Cooran Area Sunday 18 April

The early birders travelled to a disused Quarry near Tandur.  The exposed rock faces glowed in the early morning sun and the piles of remaining rocks had interesting patterns, where minerals have dissolved, forming fern like patterns on some of the rocks. Surrounding vegetation was mainly eucalypt. An interesting little lichen with red flowers, similar to Cladonia cristatella, was growing in a small area of the quarry. 

Cladonia cristatella

This fungi is commonly known as the British soldier lichen.  The little red "caps" resemble the red hats worn by British troops during the American Revolutionary war and give the lichen its common name. The caps are are actually fungal reproductive structures called apothecia.  The bright red colour serves to block some of the sunlight and protect the developing spores from damage. 

As the morning warmed up, birds became more active. There was evidence where a peregrine falcon had perched, but there was no sign of the bird, until it was seen flying quickly over the quarry. The white bellied cuckoo-shrike, not as common as the black faced cuckoo shrike was also seen. 

Other birds seen in the quarry area were Torresian Crow, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Butcherbird, Spangled Drongo, Rainbow Bee Eater,  Magpie, Willy Wagtail, Grey Fantail, Striated Pardolote, Spotted Pardolote, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Brown Cuckoo-dove, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo,  Pale-headed Rosella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Rufous Whistler, Golden Whistler,  Rufous Shrike-thrush,  Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Scarlett Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Lewin Honeyeater, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Fan-tail Cuckoo, White-throated Treecreeper, Eastern Yellow Robin and the Red-Backed Fairy Wren.

Spangled drongo

Striated pardalote

Yellow-faced honeyeater

Grey fantail

Just before 9:00am, the early birders met up with the Field Nats who had left a little later. Morning tea and catching up with everyone followed before we set off to walk a circuit behind the Chris Kenny Park. The walk is easy and there is a mixture of vegetation to observe. Along the verge of a dirt road which leads to a private residence, there are several unwanted plants. Chinese elm, Privet, Easter Cassia, Morning Glory vine and Black Eyed Susan are a threat to our native environment. 

Privet

One side of the circuit is bounded by the Six Mile Creek which rises near Cooroy and enters the Mary River just south of Gympie. There was a good flow of water due to recent rains and the riparian zone is well vegetated with native species. There were several native banana shrubs conspicuous by their small yellow fruit. The native foambark trees with their rusty tips were easy to spot. 

Six Mile Creek

Foam bark (Jagera pesudorhus)

Banana bush (Tabernaemontana pandacaui)

Australian Owlet Nightjar

Another interesting feature on the walk was a Noosa Wildlife Rehabilitation Fodder Farm. Most of the trees growing in the plot had been cut at about two metres from the ground. Who is utilising this resource is unknown. A large, fruiting fig tree attracted quite a few birds mainly the Fig Bird, but it was interesting to see a barred cuckoo shrike also enjoying the fruit.  Along one stretch of the creek there is a colony of flying foxes mainly the Little Red and Grey-headed Flying foxes. It was interesting to note a white bellied sea eagle circling this area, no doubt looking for lunch.

Barred Cuckoo Shrike

 

Flying Foxes

After lunch the group travelled a short distance upstream to what is called the Yellow Belly hole. Again, it is a short pleasant walk to the creek where there is a large hole. More of the fruiting banana plant were observed. It is unusual to see a Wonga Pigeon in flight and then landing on a nearby tree. Our dragon fly experts were happy to locate a few interesting specimens despite the cool overcast conditions. Birds identified at the Cooran locations were Blue-faced Honeyeater, Figbird, Barred Cuckoo-shrike, Spectacled Monarch, Kookaburra, Forest Kingfisher, White bellied Sea Eagle, Hobby, Pied Butcherbird, Black-faced Monarch,  Magpie Lark, Varied Triller, Shining Bronze Cockoo, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Silvereye, Brown Thornbill,  Emerald Dove, Wonga Pigeon and Galah. 

Black-faced Monarch

Forest Kingfisher
 

It is always interesting to see what can be discovered on an outing. 

Other photos of interest from the day.

Brown ringlet and friend

Variable lady beetle (Coelophora inaequalis)

Bushman's bootlace(Wikstroemia indica)

Case moth- Bagworm (Psychidae)

Evening Brown

Greenbottle (Chrysomya sp.)

Seed-eating bug (Graptostethus servus)

Crane fly (Tipulidae)

Pinfly

Scrambling lily (Geitonoplesium cymosum)

Cunjevoi (Alocasia brisbanensis)

Text: Berry Doak

Photographs: Michele Grant, Bev & John McKay

Many thanks to the members who provide text and photos.  You certainly make my life much easier in presenting these Blogs. Thanks Dave Walter for the ids.

Annette