Beautiful Fringe-Lily

FRINGE-LILY Thysanotus tuberosus was a new discovery for the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields in 2015.  These beautiful native wildflowers had not been recorded at the reserve before, but the recent rainfall in October and November, had them displaying for the first time in many years no doubt.  These flowers only open for a couple of hours during the day so you need to be lucky to observe them at their best. Their exact location has been recorded and we hope to see them again in the future - should the weather be at their liking.

J.G

FRINGE-LILY Thysanotus tuberosus

Huge Horse Hoof Fungi

27th October 2015

Horse Hoof Fungus (Phellinus sp.) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields

This spectacular "Horse Hoof Fungus" can be found on the eastern side of a large gum tree at the southern end of O'Brien Road close to the footpath.

J.G.

  

Horse Hoof Fungus (Phellinus sp.)

Horse Hoof Fungus (Phellinus sp.)

Horse Hoof Fungus (Phellinus sp.)

Aussie Backyard Bird Count Rogers Reserve 2015

26th October 2015

Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2015 - Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields

The Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2015 is a national backyard survey organized by Birdlife Australia.  The bird count is in it's second year, and it runs for a week in October.  The survey allows 20 minutes to record the number of birds in one location, either in your backyard or a public area in Australia.  The records are uploaded through a free app direct to Birdlife Australia, and for a limited time after the survey is over, you can view sighting maps and statistics Australia wide.  Visit http://aussiebirdcount.org.au/ for more information.

20 Minute Bird Count List from Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields

1. Galah
2. Australian Wood Duck
3. Pale-headed Rosella
4. Dollarbird
5. Grey Butcherbird
6. Rainbow Lorikeet
7. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
8. Scaley-breasted Lorikeet
9. Laughing Kookaburra
10. Superb Fairy-wren
11. White-browed Scrubwren
12. Pied Currawong
13. Noisy Miner
14. Eastern Whipbird
15. Little Corella
16. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
17. Brown Falcon
18. Common Bronzewing
19. Common Myna *

Doing this bird count, really confirms the importance of natural tree hollows for birds and how much the birds of Highfields rely on the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve.

Laughing Kookaburra, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

Female Superb Blue Fairy Wren, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

White-browed Scrub Wren, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

Pale-headed Rosella's, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

Noisy Miner's, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

 

Rainbow Lorikeet, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

Scaley-breasted Lorikeet, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

Common Myna*, Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 26/10/15

* The Common Myna is an introduced pest bird species.  It is widely spread in the local area and is a major threat to native birds, as they are aggressive and take over native birds much needed tree hollows. Currently the Wildlife Preservation Society - Toowoomba Branch are running an Indian Myna (Common Myna) management program in conjunction with the Queensland Murray Darling Committee.  To find out more about how you can become involved in helping manage the large numbers of Common Mynas in your area please visit: http://toowoomba.wildlife.org.au/2015/09/29/wildlife-qld-toowoomba-branch-indian-myna-management-program/

J.Gray.

Mayor Announces Rogers Reserve is Protected Woodland

29th September 2015

High Country Herald Article by Gary Alcorn

High Country Herald, 29th September 2015

Spring bushland observations in Highfields

18th September 2015

Spring is here and during the Friends of Roger's Reserve's working bee today at the reserve, there was plenty to see.  Scaley-breasted Lorikeets were observed emerging from many tree hollows within the reserve (see below).  Butterflies were out and about, including the Blue Triangle Butterfly and the Brown Ringlet (see below).  Wildlflowers were emerging and there was some beautiful fungi on display.  A medium sized Bearded Dragon was observed basking on the track around midday, looking a bit skinny, fresh from hibernation.  

Spring is the perfect time of year to visit this beautiful patch of bushland within suburban Highfields and to appreciate what a gem this patch of remnant dry rainforest is. 

J.G.

Scaley-breasted Lorikeets emerging from a tree hollow at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Male Brown Ringlet Butterfly (Hypocysta metirius) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Unknown species of Hairy Caterpillar at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Beautiful Pinkish Fungi on a fallen log at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Bearded Dragon basking on the waling track at  Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Female Variegated Fairy-Wren in nest at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Nest of the Variegated Fairy-Wren

18th September 2015

This oval-shaped dome, constructed of grasses, hidden among the thick native grasses within the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields, South East Queensland, is the nest of the female Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti).  

The Male Variegated Fairy Wren was close-by and I observed the female coming in and out of the well camouflaged round grassy nest.  

Variegated Fairy Wrens feed on small insects and seeds, which they usually find around the bases of thick shrubs.  These beautiful little birds are often located on the northern side of the bushland reserve, where the grasses are thicker.

J.G.

Female Variegated Fairy-Wren in the nest at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Female Variegated Fairy-Wren entering the nest at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Variegated Fairy-Wren  nest at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 18/09/15

Hairy Trumpet Fungi 27/08/15

27/08/15

Hairy Trumpet (Panus fasciatus) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 27/08/15

After Megan Prance's visit to the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve earlier this year, she has inspired me to learn more about many fungi species growing within the reserve.  I spotted this fury fungi yesterday after a recent sprinkling of rain, growing from a fallen branch on the ground.  Thanks to Megan Prance & Kim Nguyen for supplying the identification.

Panus fasciatus, commonly known as Hairy Trumpet Fungi is a common wood decaying fungus found on dead wood in forests and woodlands Australia wide.

This information from www.australianfungi.blogspot.com.au:

Primarily, Panus fasciatus is a fungus of dry eucalypt forests, mallee woodland, semi-arid and desert habitats. It is a saprotrophic species. Saprotrophic fungi gain source nutrients from dead organic material by breaking down components of the substrate. Saprotrophs play a vital role in reducing the accumulation of dead organic material and in the recycling of essential nutrients, particularly carbon and nitrogen.

J.G.

Hairy Trumpet (Panus fasciatus) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 27/08/15

Hairy Trumpet (Panus fasciatus) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 27/08/15

Hairy Trumpet (Panus fasciatus) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 27/08/15

Lomandra Multiflora 27/08/15

27/08/15

"Many Flowered Matrush" (Lomandra Multiflora) are looking beautiful in flower all through the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields at the moment. Lomandra multiflora is a small grass-like plant with stiff grey-green leaves from 250 - 850 mm high. The creamy, yellow flowers occur in clusters around the base of the leaves during spring. You don't have to leave the walking track to see these beautiful flowers at the resreve, as many are in flower right on the very edges of the paths, you just have to keep a good look out.

"Many Flowered Matrush" (Lomandra Multiflora) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve 27/08/15

"Many Flowered Matrush" (Lomandra Multiflora) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve 27/08/15

Winter Wattle Flowers in Bloom

27/07/15

Winter Wattle & Gum Flowers at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, July 2015. 

Condamine Alliance Features Bushcare Work of Reserve Volunteers

The Condamine Alliance has featured the bush-care work of Friends of Rogers Reserve member Greg Lukes and his contribution to Bush rehabilitation: reducing weed infestation.  Everyone who has attended a working bee at the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve will be familiar with Greg and his passion for bush-care work.  Thanks Condamine Alliance for the feature.

http://www.condaminealliance.com.au/news-bush-rehabilitation

Banksia in Flower at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve

1 June 2015

Tree banksia (Banksia integrifolia) located on the northern side of the reserve near the corner of Polzin & O'Brien Roads was covered in beautiful yellow flowers.  Tree Banksia is a hardy native tree and is often used in bush revegetation projects, as it was done so at the Rogers Reserve border many years ago.  It is sure to be popular with the immense bird life and the sugar gliders living within the reserve.

Tree banksia (Banksia integrifolia) Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields

Tree banksia (Banksia integrifolia) Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields

Great Results in Weed Removal by Green Army

15 May 2015

Working at temperatures as low as -1 degrees in Highfields, the Green Army Campbell Page Group have worked tirelessly this week removing environmental weeds from the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields, Queensland. The results are amazing and the reserve is looking wonderful after having mass removal of lantana, asparagus and cobblers pegs to name a few.

Thank you again to the Green Army Team for your hard work, knowledge and advice on managing this reserve for the future. 

Before and After photos below thanks to Greg Lukes:

Green Army Team begin work at Rogers Reserve 11 May 2015

11 May 2015,.  We are very excited to have the Campbell Page Green Army - Campbell Page Group working at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve this week. The team of 7 started bright and early this morning and will be at the reserve each day this week from 7.30- 1.00 removing Pavonia, Cobblers Pegs, Lantana & Asparagus Weeds. We welcome any members of the public to come and give them a hand during the week. Thankyou again to Greg, Gary and Condamine Alliance for arranging the Green Army to help remove weeds from our beautiful suburban bushland area in Highfields.

Fungi Expert visits Rogers Reserve Highfields

Megan Prance (President of Wolston & Centenary Catchments Inc and Co-author of "A Little Field Guide to West Brisbane Fungi") visited the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve after recent rain on 13th April 2015. Megan discovered a wide variety of fungi species within the bushland reserve during her visit and has kindly shared some of her photographs along with fungi identifications. Megan tells me that most of the varieties that she saw during her visit would most likely also occur within the local Toowoomba region.    

Austroboletus lacunosus (13/04/15 Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve)

Bolete (Megan said there were many of these all along the track during her visit.) (13/04/15 Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve)

Lepiota  (13/04/15 Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve)

Scleroderma  (13/04/15 Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve)

Amanita (13/04/15 Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve)

A Little Field Guide to West Brisbane Fungi by Megan Prance & Sapphire McMullan-Fisher.

We are very grateful for Megan's expertise and for sharing her images with us.  Megan has kindly forwarded me a pdf copy of her fungi publication.  Anyone interested in reciving an email copy can contact the Friends of Rogers Reserve Group.

J.G.