2.2.26
Minnippi
On site at 6 and walked the usual tracks. Quite birdy overall with a morning list of 49 species. Looked for insects and so on as has become my habit. Had a couple of Small Dusky-blues Candalides erinus on the M1 track that was a new butterfly for my site list for me – and the same Triangular Spider was on the same leaf as when we found it on Saturday.
Nothing overly exciting on the rest of the walk – a White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherdi and Purple Crows Euploea tulliolus on the Airfield Track and a pair of Rufous or Little Shrike Thrush were probably the height of the morning - but I got some interesting insects and 'new' plants...
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| Clown Bug Amorbus alternatus |
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| Bromocoris souefi |
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| Dark Zebra Shield Bug Anchises parvulus |
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| Four-spotted Cup Moth Doratifera quadriguttata |
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| Melaleuca Sawfly Lophyrotoma zonalis |
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| Mocus trifasciata |
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| Mexican Ruellia Ruellia simplex |
When I tried to start the car at 6.00 it died – the battery had had it. I rang RACQ and by 6.45 and a $325 new battery later, I was ready to go – on site just after 7.
It was a bright, sort of cloudy morning at reasonable temperature with a slight breeze that increased as the morning progressed. In other words, it was quite pleasant.
I walked the ‘long way’ round (turning left at the ‘crossroads’) for a change and picked up a few things. The birds were pretty quiet in the woodland and the reservoir itself was also very ‘empty’ although I did have 2 very distant Great Crested Grebes and a couple of White-bellied Sea Eagles.
The only mammals I saw were one each of the usual Red-necked Macropus rufogriseus and Swamp Wallabys Wallabia bicolor and butterflys and dragonflys were thin on the ground.
I got back to the car at 10.00.
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| Gminatus wallengreni - a new Assassin Bug |
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| Horned Arkys Arkys cornutus - a new Triangular Spider |
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| Red-berried Saw-sedge Gahnia aspera apparently a food plant for several Sedge-skipper sp. |
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| Scarlet Bracket Trametes coccinea |
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| Slender Bindweed Polymeria calycina |
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| Slender Rice Flower Pimelea linifolia |
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| Spotted Orange Leaf Beetle Paropsisterna octomaculata |
6.2.26
Oxley
A very pleasant morning overall, comfortable at least at the start, bright, sunny – mind you my shirt was still sticking to my bag by the time I finished at 9.00. The track was very busy to start with; a number of people running, walking, dog walking but it eased out and was almost dead on the way back.
Not overly birdy, I only recorded 44 species again and nothing exciting. Once again I focused on insects and picked up a few new bits and pieces - and some 'old friends'. Butterflys were active on the return trip and I had a single Splendid Ochre Trapezites symmomus out near the ponds – a new species for the site for me. Other than that it was pretty much the same same.
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| Austrophlugis debaari - a type of Katydid |
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| Lemon Tree Borer Parasitoid Wasp Xanthocryptus novozealandicus |
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| Prosopochrysa vitripennis |
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| Riptortus abdominalis - similar to Brown Bean Bug |
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| Sapromyza sciomyzina |
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| Splendid Ochre Trapezites symmomus |
8.2.26
Anstead and Moggill Pocket Swamp
Mr D picked me up at 5.45, on site at 6.15; a very pleasant morning – a bit cloudy overall but comfortable and not too humid.
Birds were co-operative and we listed (or at least I listed) 53 species. It’s possible Mr D had a few more due to his ‘ears’. Mostly it was as one would expect/hope for. One notable number was the Red-necked Wallabys Macropus rufogriseus – we saw about a dozen which is about 10 more than normal. I believe we may have been the first on the track and hence they were more ‘obvious’.
The butterflys were very quiet – may again have been the cloudy conditions - with only a couple of Dainty Swallowtails Papilio anactus and one Common Grass-blue Zizina labradus.
I didn’t spend a lot of time looking for insects, but did find (what I believed was) a Common Web Spider Neoscona theisi which was a new species for me – and we saw a single Blue-eyed Cranefly Numphes myrmeleonides.
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| Common Web Spider Neoscona theisi (I think) |
We did have a couple of interesting occurrences – the first being a tree near the outlook over the quarry where a large number – possibly as many as 15, maybe even more, Striated Pardalotes flew in to feed on some unknown (probable) insect and were joined over a period of 15 or 20 minutes by Brown and White-throated Honeyeaters, Australian Figbirds, Spangled Drongos, Black-faced and (1) White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Willy Wagtails and (1) Red-browed Finch. Then it appeared to be all over and everything moved on. We were unable to establish what had caused the feeding frenzy, but assumed it was insect based.
The second interesting ‘happening’ actually took place just before that in the open area under the power lines.
3 Budgerigars passed overhead at a low height, circled briefly and disappeared into the forest below canopy level – but with no hint of stopping. We had barely enough time to get the bins on them, never mind the cameras, but noted they were all ‘green’ or native Budgerigar colour – no domestic in-breeding morphs apparent.
However, after lengthy discussion – and despite the fact that 3 Budgerigars together is unusual – we agreed they were ‘most likely’ recent escapes. Given the current conditions – out west is well watered and there was currently no lack of feed, no drought conditions – it would seem extremely unlikely for 3 wild birds to move a minimum, repeat, a minimum, of 800+ kilometres east from their probable closest habitat out west. As we would admit ‘anything’s possible’ but this potential movement would be extremely unusual. Their most likely origin, for me, is a damaged aviary in the immediate area – possibly storm damaged? – and all 3 escaped together.
I would be willing to re-think the ‘escaped’ option if others start to see small flocks of Budgerigars in SEQ in the coming days OR if someone manages to get ‘our three’ perched and establishes a lack of leg rings.
We went for breakfast at Westvets, as we do when at Anstead, and then drove to Moggill Pocket Swamp.
We found the ‘swamp’ almost completely dried up and fairly devastated, possibly by the two resident Water Buffalo – as previously noted. There was 1 Black-fronted Dotterel and a few Masked Lapwings hanging around, a single Intermediate (or Plumed) Egret and a heap of Indian Mynas. We did hear a semi-distant Peaceful Dove which was a new species for the site for me, but other than that it was a relatively average visit.
9.2.26
Minnippi
Not a bad morning – a bit cooler initially although, again, ended up with a sweaty shirt ect.
Quite birdy as I think the birds are starting second broods in general with chasing and calling and displaying going on – ended up with about 50 species for the morning – nothing super exciting but enough to keep me interested.
Butterflys were pretty much same same, but a nice selection of 12 common species.
I did get a couple of new ‘things’ – Minnippi just keeps giving – as well as a few I’ve had before.
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| Aurora Bluetail Ischnura aurora |
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| Iphiaulax rufus |
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| Tetragnatha cylindrica |
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| Japanese Rice Grasshopper Oxya japonica |
11.2.26
JC Trotter
On site at 6, a calm, warm pleasant morning again, but, again, humid following a light rain period the night before. I had hoped the rain might have ‘livened things up’ but iy was pretty quiet overall. I walked the ‘long way round’ – once again turning left at the ‘crossroads’ and walking, what I now intend to call, The House Loop.
I have found that this site seems to rely on symbiotic feeding. By that I mean several species feeding together in a bird-wave. I assume this is a method whereby individual species benefit from the general movement of all through the bush – most likely not actually taking the same food – insects - but benefiting from the disturbance.
And so it was this morning. A bird-wave of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes (~6), Spangled Drongos (2), Willy Wagtails (2), Little Friarbird(1) and a pair of Sahul Cicadabirds (nice views) turned up at one spot on The House Loop. Other than that it was very quiet everywhere else along the track.
The same thing happened on the return walk when Yellow-faced Honeyeaters (~4), a Grey Fantail, a Rufous Whistler and a White-throated Treecreeper were found moving together.
The water was very quiet with only a single White-bellied Sea Eagle patrolling leisurely overhead and the usual Pacific Black Ducks (~50) and Australian Wood Ducks (~15) along with a single White-faced Heron, one Little and one Intermediate Egret and a single Australian Pelican showed along the edges.
It was very quiet on the butterfly and insect front as well despite my efforts, but I did manage to find a new Grasshopper – and photographed it poorly.
And a new flowering plant – which I also failed to photograph clearly.
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| Eastern Oedaleus Oedaleus australis |
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| Common Fringe Lily Thysanotus tuberosus |
A few years ago I had purchased, in a fit of enthusiasm, a Blacklight setup - it’s a method of attracting insects at night.
It involves a double tube fluorescent light - but the bulbs are ‘Black Light’ bulbs. To me they don’t look any different from any other fluros, but, apparently, they issue an ultra violet light which insects, supposedly, find irresistible.
I had kinda forgotten I had it, but a few weeks previously it had re-appeared in my conscious mind and I was determined to give it another go.
I had experimented a little with it, but in both (!) cases only for a short period of time – and with minimal success - so the light had lain unused for a number of years. To run it one needs a 12v battery - or it can be run from a car battery if you are close enough to your vehicle or with an adaptor from a 240v power source. Mr B had ‘loaned’ me a 12v motorcycle battery – and it too had lain for years unused. However I checked it out and it did have enough power to at least get the light lit.
At last my availability, the weather and my enthusiasm all came together and I headed out to Trotter with a plan.
I wanted a warm, preferably still, humid night as I believed that was when most insects would be active and part of the plan was setting up a sheet between trees and hanging the light on that so the moths ect had somewhere to land – that wouldn’t work in a wind.
This, apparently, is what one does when one Blacklights.
So….. I arrived on site at 19.15 just as it got dark and carried all my ‘stuff’ in to a spot 300 meters or so in along the main track. I had a chair, I had my camera and bins (just in case), a backpack with the not-so-light 12v battery and light and I had a bag with coffee makings to sustain me through my ordeal adventure. To aid me in my endeavours I had my spotlighting headlight, a weaker walking around book-reading headlight, a handheld torch and a back-up torch.
I was well weighed down (I even had a book in case I got bored).
I disturbed a Common Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula on the track who stared at me in amazement and casually climbed a tree.
I found the rough area I had already sort of scoped out and looked for two trees to tie the sheet up to. I quickly realised that despite the amount of rope I had attached to each corner of an old sheet it was bloody difficult to find two trees suitably spaced to use. I did finally – but my first learning note: extend the rope tie ups for next time.
It was 19.45 when I turned the light on and settled down in my chair to wait. I didn’t know how long the battery would power the light but, as it turned out, it was still going strong at 22.00 when I gave it away.
To say it was a success might be a bit of an exaggeration but I was happy with the outcome.
I had had visions of Stick Insects dropping out of the trees to reach my super attractive light – that didn’t happen.
I had visualised moths flocking from everywhere eager to see what was going on – that didn’t happen.
I had hoped for beetles coming out of the woodwork drugged insensible by the weird light – that didn’t happen.
BUT I did get hordes of small stuff along with several species of small-but-not-micro moths, a couple of beetles, one Stick Insect and a couple of other ‘things’ all of which I avidly photographed with flash and hoped iNaturalist would help me ID – it did.
I had also, God help me, brought along a sticky mixture of Golden Syrup with a dash of rum and other ingredients I can’t remember exactly what as I made that, too, years ago, but it still stank like a brewery and I plastered it on a couple of nearby trees and checked it every 15 minutes or so. In the end nothing came to that at all. I mean nothing, zilch, zero. I don’t know why as I was almost drunk just brushing it onto the trees but it didn’t work while I was there.
An hour in and I made a cup of coffee – well, I had dragged all the stuff there – but I never did get to read my book. It was actually really interesting watching and waiting for stuff to come and I was almost reluctant to give it away, but activity did seem to taper off after 2 hours so I figured I had probably got all I was gonna get that night.
During the time – in between checking the sheet and smelly trees – I tried a bit of persuasion with the Bluetooth speaker and I got 2 White-throated Nightjars calling back and a very distant Australian Boobook, (no response from Owlet Nightjars, but then again I didn’t wander off along the track, just played where I was.) It was good to know the Nightjars were still around and there were definitely at least two birds calling from completely different directions. Actually not 100% sure the Boobook was a response or just a bird calling – it was a long way off.
I was happy with the Blacklighting outcome and planned to try it again in the near future. Although all the stuff that came in was pretty small – and probably of no interest to anyone but an ol' eejit like me - I enjoyed it and it has the potential of that alluring thought - ‘you just never know……’
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| Ataboruza stragulata |
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| Barnard's Grey Hypobapta barnardi |
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| Black Field Cricket Telegryllus commodus |
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| Cross-line Wave Moth Traminda aventiaria |
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| Donovan's Tiger Moth Aloa marginata |
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| Etanna clopaea |
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| Penthearia Moth Isturgia penthearia |
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| Platybrachys lurida (Planthopper sp) |
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| Pomaderris Moth Casbia rectaria |
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| Ptilogna ramicornis (Cranefly sp) |
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| Rhytiphora vermiculosa (Longhorn Beetle sp) |
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| Thoracolopha flexirena |
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| Black-striped Stick Insect Austrosipyloidea carterus |
This guy wasn't actually on the sheet but on a near by tree...
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| Jungle Huntsman Heteropoda jugulans |
16.2.26
Minnippi
Following 3 days of, at times, heavy rain, it was a dull, grey, overcast, could-rain-at-any-moment morning to start with. It lightened up a little during my 3 hour sojourn, but the cloud cover persisted and a wind picked up before I headed for home.
As a result the birding was pretty quiet – not much in the way of smaller passerines – but I did have a surprise visitor. Standing on the boarded platform at the end of the lake and a Caspian Tern flew past! This was a new species for me for the site – although at the time I wasn’t sure – and it continued on past and disappeared behind the trees on the island. I didn’t see it again so assume it was just ‘passing through’ although to where remains a mystery.
Other than that the only other birds of interest was a rolling flock of 15+ Noisy Friarbirds on the Airfield Track and an apparently young Oriental Dollarbird hawking around the Cut-through from The Avenue. It had a distinctly yellow or pale bill – as opposed to the adult very orange bill. I was unsure whether it was a juvenile or an adult after breeding. Otherwise it was pretty dull and seemed to be ‘unsure’ of what it was doing – although that could have been my imagination running wild…
Butterflys were very low in number – understandable given the dull conditions – and insects few and far between too. But I did get a new Digger Wasp sp and had a Purple-banded Concealer Moth Chrysonoma fascialis and a Neat Epidesmia Epidesmia tryxaria – both seen previously at this site.
The only Dragon/Damselfly I saw was a Pygmy Wisp Agrionemis pygmaea – also seen a few weeks earlier.
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| Prionyx globosus - Digger Wasp sp |
The rain had, however, encouraged a few fungi to sprout – its getting near the autumn so I kind of expected to see some growth.
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| Agrocybe retigera |
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| Leucocoprinus tricolor |
18.2.26 (Morning)
Eagleby - Palm Lakes Wetland
With grandfather duties sprung on me unexpectedly I was in the area after school drop-off again. It was a late start (9.00), and smokin' hot and bright, but I ploughed on.
Pretty quiet as expected, but I did see a small party of Red-browed Finches, a slightly larger number of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and a distant Nankeen Kestrel on the overhead wires – my first Kestrel in ages. All up 28 species.
There were a few more butterflys to add to the site list, but nothing extravagant and otherwise insects in general, too, appeared to be sheltering from the blistering heat.
It was pleasing to see the Salvinia that had been covering the lake had all but disappeared – although nothing much was taking advantage of the open water it did offer some hope for the future at this site.
18.2.26 (Night)
Blacklighting Minnippi
My second Blacklighting outing - I was keen to try it again.
On site on the M1 track at Minnippi – mostly dry eucalypt, low canopy with a few larger trees. I set up the sheet and light – easier this time due to the longer ropes I had attached after last week’s effort.
It was a bit slower than Trotter but eventually a good selection of very small stuff appeared around the light. One ‘decent’ sized moth landed early and sat for the full 3 hours contemplating the light. Most of the other moths were small but some beautifully marked. A couple of Beetles showed up – also on the small side – two Cricket species, a Grasshopper and what, at first, I thought was a Katydid, turned out to be a large Bush Cricket.
The weather was, in my opinion, perfect – warm, very humid (I was sweating just sitting there), partly cloudy and calm.
I drank coffee, checked the sheet and talked to myself for the 3 hours, taking pictures as stuff arrived, and it wasn’t boring – then again talking to myself is never boring…
I did use some encouragement for Owlet-Nightjar, White-throated Nightjar and Boobook – but heard no responses and saw nothing.
By 22.30 nothing had changed much in the previous 30 minutes and I figured I had probably exhausted the local population of Ultra-violet Light Lovers, so packed up and headed home.
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| Adrapsa ablualis |
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| Barea eucapnodes |
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| Carcass Beetle sp (Genus Omorgus) |
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| Chrysocraspeda aurimargo |
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| Cleora displicata |
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| Cynosarga ornata |
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| Entometa guttularis |
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| Erilla turneri |
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| Eurinopsyche obscurata |
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| Heteromicta pachtera |
I believe this beetle was the same beetle I saw at Trotter - and identified then as Brown Cockchafer. Having slightly better (!) photos now I believe I mis-identified it then and this is, most likely correct.
(Interestingly enough this was the only visitor to both sites)
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| Heteronyx proxima |
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| Horseshoe Noctuid Androdes tibiata |
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| Lichen Moth Brunia replana |
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| Zonopetala divisella |
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| Bark squeaker Atrapsalta corticina (Cicada) |
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| Australian Ducetia Ducetia antipoda (Bush Cricket) |
20.2.26
Oxley
It was a very pleasant morning – bright, warm, small breeze – at first but, as usual at this time of year, I guess, became very humid and sticky. It was pretty quiet everything-wise. I did end up with 45 birds, but the numbers were overall low.
Butterflys were similar in range and number, but I did add White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherdi to my site list. I saw the Eastern Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii again at the second culvert and a juvenile Water Dragon Intellagama lesueurii
It didn’t seem very exciting on the insect front, but I ended up with a new Spider and a new Katydid – although the pictures weren’t great it was a relatively productive morning!
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| Blackish Meadow Katydid Conocephalus semivittatus |
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| Magnificent St Andrews Cross Spider Argiope magnifica |
