse woodlands that are impacted by the expanding coal seam gas extraction industry in the Western Darling Downs.

Continuing on a circuit drive, a late lunch will be at Lake Broadwater before returning to Dalby. 

Level of Fitness: As this is mainly exploring stops on a circuit drive, it suits all level of fitness.

Facilities: Toilets are available in the Thomas Jack Park and at Lake Broadwater.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea and lunch, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.