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Nature Surveys 2015

Once a month, I pick a particular group of animals or plants and then a South-east Queensland location to survey them in. I find it really increases my knowledge of not only that particular animal/plant grouping, but also of what can be seen where. In 2015, I especially loved undertaking both of the plant surveys, the invertebrate sweep-net survey on the Gold Coast, the fish survey in Burleigh Lake, and the marine mollusc survey in the Pumicestone Passage.


Location: Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre, Burpengary, Moreton Bay Shire
Date: Wednesday 21st January 2015; 20:45-21:15
Habitat: Riverine forest
Weather: Warm and cloudy night, 25C, light breeze. Light showers (<1mm) during the day
Focus: Mammal survey

(*) Exotic

Northern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus)

Total species: 1

Other interesting sightings:
Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) *
                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Location: Cabbage Tree Creek, McDowall, Brisbane
Date: Thursday 12th February 2015; 10:45-12:15
Habitat: Slow-flowing freshwater stream with deeper pools
Weather: Developing thundery showers, 28C, light breeze. 8.4mm of rainfall recorded
Focus: Fish survey

(*) Exotic

Tandan (Tandanus tandanus)
Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) *
Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) *

Total species: 3

Other interesting sightings:
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii)
Australian Tigertail (Ictinogomphus australis)
Common Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
                                                                                                                                                                                                

Location: Carbrook Wetlands Conservation Park 2, Redland Bay, Redlands
Date: Friday 13th March 2015; 21:00-22:00
Habitat: Open forest
Weather: Clear, 21C, fresh SSE breeze, dry
Focus: Frog survey

(*) Exotic

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog (Litoria fallax)
Beeping Froglet (Crinia parinsignifera)
Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) *

Total species: 3

Other interesting sightings:
Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
                                                                                                                                                                                               

Location: Burleigh Lake, Burleigh Waters, Gold Coast
Date: Saturday 25th April 2015; 12:40-13:40
Habitat: Calm estuarine waters, sandy bottom
Weather: Sunny, 28C, gentle breeze, dry
Focus: Fish survey

Snubnose Garfish (Arrhamphus sclerolepis)
Pacific Blue-eye (Pseudomugil signifer)
Yellowfin Bream (Acanthopagrus australis)
Fantail Mullet (Paramugil georgii)
Flathead Gudgeon (Philypnodon grandiceps)
Tamar Goby (Afurcagobius tamarensis)
Lidwill's Dwarfgoby (Pandaka lidwilli)

Total species: 7

Other interesting sightings:
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) x Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) hybrid
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Location: King Island Conservation Park, Wellington Point, Redlands
Date: Saturday 23rd May 2015; 6:00-9:00; low tide
Habitat: Partially disturbed intertidal beach zone
Weather: Sunny, 17C, fresh breeze, dry
Focus: Plant survey

(*) Exotic

Grasses, Groundcovers and Herbs
Dugong Grass (Halophila ovalis)
Eelgrass (Zostera muelleri)
Common Couch (Cynodon dactylon) *
Saltwater Couch (Sporobolus virginicus)
Red Natal Grass (Melinis repens) *
Cobbler's Pegs (Bidens pilosa) *
European Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima) *
Sea Purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum)
New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)
Beach Daisy (Melanthera biflora)
Prickly Pear (Opuntia stricta) *
Ribwort (Plantago lanceolata) *

Vines and Climbers
Coastal Jack Bean (Canavalia rosea)
Native Grape (Cayratia clematidea)
Stinking Passionfruit (Passiflora foetida) *
Wild Passionfruit (Passiflora suberosa) *

Shrubs
Brazilian Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) *
Coastal Vitex (Vitex trifolia) 

Trees
Grey Mangrove (Avicennia marina)
Orange Mangrove (Bruguiera gymnorhiza)
Coastal She-Oak (Casuarina equisetifolia)
Pandanus (Pandanus tectorius)
Cotton Tree (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
Queensland Ebony (Diospyros geminata)

Total species: 24

Other interesting sightings:
Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
Mangrove Honeyeater (Lichenostomus fasciogularis)
Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni)
Common Vasia Coral (Favia favus)
Fanweed (Padina gymnospora)
Chain Float (Cystoseira trinodis)
                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Location: Black Swamp Wetlands, Cleveland, Redlands
Date: Thursday 18th June 2015; 13:15-14:00
Habitat: Dense paperbark wetland surrounded by suburbia
Weather: Sunny, 22C, gentle breeze, recent rain
Focus: Mammal survey

(*) Exotic

Black Flying-Fox (Pteropus alecto)
Grey-headed Flying-Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)

Total species: 2

Other interesting sightings:
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
Chinese Celtis (Celtis sinensis) *
Purple Succulent (Callisia fragrans) *
                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Location: Dawn Road Reserve, Albany Creek, Moreton Bay Shire
Date: Saturday 25th July 2015; 9:30-12:30
Habitat: Mixture of dry and wet eucalypt forest, as well as small patch of rainforest
Weather: Partly cloudy, no rain, 22C, light breeze
Focus: Tree and shrub survey

(*) Exotic

Shrubs
Pineapple Zamia (Macrozamia macleayi)
Maiden's Wattle (Acacia maidenii)
Willow Bottlebrush (Melaleuca salicina)
Wild May (Leptospermum polygalifolium)
Prickly Pea (Pultenaea spinosa)
Forest Baeckia (Sannantha collina)
Prickly Bearded Heath (Leucopogon juniperinis)
Coffee Bush (Breynia oblongifolia)
Purple Pea Bush (Hovea acutifolia)
Easter Cassia (Senna pendula) *
Lantana (Lantana camara) *
Poison Peach (Trema tomentosa)
Wild Tobacco (Solanum mauritianum) *
Giant Devil's Fig (Solanum chrysotrichum) *
Ochna (Ochna serrulata) *
Cockspur Thorn (Maclura cochinchinensis)
Hairy Psychotria (Psychotria loniceroides)
Mock Orange (Murraya paniculata) *
Bitterbark (Alstonia constricta)
Coral Berry (Ardisia crenulata) *
Coastal Canthium (Cyclophyllym coprosmoides)

Trees
Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii) *
Cabbage Tree Palm (Livistona australis)
Early Black Wattle (Acacia leiocalyx)
Black She-Oak (Allocasuarina littoralis)
River She-Oak (Casuarina cunninghamiana)
Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
Rusty Gum (Angophora leiocarpa)
Smudgee (Angophora woodsiana)
Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
Broad-leaved White Mahogany (Eucalyptus carnea)
Narrow-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra)
Pink Bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia)
Moreton Bay Ash (Corymbia tessellaris)
Swamp Box (Lophostemon suaveolens)
Soap Tree (Alphitonia excelsa)
Broad-leaved Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) *
Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense) *
Broad-leaved Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) *
Pink Doughwood (Mellicope elleryana)
Cheese Tree (Glochidion ferdinandi)
Foam Bark Tree (Jagera pseudorhus)
White Cedar (Melia azedarach)
Bottle Tree sp (Brachychiton sp)
Hard Quandong (Elaeocarpus obovatus)
Hairy Bird's-Eye (Alectryon tomentosus)
Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) *
Macaranga (Macaranga tanarius)
Tree Heath (Trochocarpa laurina)
Murrogun (Cryptocarya microneura)
Large Mock Olive (Notelaea longifolia)

Total species: 51

Other interesting sightings:
Northern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus)
                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Location: Eddie Kornhauser Recreation Reserve, Elanora, Gold Coast
Date: Wednesday 19th August 2015; 8:15-10:00
Habitat: Paperbark forest margin
Weather: Fine, 19C, gentle breeze
Focus: Invertebrate survey using sweep-net

Araneae
Green Flower Spider (Hedana species)
White Flower Spider (Thomisus spectabilis)
Sac Spider (Clubiona species)
Silver Orb-Weaver (Leucauge granulata)
Bush Orb-Weaver (Plebs eburnus)
Long-jawed Spider (Tetragnatha rubriventris)
Garden Jumping Spider (Opisthoncus parcedentatus)

Orthoptera
Green Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus upoluensis)
Vegetable Grasshopper (Atractomorpha similis)

Hemiptera
Flat-headed Leafhopper (Rubria sp)

Neuroptera
Brown Lacewing (Hemerobiidae family)

Diptera
Fungus Gnat (Diadocidiidae family)
Garden Soldier Fly (Exaireta spinigera)
Dotted-wing Fly (Homoneura sp)
Small Slender Hover-Fly (Melanostoma apicale)
Slender Orange Bush-Fly (Dichaetomyia norrisi)
Brown-shinned Grey Bush-Fly (Atherigona species)

Hymenoptera
Fruit-Fly Wasp (Opius sp)

Total species: 18

Other interesting sightings:
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus)
Common Jezabel (Delias nigrina)
                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Location: Coombabah Lake Conservation Park, Arundel, Gold Coast
Date: Thursday 24th September 2015; 8:20-9:40
Habitat: Brackish coastal swampland with vegetated margins
Weather: Fine and sunny, 20C, cool light breeze
Focus: Bird survey

(*) Exotic

Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)
Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)
White-eyed Duck (Aythya australis)
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos)
Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
Australian White Ibis (Threskionis molucca)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)
Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops)
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra galinacea)
Spotted Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) *
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes)
Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)
Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus)
Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)
Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus)
Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala)
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta)
Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)
Little Friarbird (Philemon citreogularis)
Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus)
Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen)
Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)
Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)
Magpie-Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca)
Torresian Crow (Corvus orru)
Australian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)
Indian Myna (Sturnus tristis) *

Total species: 43

Other interesting sightings:
Common Bluetail (Ischnura heterosticta)
Northern Jezebel (Delias argenthona)
                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Location: Sylvan Beach, Bellara, Moreton Bay Shire
Date: Saturday 31st October 2015; 10:30-11:30
Habitat: Sheltered sandy shore near seagrass and mangroves
Weather: Mostly sunny, gentle breeze, water warm (24C) and fairly clear, high tide.
Focus: Marine molluscs

(*) Exotic

Leaden Sand Snail (Conuber sordidus) -- egg case
Sowerby's Sea Hare (Aplysia sowerbyi)
Mud Ark (Anadara trapezia)
Elongated Surf Clam (Paphies elongata)
Mangrove Oyster (Isognomon species)
Cuttlefish (Sepia sp) -- remains

Total species: 6

Other interesting sightings:
Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
Crescent Perch (Terapon jarbua)
Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni)
Sand Crab (Portunus armatus)
Spiny Dugong Grass (Halophila spinulosa)
Sea Purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum)
New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)
Beach Spinifex (Spinifex sericeus)
Beach Primrose (Oenothera drummondi) *
                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Location: Schuster Park, Tallebudgera, Gold Coast
Date: Saturday 21st November 2015; 9:00-10:30
Habitat: Mangrove wetland alongside parkland
Weather: Hot and sunny, 30C, moderate breeze
Focus: Birds

(*) Exotic

Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata)
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus)
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus)
Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) *
Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus)
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus)
Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus)
Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala)
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta)
Little Friarbird (Philemon citreogularis)
White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)
Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis)
Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)
Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae)
Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus)
Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti)
Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)
Magpie-Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca)
Torresian Crow (Corvus orru)
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)
Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel)
Australian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)
Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum)
Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis)

Total species: 33
                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Location: Sleeman Sports Complex Bushland Reserve, Chandler, Brisbane
Date: Saturday 5th December 2015; 5:30-8:00
Habitat: Dry eucalypt forest
Weather: Clear and calm, 21C.
Focus: Reptiles

Elegant Snake-eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pulcher)

Total species: 1

Other interesting sightings:
Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus)
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula)
Wandering Percher (Diplacodes bipunctata)
Planchon's Stringybark (Eucalyptus planchoniana)
Forest Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii)
Bottlebrush Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea macronema)

Comments

  1. Hi Christian, Really interesting lists. They make me want to visit some of these places. How did you conduct the fish survey at Burleigh Lake? There's quite a few species I'd like to see.
    Cheers, Peter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Peter! Thanks for taking the time to comment. For Burleigh Lake, I waded through the water and used close-range binoculars and a zoom lens camera to look at the larger species. For the smaller species, I recorded video on an underwater camera that I left sitting on the lake bottom for a few minutes at a time, then analysed the footage later. The dwarfgoby in particular was a great find, and I would have never noticed it with the naked eye. Cheers, Christian.

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