Birds in the scrub

Leopard Ash in vibrant leaf

It was drizzling when I arrived at the Scrub and before I got out of the car there was a short, sharp shower. However this soon cleared away to a cool overcast and the birds came out to enjoy themselves. First of the day and a new one for my surveys was a pair of Red-rumped Parrots. They are ground feeders and one flew up from the paddock to sit in the trees of the Scrub. Once I was in the Scrub down near the dam I saw Spangled Drongo, Little Friarbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, an immature Olive-backed Oriole and Noisy Miners. There must have been a hatching of insects in the high canopy because all these birds were feeding, except the Noisy Miners, and there wasn’t any obvious blossom or fruit.

The Oriole is a good mimic and will often confuse you when you hear a variety of calls in the bush. This individual was practising its calls, a weird selection of squawks and trills which were nothing like its beautiful liquid “ori-ori-oriole”. It was being mobbed by Noisy Miners that chased it all over the Scrub but it remained in the area just moving from tree to tree. Perhaps the Oriole made a call that offended the Miners enough to harass it.

Where the Scrub opens out into the grassy bowl there were Striped Honeyeaters, a Rufous Fantail and Superb Fairy-wrens. Brown Honeyeaters were also searching for insects in the Sandalwood Santalum lanceolatum and Brown Thornbills in the Leopard Ash Flindersia collina. The Leopard Ash looked glorious in its washed-clean green finery.

Birds: Brown Quail (1 heard in the quarry area),  
Australian Wood Duck (2 in the trees of the Scrub), Spotted Dove (1 in the Scrub),
Crested Pigeon (1 on a fencepost), 
Little Black Cormorant (2 sitting on a wire going down into the dam), 
Galah (4 overhead), 
Pale-headed Rosella (5 in the flowering eucalypts),  
Red-rumped Parrot (2 in the paddock then 1 flew into Scrub), 
Eastern Koel (1 calling from nearby), 
Laughing Kookaburra (2 laughing in the Scrub), 
Dollarbird (1 sitting on a bare branch), 
Superb Fairy-wren (saw 1 but heard more), 
White-browed Scrubwren (3 following me through the Scrub), 
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (3 on the road), 
Brown Thornbill (2 in the Leopard Ash), 
Noisy Miner (4 chasing an Oriole), 
Brown Honeyeater (3 in the Sandalwood), 
Little Friarbird (1 feeding in the mid-high canopy), 
Striped Honeyeater (4 in the eucalypts), 
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (3 feeding in the mid-high canopy), 
Olive-backed Oriole (1immature practising its calls), 
Australian Magpie (2 carolling in the high branches), 
Spangled Drongo (1 feeding in the mid-high canopy), 
Rufous Fantail (1 low in some shrubs), 
Willie Wagtail (1 in the paddock), 
Torresian Crow (4 overhead), 
Magpie-lark (2 on the road verge), 
Golden-headed Cisticola (2 calling from the long grass), 
Silvereye (2 sweetly calling in the mid-canopy), 
Common Myna (5 in a dead sapling further north along Franke Rd), 
Mistletoebird (1 near the fence in the scrub on the Sheehan property).   
Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus (1 flying through the Scrub).
Thank you Lesley for your contribution to our blog.

Updated bird list

This bird list of Franke Scrub and the road reserve has been compiled by Lesley.

Bee-eater, Rainbow

Boobook, Southern

Butcherbird, Grey

Butcherbird, Pied

Cisticola, Golden-headed

Crow, Torresian

Cuckoo, Channel-billed

Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced

Cuckoo-shrike, Ground

Currawong, Pied

Dollarbird

Dove, Bar-shouldered

Dove, Spotted

Duck, Pacific Black

Duck, Wood or Maned

Fairy-wren, Superb

Fantail, Grey

Fantail, Rufous

Figbird

Finch, Double-barred

Finch, Zebra

Friarbird, Noisy

Galah

Gerygone, White-throated

Grebe, Australasian

Heron, White-faced

Honeyeater, Brown

Honeyeater, Lewin’s

Honeyeater, Scarlet

Honeyeater, Striped

Ibis, Australian White

Ibis, Straw-necked

Kestrel, Nankeen

Kingfisher, Sacred

Kookaburra, Laughing

Lapwing, Masked

Lorikeet, Little

Lorikeet, Rainbow

Magpie, Australian

Magpie-lark

Mistletoebird

Myna, Common

Pardalote, Striated

Pigeon, Crested

Robin, Rose

Rosella, Pale-headed

Scrubwren, White-browed

Silvereye

Sparrow, House

Thornbill, Brown

Thornbill, Striated

Thornbill, Yellow

Thornbill, Yellow-rumped

Weebill

Willie Wagtail

Whistler, Golden

Whistler, Rufous

Whistler sp.

A morning visit

The first delight of the morning was the sighting of a pair of Buff-banded Rail and their fluffy black chick at the first dam on Franke Road. Not Franke Scrub itself, I know, but it’s still lovely to see such a wary bird. As we parked the car we were greeted by Yellow-rumped Thornbills twittering in the shrubs beside the Leopard Ash. They sounded so happy as they foraged for insects.

The White-browed Scrubwrens were the bird of the morning. They seemed to follow me as I wandered through the patch, hopping about on the ground in front of me. Then they would make their chittering racket as they flew from one bush to another. In fact it was quite noisy this morning with the Dollarbirds cackling, a Willie Wagtail and a Rufous Fantail tinkling, and a Rufous Whistler whistling her heart out, glad it was such a bright day.

There were plenty of butterflies about and I think I would have seen about 8-9 different species although I can only identify 6; Common Aeroplane Phaedyma shepherdi, Yellow-spotted Jezebel Delias nysa, Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegus, Cabbage White Pieris rapae, Caper White Belenois java, Wanderer Danaus plexippus.

an unidentified butterfly

thanks to Lesley for this.

Summer in Franke Scrub

Another species to add to the list, Bar-shouldered Dove. It was sitting in a thicket of vine on the eastern side of the scrub calling forlornly. The only bird that answered was the resident Spotted Dove. I now make the bird list 51 species of which 41 have been recorded in Franke Scrub, and 10 more species recorded on the road reserve, adjacent areas or flying overhead.

As usual butterflies were everywhere, mainly Orchard Swallowtail, Black Jezabel and Caper White though there were a couple of other Whites flying around that I didn’t identify although I think one was the Chalk (or Striated Pearl) White.

The Flying Foxes are still there, although I only saw three, hanging in the same tree as last month.

Cheers, Lesley

P.S. Can either of you tell me what the large, high canopy tree is that is flowering in the centre of the scrub at the moment? Birds don't seem to be too attracted to it though the Scarlet Honeyeater was calling from the high branches.

Updated Bird List

Birds in Franke Scrub November 2009 - July 2010 Total 34 birds.

observed by Lesley Beaton

Boobook, Southern (First recorded Nov 2009)

Butcherbird, Grey (First recorded Nov 2009)

Butcherbird, Pied (First recorded Feb 2010)

Crow, Torresian (First recorded Nov 2009)

Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced (First recorded Nov 2009)

Cuckoo-shrike, Ground (First recorded Nov 2009)

Duck, Black - adjacent paddock (First recorded Feb 2010)

Fairy-wren, Superb (First recorded Feb 2010)

Fantail, Grey (First recorded May 2010)

Fantail, Rufous (First recorded Nov 2009)

Finch, Double-barred (First recorded Nov 2009)

Finch, Zebra - adjacent paddock (First recorded Feb 2010)

Friarbird, Noisy (First recorded Feb 2010)

Galah - adjacent paddock (First recorded Feb 2010)

Gerygone, white-throated (First recorded Feb 2010)

Honeyeater, Lewin’s (First recorded Nov 2009)

Ibis, Straw-necked - adjacent paddock (First recorded Nov 2009)

Kingfisher, Sacred (First recorded Nov 2009)

Lorikeet, Rainbow (First recorded Feb 2010)

Magpie, Australian (First recorded Nov 2009)

Magpie-lark (First recorded Feb 2010)

Mistletoebird (First recorded Feb 2010)

Robin, Rose (First recorded Apr 2010)

Rosella, Pale-headed (First recorded Feb 2010)

Scrubwren, White-throated (First recorded May 2010)

Scrubwren, White-browed (First recorded Nov 2009)

Silvereye (First recorded Nov 2009)

Sparrow, House (First recorded Nov 2009)

Thornbill, Brown (First recorded Nov 2009)

Thornbill, striated (First recorded Feb 2010)

Thornbill, Yellow-rumped (First recorded May 2010)

Weebill (First recorded Nov 2009)

Willie Wagtail (First recorded May 2010)

Figbird (First recorded Feb 2010)

A winter visitor

A Rose Robin visited us recently. It is a winter visitor and on the edge of its range here.

Under supervision

Graham and Judy noticed some movement in the canopy while working, and we then found that our owl was keeping a close eye on activities just above us. We enjoyed our morning in late May, sheltered from cold winds.
The diversity of plants in the scrub is quite challenging when one is more accustomed to other vegetation types where a few species predominate. Perhaps it is a reason why this type is endangered? We just can't get our heads around it?

Flutterings at Franke Scrub

The dam adjacent to Franke Scrub

My latest visit to the scrub was on a beautiful autumn morning. It was still quite cool in the scrub but the edges were alive with fluttering. Along the road verge it was all Caper White Belenois java, Cabbage White Pieris rapae, Wanderer Danaus Plexippus, and Large Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe butterflies. As I walked down the fenceline towards the water course my eye was caught by fluttering at the edge of the neighbour’s dam. Although in heavy shade there was much bird activity so perhaps the water was warming up enough to stir the insects. A number of small birds were flying down to the water then back to the wires on the fence or the scrub. They included, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail, Double-barred Finch, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Scrubwren and Yellow-rumped Thornbill.

The constant to-and-fro made me pause and I sat on the grass to watch for about fifteen minutes. They were mainly after insects and I watched a beautifully coloured male Superb Fairy-wren bash the living daylights out of a large moth it had caught. The finches were more involved in drinking and bathing, but what interested me the most was one White-throated Scrubwren that looked as if it was actually after insects in the water. It was dipping its face into the water and making small movements. When it raised its head it didn’t seem to drink, but neither did I see it catch anything. I’ve never seen or heard of this with Scrubwrens before.

Lesley

Autumn in Franke Scrub

Went to Franke Scrub on Tuesday. Beautiful weather with plenty of bird and butterfly activity. In fact it was difficult to pick out the birds because the butterflies were everywhere. Especially Yellow-spotted Jezabel Delias nysa I took a couple of photos.

Just as I arrived a couple of Magpies flushed something large from the upper canopy. All I got was an impression of grey and large. It may have been an Australian Goshawk, but don't quote me on that. Another one to not quote me is a female Rose Robin. I quite distinctly heard a robin 'tick' call and saw the face with it's pale rimmed eye. It likes moist gullies so Franke is perfect habitat. However I didn't see enough of the bird to give it a positive identification.

Rufous fantail taken by William Jolly.

The changing season

For a birdo the change of season is not so much the cooler weather, shorter days or changing leaf colour. It is the birds that disappear or reappear. Franke Scrub is the home to a pair of Rufous Fantails Rhipidura rufifrons from Spring to Autumn but as soon as April arrives they depart. They tend to leave us for warmer climes moving away from the Great Divide to the coast or inland to about Chinchilla, or north with some even crossing to New Guinea. There are individuals that will stay over winter but the majority of Rufous Fantails are hugging the coast north of the Queensland border. In summer they can be found as far south as the South Australia/Victoria border.

They are such chirpy residents and I miss seeing the flash of rufous as they search through the mid-canopy after insects. However, nature always compensates and a Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa has moved in to replace them. A close cousin to the Rufous Fantail, the Grey is just as active but has a sharper, more scolding call. In fact one of it's bush names is Cranky Fan. Though often seen in our area throughout the year, the majority of Grey Fantails spend their summers south of the Queensland/NSW border returning to Queensland in large numbers for the winter. Who can blame them?

Lesley
President
Toowoomba Field Naturalist Club Inc

Have you seen our blog? http://toowoombafieldnaturalists.blogspot.com/

The indignant owl

Our resident Southern Boobook is not impressed with twitchy people poking around in his scrub. [photo - Don Gardner]

A good spot for a kingfisher

A Sacred Kingfisher was fishing in the dam and returning to a vantage post in the scrub. It will be heading north soon on its migration back to northern Qld, New Guinea and Indonesia.
It would be really good to hear of other bird sightings and anecdotes, nesting records, etc.
[from Lesley].

A new plant for our list

Our twitcher, Lesley, has added a new plant to our list this week. It is a small climber called "small leafed Tylophora" (Tylophora grandiflora) in flower. We haven't noticed this plant before.

After the recent rains, there's a lot going on, with flowers and seeds, as well as young plants appearing and new growth.
We have made such a difference to this reserve by removing the asparagus vine from the canopy, although we will continue to need to remove young plants as they germinate and attempt to climb back up.
We hope to see you in 4 weeks time.

Birds in Franke Scrub

contributed by Lesley Beaton, a local birdwatcher.

I went down to Franke Scrub one morning recently, though not very good birding weather. However I flushed a Southern Boobook which was very nice to see. It was in the thickest scrub towards the bottom of the gully and only flew to another tree close by. So I skirted around that bit so as not to disturb it any further. The Double‑barred Finches and Rufous Fantails were very active, but it was too windy for the honeyeaters. I didn't see a one! There were a pair of Rufous Fantails following me along the track. They are such an attractive bird.

A male Double‑bar was courting. He sat on a mid‑canopy dead branch flicking a dangling wisp of grass. As soon as the female appeared lower down on the branch, he gave the grass one more flick, dropped it and went over to the female. He wiped his beak on the branch a couple of times and fluffed up her neck feathers, she lay low, and he mounted her. This only happened once. He then wiped his beak on the branch again, she flew of, he wiped his beak a further time and flew off in the opposite direction. The bird books say he does a bit of a dance and sings to the female but I saw and heard none of this behaviour.

Scrub

Southern Boobook S

Sacred Kingfisher S

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike S

Rufous Fantail S

White-browed Scrubwren S

Weebill S

Brown Thornbill S

Lewin’s Honeyeater S

Silvereye S

Double-barred Finch S

Grey Butcherbird S

Australian Magpie S

Torresian Crow S

Road reserve

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike S

White-browed Scrubwren S

Lewin’s Honeyeater S

Silvereye S

House Sparrow S

Double-barred Finch S

Grey Butcherbird S

Australian Magpie S

Overhead/adjacent paddocks

Straw-necked Ibis S

Ground Cuckoo-shrike S

Torresian Crow S

16 species

NOTE: At the time of these observations, there was no water in the scrub, but the farm dam next to it was full.

Spring flowers, birds and butterflies

Two mistletoes are flowering beautifully at Franke scrub this week.

Lucas's mistletoe (Amyema lucasii) is making a great show with its bright yellow flowers, on our favourite leopard ash (Flindersia collina). The Flindersia itself is also flowering, though only
moderately this year.
And the "variable mistletoe", Amyema congener was quite conspicuous.

This plant loves growing on the Boonaree (Alectryon diversifolium) with its holly-like leaves. However it also grows on several other species in the scrub.The flowers on our local Amyema congener are a darker shade of red than the more common variety seen elsewhere.
Expect to see honeyeaters coming for the nectar from these flowers - and, later in the year, mistletoe birds coming for the fruits. Those special butterflies, the beautiful jezebels, which depend on mistletoes for their survival, are beginning to appear in the scrub again as the
weather warms up.
The sandalwoods (Santalum lanceolatum) under the leopard ash are in bud, so we can expect to see flowers there over the next few weeks. It looks as though they will be putting out a good crop of their dark red (edible but please don't eat them) fruits this year.
Trish

At the working bee

There were several plants of interest in Franke Scrub last week.
The hairy boonaree, Alectryon pubescens, was putting out a few of its showy fruits. This is not a common plant in this district, and one of the things which makes Franke Scrub special. It resembles the closely related common scrub boonaree, but has larger leaves and fruits.

The key distinguishing factor is the hairiness of the capsule. Here you can see how it has been burst open by the swelling of the red “cockscomb” aril.

This muttonwood (Rapanea variabilis) is covered with buds, which will take months to ripen into brownish flowers, then be followed by pretty purple-blue fruits - all clinging to the branchlet in the distinctive muttonwood way.

One of the scrub wilgas (Geijera salicifolia) was putting out a few flowers, too. We’ll see more of these over the next few months.
Lots of little birds are to be seen in the scrub at the moment, attracted by the pools of water down in the creek. They will appreciate the food provided by the wilgas, whose fragrant flowers attract little insects.
Trish Gardner

Friday fun

Six of us turned up last Friday afternoon for a couple of hours of weed control. We managed to locate the crowns of some of the large asparagus vines remaining in the canopy and can now feel more relaxed about our competition with them until our next scheduled meeting on Wednesday 30 July. Bird sounds were more apparent during the afternoon.