 |
| Gahnia sieberiana |
We met at the end of Hamiton Road, which is the start of Noosa trail No.
7. There were few birds in the open under the power lines, but a Varied
Swordgrass Brown Butterfly fluttered by in the swordgrass, (Gahnia sp.)  |
| Varied Swordgrass Brown |
The White Ash or Soap Tree, Alphitonia
excelsa were flowering well. |
| Alphitonia excelsa |
We were surprised to hear a Paradise
Riflebird, but it didn’t show. From the Trail, we followed a track through tall
trees, then past horse paddocks on one side and a little creek on the other. We
heard Rose-crowned Fruit Doves and saw quite a few birds. We hoped for, but
didn’t find, the Yellow-throated Scrubwren, which were seen here in December.
However, we watched a frenzy of calling Shining Bronze-Cockoos, and in one
Aphitonia tree in flower were Golden Whistler, Grey and Rufous Fantail,
Scarlet and Honeyeaters. The birds were very active, probably
eating insects.  |
| Grey Fantail |
 |
| Rufous Fantail |
Smaller plants included Melastoma, Dodder (parasitic), Native
Raspberry, Zieria sp., Scrambling Lily, Five-leaf Water Vine, Alyxia, Morinda,
Dianella with brilliant purple fruit, and sharp-eyed Ian spotted a Flowering
Bonnet Orchid (Cryptostylis erecta.
 |
| Native Raspberry |
|
| Bonnet Orchid (Cryptostylus erecta) |
We went back to the Noosa Botanic Gardens for morning tea with the
melodious Grey Butcherbirds. We’d planned to go here to look for Barred
Cuckoo-shrike, and Fruit-Doves, but Vince had already “cased the joint”, and
reported he hadn’t seen these birds. But his survey was not in vain. |
| Day Flying Moth |
 |
| Kreft's Turtle |
 |
| White-headed Pigeon |
 |
| Koel - Female |
This female Koel displays her striking array of feathers- whichever way you look at her.We went around to
the Jabiru Park and the Fearnley Bird Hide. This usually productive place was
also bird poor, perhaps because of the high water levels, which covered the
banks, islands and swampy places where we always see Jacana and Stilts. (The
plan to virtually empty the lake, to undertake work on the dam wall, has been
postponed).
However Lionel led us back up the road to a pair of Tawny Frogmouths.
 |
| Tawny Frogmouth |
So
around to the Mary River Cod Park, where the Cod Hatchery was, until the plan
to lower the dam forced this facility to close, and the hatchery to be
re-located. An Azure Kingfisher was perched on the pontoon, and Pelicans were
being escorted by a semi-submerged flotilla of Little Black Cormorants- it’s a
fishing partnership, it seems. Our
numbers dwindling, a few set off to walk around the track back to Kookaburra
Park, but walking with Bev McKay and Wendy means photographing every
plant!
We found
some interesting plants, though. Crab Apple, or White Beech (Schizomeria
ovata) has serrated leaves, small white flowers, and grape-like
fruit.
 |
| White Beech (Schizomeria ovata) |
Bolwarra,
(Eupomatia laurina), a small shrub/tree with long arching branches, and
cup-shaped 25mm green fruit, looking like a plump gumnut. The interesting
features of this plant continue. It is one of the primitive rainforest
angiosperms, with complex and dynamic flower structures which open and close
over a three-day period, during which the pollinator, a tiny weevil, enters the
flower and lays eggs in the tissue of the flower parts which fall to the forest
floor and provide nutrition for the weevil larvae. Amazing!
 |
| Bolwarra (Eupomatia laurina) |
Back at the picnic area, our Dragonfly expert, (“Don’t call me Dragon
Lady!”) Kerrie, found a dragonfly entangled in cobweb. “They can bite,” says
she, “it doesn’t hurt much”, soon followed by a little shriek as the ungrateful
thing latched firmly to her finger with its strong serrated mandibles. Very
interesting, especially as the Dragonfly Order, Odonata, means toothed ones! Not to be deterred, Kerrie captured her attacker on camera. |
| Australian Tiger (Ictinogomphus Australis) |
What an appropriate common name. This
entertaining event and rescue completed the day.Text: Rahima Farnham
Photos: Wendy Edmiston, Rahima Farnham, Vince Lee, Lionel Muir, Kerrie O'Donnell, Ian Smith Archive.
