Imbil State Forest Sunday 21 March 2021

 The Early Birders met at  Neucoms Crossing, and drove a short distance along Casey Creek Road. We saw many birds, including a very active Little Bronze Cuckoo, an Adult and an Immature Brush Cuckoo. 

Brush cuckoo - Immature

The cameras were invaluable in detecting the identifying features: wing, tail feathers deeply notched buff; breast brokenly mottled, white underparts more openly barred dark brown.  . Cam  found Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove in the White Cedar (Melia azedarach) possibly eating the yellow fruit which hung in bunches, like withered grapes.

 Delicate white starry flowers dangled from the Headache Vine,(Clematis glycinoides) – the crushed leaves of which are said to cure headache by inhalation, but to also cause skin irritation, so probably best avoided!

Headache vine

No fear of scrub itch

With the arrival of the later members, we moved further up the road to an open area where there was room to sit around in our usual circle. We had our club meeting here, as there would be no room at the lunch stop. During our meeting, we heard the increasingly loud roar of motorbikes, until 3 Trail bikes emerged from the creek behind us. Apparently “Recreation in State Forests” now means that bikes and 4WDs are freely  ripping up river and creeks banks, and even driving along in the creeks, and it will increase as they put the locations on YouTube etc.  

Time & space for a meeting

After the meeting we headed down to Casey Creek, and found some very large specimens of Giant Ironwood, (Backhousia subargentea). 

Giant Ironwood with arch

Our new member, Kenneth, was very helpful in identifying several other plants, including the pink fruit of Satinwood, (Vitex lignum-vitae), the orange seed cases of Snow Wood (Pararchidendron pruinosum), and the Diamond-shaped leaves of Flintwood, (Scolopia braunii). Along the track to the creek were thick areas of Snake Weed, or Porter Weed  Stachytarpheta sp. which is an invasive weed.

Snow wood seed cases

 We then drove in slow convoy through the Forestry Tracks, past our usual corner, to a waterhole on East Derrier Creek. On the reccy, we had found very large tadpoles here, one of the Giant Barred Frogs. We hoped to be able to find some, and ID them, perhaps as the endangered Giant Barred Frog.  But the previous weeks rain must have moved them, as they couldn’t be found.                       

But Kerrie did find a Southern Pinfly damselfly. We had lunch looking down the waterhole, in a very peaceful spot.

Looking for the elusive tadpoles

Lunch break

Success - Southern Pinfly Damselfly

Kerrie hunting for "dragons"

After lunch we were preparing to go for a walk when it was discovered that the Doaks had a very flat tyre. While much good advice was forthcoming, Cameron saved the day, lying on the rocks and khaki burr to change the tyre.

Cameron to the rescue

A small frog discovered, on the road, was identified as a Green-thighed frog.

Green-thighed frog

Soon it was time to slowly head home.  A record of vegetation for the day was quite impressive, some photos provided here.

Current bush (Carissa ovata)

 

Fungi

Pollia crispate by the creek

Rock fern (Cheilantes sieberi )

Native Holly (Alchornea ilicifolia)

Aneiloma biflorum

Slender knotweed (Persicaria decipiens)

Rough Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum hispidulum)

Snake WEED (Stachytarpheta jamaicenses)

The Snake weed, which grows quite prolifically, is a native of the Americas:  a weed of forest and forest margins, native bushland, disturbed sites etc.  Much frequented by moths and butterflies.

Tadpole waterhole

Text: Rahima Farnham

Photographs: Rahima Farnham, Bev & John McKay, Kerrie O'Donnel, Cameron Whiley,

                       Wendy Edmiston