1.1.26
Mt Nebo
On site at 6.30 to a damp, cloudy, cool morning (20C) with a light mist in the canopy. The sun did emerge at about 7.30 and it developed into the usual hot morning before I finished at midday.
Walked the Thylogale Circuit as usual, my main aim to install the two trail cameras again. I located one in the rainforest before the wooden walkway and another similar beyond the walkway. Overall it was very quiet, although the usual birds were calling I saw very little but recorded 21 species – 2 Noisy Pittas were calling but, as usual, remained unseen. I didn’t use any ‘encouragement’ mind you, simply relying on my dubious audio skills….
At 8, I headed up to Mt Glorious and found the café open – it was very busy as one would expect on a public holiday, but I got my coffee on the back deck as usual.
At 9 I headed back down to the Manorina track on Mt Nebo. I have always enjoyed this trail, walking up to the outlook, then back down by the fire trail.
It was, too, very quiet, with more birds heard than seen. I did find Kangaroo Vine Leaf Beetle Oides fryi and Blue Oides Leaf Beetle Oides laetabilis again – they seem to be a common occurrence at the moment – took photos of 2 Garden Soldier Flys Exaireta spinigera mating and a Lycid Beetle species Cladophorus cinctus.
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| Garden Soldier Fly Exaireta spinigera |
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| Cladophorus cinctus |
At the top of the walk in the open area before the Outlook, there were several butterflys. Unfortunately I could only ID the obvious ones as the others weren’t inclined to land – by this time it had warmed up considerably and they just kept going. I did have one species in mind, however, having been given good advice some time ago that Four-barred Swallowtail Protographium leosthenes was a possibility at this site. I did find one, but it, too, declined to land so photos were not obtained although I did watch it for about 10 minutes….
Thanks in part to the lack of bird activity I took some photos of flowers I saw around the place.
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| Bank's Violet Viola banksii |
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| Pointed Aneilema Aneilema acuminatum |
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| Spade Flower Pigea stellarioides |
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| Woody-root Woodsorrel Oxalis perennans |
As I headed down the fire trail I spotted a Red Robberfly Colepia rufiventris perched up on a twig.
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| Red Robber Fly Colepia rufiventris |
Further down the track a pair of Leafwings Doleschallia bisaltide, one of which did oblige.
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| Leafwing Doleschalia bisaltide |
2.1.26
Oxley
We all met at my place and I drove to arrive on site at 6.15. A bright, but cloudy, warm morning.
The track wasn’t very busy, but overall I ended up with a morning’s list of 50 species.
We had some interesting insects, the highlight of which Mr P spotted on a dead branch in a shit position for photos but we did our best and eventually agreed it was a Silky Azure Ogyris oroetes which was a lifer for me and a good butterfly for the site.
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| Silky Azure Ogyris oroetes |
Further out I had a Honeybrown Beetle Ecnologria grandis and a Banded Lichen Moth Cyme structa.
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| Honeybrown Beetle Ecnolagria grandis |
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| Banded Lichen Moth Cyme structa |
On the way back Mr D spotted 3 Tawny Frogmouths beside the track and then pulled up a Tessellated Stick Insect Anchiale austrotessulata. We’d seen this species before bur a Stick Insect is always worthwhile.
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| Tessellated Stick Insect Anchiale austrotessulata |
On top of the last gate we had a Common Brown Robber Fly Zosteria rosevillensis and I took photos during the walk of several plants…
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| Common Brown Robber Fly Zosteria rosevillensis |
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| Bower Plant Pandorea jasminoides |
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| Cutleaf Groundcherry Physalis angulata |
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| Liriope Liriope muscari |
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| Twiggy Myrtle Sannantha similis |
We breakfasted, as usual, at Arte & Gusto in Graceville.
4.1.26
Lamington NP - O'Reilly's
Linc, my grandson, had requested we go to O’Reilly’s and Lamington NP and we arrived on site at 8.15. My daughter, his mother, accompanied us and we set off straight away to the feeding area where (wild) King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas are fed seed. There were no birds present so we continued on to the Tree Top Walk.
We saw the usual birds along the boarded walkway into the Tree Top Walk and, after we had completed that part of the adventure, we walked the track down past the Mountain Garden and ‘re-found’ the Satin Bowerbird bower I had seen on previous visits.
We continued on to the Border Track and headed back towards the ‘resort’ via the bitumen. We had great views of a male Australian Logrunner digging right beside the track and just a few meters further on an Albert’s Lyrebird broke cover ahead of us and ran, half flew with wings and tail spread, around the corner and disappeared. Such is luck!
(Video - Australian Logrunner)
https://youtu.be/9PAZHlKQIPo
About 100 meters before we reached the entrance to the Border Track I heard what I believed was an Albert’s Lyrebird singing not too far down below the track, but invisible, of course.
After some discussion Linc and I moved down through the bush as quietly as possible, moving only when the bird was singing, until we saw movement approximately 25-30 feet in front of us. The Lyrebird was completely absorbed in its display and song and we sat and watched entranced for what seemed like ages, but was probably about 10 minutes. I filmed it as best I could and Linc used my Tascam to record the performance.
(I tried to join the two following videos together to make one continuous 'movie' but was unable to do so - probably because my equipment is too old, so there are in fact two videos on UTube - labelled 'Albert's Lyrebird 040126 1 (and 2) Lamington National Park' - or click on the links below...)
https://youtu.be/tsgJ1f25NAQ
https://youtu.be/N8FOhJot9gc
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| Albert's Lyrebird |
Once it finished, the bird started up the slope towards us, but about 15 feet away must have realised we were present and turned casually off to our left and moved silently and swiftly through the bush to disappear.
What a magical moment! Something I had hoped to see for 40+ years and just awesome! Linc was thrilled too and couldn’t wait to get back and tell his Mum waiting for us in the picnic area.
We visited the second Satin Bowerbird bower beside the picnic area and then spent a short while feeding the now present King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas before heading into the café for much needed coffee where we were visited by both Satin and Regent Bowerbird females.
We didn’t have a lot of time left but drove down to the Python Rock/Moran’s Falls track entrance and set off on the former.
Just inside the track Linc picked up a ‘small mouse’ beside the track – a Yellow-footed Antechinus Antechinus flavipes scuttled off through the leaf litter. Further along the track I spotted a large Land Mullet Bellatorias major lying beside a bunch of tangle branches. I took a few photos of other stuff....
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| Christmas Orchid Calanthe triplicata |
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| False Turkey Tail Stereum versicolor |
Apart from all that excitement the birds were pretty quiet and I only recorded 20 species all up.
My 'Year of the Snake' thing kinda continued because as I drove from Kara's place to pick up my other grandson I had another snake experience. It was raining fairly heavily and along Bahrs Scrub Rd a car going the opposite direction appeared to run over a snake. I pulled in and ran back in the rain - the 2 meter Carpet Python appeared unharmed although I think it might have got a knock on the head because it was heading back towards the road again from where it had crawled into the grass verge and was definitely not happy. I grabbed it by the end of the tail and basically dragged it away from the road and gently tossed it into the thicker bush where I hope it stayed. The other driver had also turned back to check and was happy to see the snake was OK.
9.1.26
Mt Nebo
My main aim at the Thylogale Circuit, firstly, was to retrieve the two Trail Cameras I had installed 8 days ago. On site at 6 – it was a cool, dull morning with a gusty breeze in the canopy. The track was very quiet, more or less as I had expected and I saw very little – but heard a few birds – during the hour I spent there. I got both cameras Ok, but was a little disappointed with the results.
One I had set, presumably, too far from the track picked up nothing at all. The other set right beside the track was a little better with at least 4 videos of Red-necked Pademelons Thylogale stigmatica, 2 Yellow-throated Scrubwrens, a Wonga Pigeon walking away from the camera unfortunately, an Australian Brush Turkey and a single video of a Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula, also walking away. What I did get were so many videos of walkers on the track that the 32GB card filled up after 3 days and failed to record anything else for the remaining 5 days. It was the school holidays and the time of year where a lot of people also took time off so it was almost predictable but I was surprised at how many walked this track.
Finished there I headed up to Manorina. My aim here was, primarily, to catch Four-barred Swordtail before it warmed up and flew actively – as it had been doing when I saw one the previous week. I wanted photos but was, again, disappointed, as although it had warmed up and the sun shone sporadically there was a stiffer breeze at the outlook area and no butterflys were active.
I took photos of plants and what I thought, thanks to my poor eyesight, was a small jumping spider but which turned out to be a Fruit Fly sp and headed down the fire trail. I saw virtually nothing until just before the end I found a White-brand Grass-skipper Toxidia rietmanni which, although not a lifer was a nice find.
I headed up to Mt Glorious and soothed my frustration with a coffee. However, not all bad as I added 5 new plants to my database and the Fruit Fly was pretty cool!
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| Flax-leaved Horseweed Erigeron bonariensis |
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| Kreysigia Tripladenia cunninghamii |
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Lolly Bush Clerodendrum floribundum
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| Roseleaf Bramble Rubus rosifolius |
These 'raspberries' are edible - which is probably a good thing as I tried a couple....
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| Oxalis rubens - at least I think so. It's very similar to the Woody-root Woodsorrel I photographed the previous week, but I believe its a different species. |
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| Sphaeniscus atilius - a Fruit Fly sp. |
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| White-brand Grass-skipper Toxidia rietmanni which, I might add, iNaturalist first identified as Lilac Grass-skipper. |
11.1.26
Oxley
An oppressive, dull, very humid morning, even at 6.00. I spent a long time walking out the track looking for insects – and finding a decent variety of beetles, shield bugs etc. The track was busy humanoid-wise, as one would expect on a Sunday morning.
All in all I saw few birds in comparison to a normal morning’s outing but the conditions did seem to favour insects. (I didn’t climb the gate, as the track was a bit busy.)
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| Common Gum Tree Bug Amorbus robustus (I suspect this is a more adult individual than the following, although both appear to be the same species) |
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| Common Gum Tree Bug Amorbus robustus (This is an earlier 'instar' I believe, of the same species above) |
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| Dicranosterna semipunctata (a Leaf Beetle sp) |
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| Figleaf Beetle Poneridia semipullata |
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| Grey House Spider Badumna longinqua |
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| Metallic Green Acacia Beetle Calomela ruficeps |
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| Pigeonberry Rivina humilis |
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| Pumpkin Beetle Aulacophora borrei |
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| Seashore Vervain Verbena litoralis |
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| Showy Balloon Vine Cardiospermum grandiflorum |
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| Straggler Daisy Calyptocarpus vialis |
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Bush Cockroach Ellipsidion humerale
(Back in late November (24th) I featured a juvenile Eastern Ellipsidon. It has since come to my attention that that species and this - Bush Cockroach - are, in fact the same species) |
13.1.26
Palm Lakes Wetland, Eagleby
Another grandfather day or two and, as I had to pick up my ‘middle’ grandson, I had time to go to the wetland again. On site at 6.30, a dull, relatively pleasant morning, not too hot, not too cold – like porridge in the fairy tale.
The Salvinia on the lake seemed to have reduced somewhat, leaving more open water and I saw a couple of Grey Teal and a single Hardhead to add to the usual Pacific Black Ducks. There was a White-necked Heron, too, that was a little ‘out of season’ and an Australian Hobby hunted insects from a tree beside the road.
Other than that it was pretty much same as the last time but I added a couple of plants, one beetle and a butterfly to my site list before heading off to Mackers for breakfast and picking up my eight-year-old descendant.
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| False Daisy Eclipta prostrata |
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| Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus |
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| Mexican Primrose-Willow Ludwigia octovali |
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| Arsipoda chrysis |
15.1.26
Anstead, Moggill Pocket Swamp & Moggill SF
Another close, humid morning but a small breeze brought relief at times and the sun shone through the light cloud cover sporadically.
The birds were very quiet and there was nothing to write home about so I spent the time squandering a few happy hours chasing insects….
I took nearly 600 photos and spent the rest of the day identifying 39 separate items – all but 1 spider resulted in identifications I was happy with.
Note: Moggill Pocket Swamp appeared to have lost most of the small reed patches that had surrounded the muddy hole – possibly as a result of the depredations of the two Water Buffalo who lay almost completely immersed in the mud looking like two horned Hippopotamus from an African safari photo. There were 32 Masked Lapwings standing around but little else of particular interest.
In Anstead I found....
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| False Leaf-curling Spider Leviana dimidiata |
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| Giant Green Slantface Acrida conica |
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| Inland Macrotona Macrotona securiformis |
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| Lively Rainbow Skink Carlia vivax |
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| Painted Leaf Euphorbia cyathopora |
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| Razor Grinder Henicopsaltria eydouxii |
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| Rutilia argentifera (a Tachnid Fly) |
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| Silver Orb Spider Leucauge dromedaria |
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| Slender Vervain Verbena rigida |
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| Small Dusky-blue Erina erina |
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| Triple-banded Moth Mocis trifasciata |
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| Variable Ladybird Beetle Coelophora inaequalis |
And in Moggill SF....
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| Pale & Blue Triangle Graphium euryplus & choredon |
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| Pale Triangle Graphium euryplus |
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| Blue Triangle Graphium choredon |
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| Giant Golden Orbweaver Nephila pilipes (Despite its small size, this seems to be the only option) |
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| Nisotra bicolorata |
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| Polka Dot Plant Hypoestes phyllostachya |
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| Red Narrow-necked Leaf Beetle Lilioceris bakewelli |
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| White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherd |
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| White-faced Brown Paper Wasp Ropalidia plebeiana |
16.1.26
Sandy Camp Wetlands
Once again I went to Sandy Camp thinking it being Friday it would probably be ‘quiet’.
Once again it wasn’t.
Once again I ran into a Black-backed Bittern Twitch – Brisbane-style.
The on-going bird/s were still attracting the punters with a crowd of 3 staring at the reed bed just beyond the ‘crossroads’.
Once again I got lucky.
As I stopped to enquire a bird was seen and I caught a glimpse of it flying down from the reed bed into the water’s edge plants where it moved quite quickly, in my opinion, showing reasonably well. It appeared to be a juvenile and they may have explained it’s lack of caution – or maybe its just got used to crowds….
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| Black-backed Bittern |
I didn’t stand around once it vanished, it’s not really my thing to stand in a group and discuss a sighting at length, so I moved on. The track was, as always, medium busy, with local walkers, some accompanied by their canine friends, photographers and a couple of probable birders, although I sometimes wonder.
The birds weren't too bad and I ended up with a 49 species list - without really trying. I did note the Magpie Geese in the 'back' or 'Bittern' pond had 4 very young goslings being over-watched by at least 4 adults.
I had hoped for an insect identifying morning but found very little, almost nothing, despite close examination of trackside plants – a process that had been very successful the previous day. The only butterflys I had, for example, were 2 Common Crows Euploea core and 1 Large Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe.
I resorted to plants, taking photos for later identification and trying to remember what some I had recently seen were called.
( I would note that I am using iNaturalist to identify the plants. I am not sure that iNaturalist is the best source, due to, in my opinion, the very minor details that can differentiate one plant from another. However, it is, for me, the easiest - and possibly the only - option and in most cases I do have 100% confidence in the outcome.
I am more than happy to hear from anyone who has more experience and knowledge - then again that applies to all the claims I make on this blog - bird, mammal, insect, reptile, plant etc.)
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| Argentine Cress Lepidium bonariense |
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| Mexican Primrose-Willow Ludwigia octovalis |
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| Spotted Knotweed Persicaria strigosa |
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| Turkey Berry Solanum torvum |
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| Water Snowflake Nymphoides indica |
I took a photo of the Salvinia - just to get it on record. It appeared to be spreading in some areas where I had not seen it before, but dying back in the 'Bittern' pond where it had previously completely covered the water. No further efforts appear to have been made to control it.
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| Giant Salvinia Salvinia molesta - well named....... |
17.1.26
JC Trotter
Mr P picked me up at 5.45, on site 15 minutes later – another still, heavily humid morning, our shirt backs soaked with sweat within minutes.
An uncomfortable but relatively productive outing. Birding was quite good – with work – totaling 44 species. Nothing remarkable, apart possibly for 2 Great Crested Grebes that I hadn’t seen on recent visits but were not unusual at this site from my experience and not a bird seen easily in the immediate Brisbane area.
One of my main purposes for this trip was to install my trail cameras which I did at, hopefully, strategic positions along the track.
I, again, took photos of plants and other stuff, some of which turned out to be new for me and my database and added to my site list for this location.
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| Common Gumleaf Grasshopper Goniaea australasiae |
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| Creeping Wild Parsnip Trachymene procumbens |
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| Pastel Flower Pseuderanthemum variabile |
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| Star Goodenia Goodenia rotundifola |
I have always assume this was a 'Lotus' Flower - and it is, but I took photos anyway...
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| Egyptian White Water-Lily Nymphaea lotus |
We noticed one of the trees among the thousands and I took photos just to get the correct name...
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| Northern Scribbly Gum Eucalyptus racemosa |
I had never paid much attention previously but this morning noticed two clearly different Banksias so again....
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| Hill Banksia Banksia collina |
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| Swamp Banksia Banksia robur |
I also took some of a skink who was missing most of his tail and which was listed in iNaturalist as 'Dark-flecked Garden Sunskink' - Lampropholis delicata - aka or used two be known as (?), Garden Skink. I prefer the longer name so....
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Dark-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis delicata
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We stopped for coffee and air-conditioning at Mackers before heading for home.
19.1.26
Minnippi
On site at 5.45 after heavy rain and storms the previous night. It was a bright morning with a slight breeze that increased during my stay. Showers were predicted and one did come through while I walked from the end of the Airfield Track back to the raptor lookout but I dried off in 5 or 10 minutes.
Bird-wise it was exactly average – 43 species from my records at this time of year. Nothing remarkable except a probable Pale-vented Bush Hen running away up the track under the pylons as I emerged from The Avenue. A Tawny frogmouth was back in the Paperbark near the bridge, huddled close to an overhead branch, probably to avoid the rain.
Butterfly-wise it was relatively quiet – probably due to the wet and slightly windy conditions – but the usual species were still in evidence with a notable number of Dingy Swifts Pelopidas agna chasing each other over the grass between the carpark and the bridge. (I took photos to ID them, but didn’t keep them).
I did find some interesting insects on a bush near the Boardwalk including a new Crab Spider sp, a new Ladybird and a tiny new Damselfly. Along the Airfield Track - a new fungi growing out of some horseshit and I added a couple of plants to my database, so all in all it wasn’t a wasted morning!
Its always amazing that a place I have visited so many time continues to supply new stuff – just shows, I guess, how hard I haven’t been looking over the last 25 years…
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| Leek-green Flower Spider Tharrhalea prasina (Not the best photo, but identifiable - it was very small) |
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| Micraspis lineola (also bloody small) |
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| Pygmy Wisp Agrionemis pygmaea. (Tiny little thing but very cute) |
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| Panaeolus antillarum (maybe not so cute....) |
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| Fireweed Erechtites valerianfolius |
22.1.26
Oxley
A comfortable morning to start with at 5.45 and it stayed bright and calm, but became quite humid and hot as the morning progressed.
The track was quite quiet, humanoid-wise, with just a couple of future candidates for knee-replacements track-pounders panting past. It got busier on the return journey but nothing of consequence.
Bird-wise it was, as I always seem to note, quiet with the only notable instance of 5 Nankeen Night Herons rising, squawking, from the trees around the main pond. Obviously roosting and not appreciating the disturbance although I wasn’t exactly conducting a street march.
I climbed the gate and noted the usual species on the flooded field. The only raptor I had was a single Black-shouldered Kite. 46 species.
I focused, as has become my recent habit, on insects in general.
Butterflys were very thin on the ground on the way out but I picked up several species on the way back – but, again, nothing to get excited about.
On the Other Insect front I came across some 'old friends’ – Honeybrown Beetle Ecnologria grandis, Banded Lichen Moth Cyme structa, Paddy Bug Leptocorisa acuta, Golden Nephila plumipes and Garden Eriophora biapicata Orb Weavers, an Australian Christmas Jewel Spider Austracantha minax (new for me for site) and a Long-tailed St Andrew’s Cross Spider Argiope protensa. I had a few Dragonflys and added Graphic Flutterer Rhyothemis graphiptera to my site list, surprising that I had not recorded such a common species at Oxley before.
I also got a few new things…
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| Brown Bean Bug Riptortus seeipes |
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| Common Assassin Bug Pristhesancus plagipennis (Not actually 'new' but its been a while) |
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| Common Water Hyacinth Pontederia crassipes |
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| Garden Bermius Bermius brachycerus |
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| Green Jewel Bug Lampromicra senator (I think) |
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Planthopper sp - Tribe Siphanta, unidentifiable to species level.
23.1.26
JC Trotter Reserve
A cool, comfortable morning but cloudy and, more negatively, very windy. This severely affected my ability to see much in the woodlands – the dam itself, was of course, OK, but it was almost impossible to find anything on the walk in - reflected in the 28 species morning list… I did see a couple of White-bellied Sea Eagles – an adult apparently in partial moult and an immature - 2 Whistling Kites and a Brown Goshawk, but no Grebes despite ‘scoping the water’s surface. Butterflys were also poorly represented – most likely due to the windy conditions too – and insects in general few and far between. However all was not lost as I found a new sp of fungi and a couple of new plants - along with others seen previously, of course. I also retrieved my trail cameras successfully, they having been onsite since the previous Saturday (6 days).
Freckled Bolete Austroboletus lacunosus
Hairy Guinea-flower Hibbertia vestita
Rosy Sundew Drosera spatulata
Wild Pansies Goodenia mystrophylla
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I got all excited when I saw this Dragonfly with the yellow on the thorax but it turned out just to be another Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum that I have seen hundreds of - just never seen/noticed the yellow patches before...
25.1.26
Metroplex
I didn’t rush out as I figured the birds would be pretty quiet – they were – and my main hope was for some Dragonflys and other insects, so got to site at 6.30. Dragonflys were not as prolific as I hoped and other insects not too exciting either. I did add several butterfly species to my site list, but, again, nothing over the top. So took photos of plants in compensation. I did note heaps of Wide-brand Grass-darts and Dainty Grass-blues – without much exaggeration, they were everywhere. I listed 28 bird species - most notable, not one Buff-banded Rail, which surprised me as on previous visits had seen quite a number.
American Black Nightshade Solanum americanum
Blue Quandong Elaeocarpus grandis
Broad-leaved Cumbungi Typha orientalis
Giant Devil's Fig Solanum chrysotrichum
Gomphrena Weed Gomphrena celosoides
Wild Cowpea Vigna luteola
Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina
Purple Cerulean Jamides phaseli
I ended up on the riverbank, walking to the bridge and back and, noting the tide was low, took time out to check on the Mudskippers in their pools on the exposed mud. I have always been fascinated by Mudskippers, reading about them somewhere as a boy and being pretty excited when I finally saw my first one in Cardwell in 1980. A thing that looks half like a frog, half like a fish, that uses it’s fins to move around and seems to be able to breathe both above and below water? What’s not to like? Whats not to be fascinated by? Well, I think they’re cool. There were literally (?) hundreds of Mud Crabs too, on the mud - only very small, but absolutely no shortage. |
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| Bearded Mudskipper Scartelaos histophorus |
26.1.26
Minnippi
It was predicted to be 38C later in the day but I was on site at 6.00 anyway. It was already bright and hot, but manageable – although by the time I got back to the car at 9.30 my shorts were wet halfway down my ass from the sweat running off my back – the humidity was horrendous.
I perched myself up on the concrete pylon base as usual and scanned the edges of the lake. Approx 100 meters away on the left side of the water a large brown shape appeared – Australian Bittern.
I quickly took some photos in case it disappeared into the long grass, then started trying to contact Mr P and Mr D as I knew they would want to see this! Even though it was a Monday it was also Australia Day and I knew they would both be at home, but it took some time for them to find the messages and missed phone calls before they responded and then headed straight over. The bird became less visible – as they do – and eventually, thankfully AFTER the Boys had seen it, it moved back out of sight into the long grass following a Magpie Goose more or less hassling it.
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| Australasian Bittern |
(Australasian Bitterns are endangered and not at all common. As all Bitterns they are secretive and very discreet and this was, in fact, only my second time seeing one. It was a first record for Minnippi and will potentially garner a large tickfest for local photographers and birders)
The boys headed off home and I continued with my usual walk, albeit a bit quicker than normal as I was scheduled to donate plasma later in the morning and it was just getting hotter and wetter.
I didn’t see anything ‘extra’ bird-wise, although, in all honesty, its hard to outdo a Bittern – but did pick up a couple of things along the way.
Interestingly I found the same butterfly (Purple Cerulean Jamides phaseli) in much the same condition and the same Dragonfly (Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina) as I had at Metroplex the previous day. I thought that was interesting: same species hatched and active at the same time several kilometres apart. Maybe it’s not such a big deal but it must have something to do with the prevailing conditions?
Something to ponder on……. If that’s what floats yer boat.
A few other things....
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| Australian Duskhawker Austrogynacantha heterogena |
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| Bleeker's Jumper Euryattus bleekeri |
I did take photos of, what I thought were, three different Grasshoppers. They all looked very different to me, however, iNaturalist identified them all as Giant or Hedge Grasshopper Valanga irregularis, and didn’t offer any choices, which I have always only seen as a very big brown Grasshopper. Another thing to ponder…..
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| No 1 in The Avenue |
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| No 2 on the Airfield Track |
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No 3 in the same plant as No 2.
Hedge Grasshopper Valanga irregularis |
I also found an Orange Palm Dart Cephrenes augiades – not a lifer, but a new species for site for me.
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| Orange Palm-dart Cephrenes augiades |
28.1.26
Binna Burra, Lamington NP
I headed off at 5.30 arriving on site an hour and half later. It had been 10 years since I was last at Binna Burra, the alternative gateway to Lamington NP to O’Reilly’s. In my opinion, birding has never been as good at BB as at O’Reilly’s, but it is generally much quieter and less ‘managed’. It has been, however, the gateway to a relatively well-known site for the Noisy Scrub Bird – I had no intentions towards that bird on this particular visit, being more intent on butterflys.
I intended to walk the Dave’s Creek Circuit and ‘guesstimated’ I would be back in the car park in approx 3-4 hours where I believed there would be an attractive selection of active butterflys. I was also under the impression that butterflys were a strong possibility on said Circuit.
Approx 300 meters in and a possible sighting saw me use some encouragement to attract 2 Eastern Shriketits! I was pretty happy about that, as they had been on my radar on resent visits to O’Reilly’s.
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| Eastern Shriketit |
I moved on taking photos of fungi and insects as I came across them. A bit further along the track and a Pale Yellow Robin perched up nicely – one of the very few birds I did actually see.
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| Pale Yellow Robin |
In fact the birds were difficult and few – I heard several Brown Cuckoo-doves and saw one briefly, I heard 1 Wompoo Fruit Dove and a brief song from an Albert’s Lyrebird. Apart from that really very little – although in all honesty, I don’t identify squeaks and trills very well, so its quite possible I missed noting some species, but probably of little account.
I got to the Dave’s Creek Circuit turnoff and left the Border Track.
It was much longer than I had anticipated.
Much, much tougher than I expected.
There were virtually no butterflys on the Circuit – apart from a few Brown Ringlets Hypocysta metirius , a Small Dusky-blue Candalides erinus, a Varied Dusky-blue Erina erina and a single Blue Triangle Graphium sarpedon.
In the end I almost staggered back into the car park, 5 and a half hours later, at 12.30, aching feet, sweaty and generally knackered. My iPhone told me I had walked 12 kms – it seemed a lot further than that, but certainly it was enough. It hadn’t been particularly hot, but the humidity as usual a bit of a killer. I had eked out my small bottle of water and was pretty dry by the time I got to the car and my other water bottle.
That refreshed I headed into the café and had a really, really badly needed coffee and muffin. After a 30 minute sit and relax I felt a bit better and headed out to the car park and surrounds, but, quite frankly, was so knackered I really didn’t have much enthusiasm to go far – and anyway, there weren’t many butterflys visible Jezebel Nymph Mynes geoffroyi being the only most obvious.
I didn’t last long before retreating to my car and starting the 90 minute drive home.
I did get some stuff though so it wasn’t a complete waste of time, but maybe, just maybe, I’m getting too old for this shit.
Binna Burra has always been productive for fungi for me and this visit was no exception...
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| Austral Honey Mushroom Armillaria novae-zelandiae |
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| Common Rustgill Gymnopilus sapineus |
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| Fairy Parachutes Marasmiellus candidus |
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| Flame Fungus Clavulinopsis suicata |
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| Karoko Auricularia delicata |
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| Orange Pore Fungus Favolaschia calocera |
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| Tricholomopsis scabra |
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| Xylaria telfairii |
I did see a couple of Dragonflys.......
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| Common Flatwing Austroargiolestes icteromelas |
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| Sigma Darner Austroaeschna sigma |
A large snail shell....
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| Southern Flat-coiled Snail Pedinogyra rotabilis |
A tiny spider...
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| Speechley's Arkys Arkys speechleyi |
A fly...
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| Steganopsis melanogaster |
Another type of fly...
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| Pentazeleboria agnata |
At one point a Tessellated Stick Insect Anchiale austrotessulata hitched a ride on my shoulder - I believe it was a juvenile as it had not developed any wings?
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| Tessellated Stick Insect Anchiale austrotessulata |
One of the butterflies on the Dave's Creek Circuit...
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| Varied Dusky-blue Erina erina |
And a few flowering plants...
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| Match Heads Comesperma esulifolium |
and, apparently different...
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| Pink Matchheads Comesperma ericinum |
In the car park, but presumably wild..
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| Rainforest Crane's-bill Geranium homeanum |
Out on the escarpment...
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| Sandstone Violet Viola silicestris |
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| Snow Wreath Woollsia pungens |
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| Weeping Baeckea Backea linifolia |
And, finally, a really cute little Planthopper joined me for coffee....
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| Passionvine Hopper Scolypopa australis |
30.1.26
Oxley
A relatively comfortable morning – lower temp, less humidity, cloudy but bright and a cooling breeze in exposed positions.
Another, basically, insect morning. The birds were pretty quiet, I only recorded 44 species, but wasn’t concentrating too hard. When I arrived the gate at the street end was actually still closed – it was open when I returned 3 hours later, so I assumed the guy who opens the gate slept in. I, like others, parked across the road and walked in anyway.
I found a good selection of beetles, bugs and other assorted ‘things’ and took a heap of photos to analyse further on my return home. Some I had had before so were just identification photos, but I got a few new things…
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| Eucalyptus Variegated Beetle Paropsisterna cloelia |
This was a pretty little leaf beetle - actually a native of Mexico and introduced here.
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| Parthenium Beetle Calligrapha bicolorata |
I found a number of similar looking bugs......
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| Fruit Spotting Bug Amblypelta lutescens |
This vicious looking character....
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| Common Assassin Bug Pristhesancus plagipennis |
This one wasn't new either, but both it and the following, more colourful individual are, in fact, the same species - Common Gum Tree Bug Amorbus robustus. I believe they are different instars?
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| Common Gum Tree Bug Amorbus robustus |
This guy didn't have a common name....
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| Poecilometis histricus |
Yet another Hedge Grasshopper looking very different from previous specimens I have seen....
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| Hedge Grasshopper Valanga irregularis |
A very small nondescript moth...
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| Chezala privatella |
A couple of new plants...
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| Stinking Passionflower Passiflora foetida |
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| Velvet Knotweed Persicaria attenuata |
And finally a decent sized Skink at the second culvert on my return walk....
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| Eastern Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii |
31.1.26
Birding Pal stuff - Sandy Camp, Minnippi & Oxley
I picked Allan up from the airport at 7.20 and we met Mr P at Sandy Camp 20 minutes later. Allan and I had agreed to focus on insects for the day but did pick up some birds at Sandy camp including a few Spotless Crakes and a White-throated Gerygone showing well and a Leaden Flycatcher feeding a couple of fledglings. We picked up a few bits and pieces along the track edges before Mr P departed having family commitments and we continued as ‘men staring at trees’.
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| Eucalypt Leaf Beetle Paropsis maculata |
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| Mother-of-millions Kalanchoe delagoensis |
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| Phasey Bean Macroptilium lathyroides |
When we felt we had exhausted the potential we headed off to Minnippi.
We walked the M1 track only, finding a few goodies, including a rather impressive Triangular Spider.
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| Common Triangular Spider Arkys lancearius |
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| Leptocoris tagalicus |
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Massive Garden Jumping Spider Opisthoncus quadratarius
Massive? Only if you're another Jumping Spider.... |
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| Red-shouldered Leaf Beetle Monolepta australia |
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| Slender Sac Spider Cheiracanthium gracile |
Done there and we stopped for a late breakfast/early lunch at Stones Corner and debated the option of Oxley it being, by now, quite hot, but still manageable.
So we went and spent about an hour or a little more, walking the first third of the track and finding some more small photographic models.
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| Callibracon genus (Parasitoid Wasp) - unidentifiable at this time. |
After we had found and filmed several other 'different' looking Grasshoppers all of which turned out to be Hedge or Giant Grasshoppers we finally found something different...
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| Golden Bandwing Cryptobothrus chrysophorus |
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| Planthopper sp Tribe Siphanta - unidentifiable to species level |
Similar to the Planthopper sp I posted on 23.1.26 - most likely the same species.
I dropped Allan back at the Marriott at about 15.30 and headed home for a rest.
