Wildlife of Rogers Reserve at Night

30th January 2016

WILDILE OF CHARLES & MOTEE ROGERS BUSHLAND RESERVE AT NIGHT

A night time walk at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, during light rain showers proved very exciting, with plenty of wildlife around to see.  We only walked through one section of the reserve and were thrilled with the number of native animals we saw, and the lack of feral species. There were many highlights including two Sugar Gliders coming out of a tree hollow and racing around the tree trunk and one other perched in a wattle tree (see photo below).  A stunning Southern Boobook Owl perched in a low branch of a Wattle tree posed for us so we could take a few photos - it is not common to get such a good look at these secretive birds.  We also saw the largest Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk frog that we have ever seen!  We took photos of it and then took some of my hand near it to show the sheer bulk of this gorgeous old frog.  We saw two other of the same species but they weren't anywhere near as large as this fellow.

 List is as follows:

• Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frogs (Limnodynastes terraereginae) x 3
• Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) x 3
• Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecular) x 2
• Tawny Frogmouth ((Podargus strigoides) x 1
• Southern Boobook Owl (Ninox boobook) x 1
• Sulphur-crested Cockotoo x 1
• Plenty of Orb-weaving Spiders

B & J Gray.

Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frog (Limnodynastes terraereginae) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

 

Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frog (Limnodynastes terraereginae) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

 

Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frog (Limnodynastes terraereginae) size next to my hand, iphone photo taken at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

 

Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk Frog (Limnodynastes terraereginae) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

 

Southern Boobook Owl (Ninox boobook) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve,
Highfields 30th January 2016

 

Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) (one of three seen) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields, 30th January 2016

 

Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecular) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

 

This iphone photo has captured some of the rain drops during our walk - they look pretty cool plus the Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecular) in the background at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

 

 

Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, 30th January 2016

Orb Weaver Spider at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields 30th January 2016

Highfields Library- Family Discovery Walk Rogers Reserve

Tuesday 12th January 2016

FAMILY DISCOVERY WALK AT CHARLES & MOTEE ROGERS BUSHLAND RESERVE

Each school holidays, the Highfields Library staff host a variety of interactive children's programs and events. This year organiser, Wendy Ellem was inspired to organise a 'Family Discovery Walk' as part of the season's 'Lost Worlds Program' at the Library, and chose the close-by Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve as the location.

Judi Gray from the Friends of Rogers Reserve Group, conducted the 1.5km walk through the dry rainforest.  On the day the weather was very hot, and we had some last minute cancellations due to the heat, but despite this 16 people, parents and kids turned up to do the walk and learn more about the flora and fauna in our local area.  The attendees learnt about the history of the reserve and it's previous owners Charles & Motee Rogers and their vision for the bushland, they learnt about various native plants, including plenty in flower or with fruit, the importance of dead trees and hollows and were able to see plenty of butterflies and a few birds.

Thank you Highfields Library for organizing such a wonderful event, to all those who attended and asked questions, and to Kirra taking the photographs during the walk. 

J.G.

Some of the people attending the Family Discovery Walk from the Highfields Library at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve Highfields 12/01/16

Learning how to identify wildlife scratches on the gum trees

One large gum tree in the reserve

Appreciating the beauty it the orange fruits of the Tuckeroo Tree

Viewing pretty purple Dianella Berries

Family Discovery Walk

Big old hollow tree in the reserve

Viewing inside the large old hollow tree

One large dead tree with plenty of hollows for wildlife

Beautiful Ferns

Berries of the Native Tape Vine

Eastern Whipbird's of Rogers Reserve

10th January 2016

EASTERN WHIPBIRD'S AT CHARLES & MOTEE ROGERS BUSHLAND RESERVE, HIGHFIELDS

Eastern Whipbird's (sophodes olivaceus) characteristic "whip-crack choo-choo" sound can be heard almost every time we visit the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland at Highfields, but rarely do we get a chance to spot this secretive Australian bird.  Eastern Whipbirds are sedentary, which means that they remain in the same location all year round. Interestingly, the tell tale whip sound, is actually a duet of two birds, the male makes the long whip crack and the female usually follows quickly with a sharp "choo-choo". Eastern Whipbird's like to live in dense eucalyptus forest and the female makes a cup nest of sticks and bark, lined with thin grasses, and placed in dense vegetation near the ground.

On this occasion we were lucky to witness an adult Eastern Whipbird along with a Juvenile close-by. The adult proved very difficult to photograph as it moved around thick bushes quite quickly, but we managed these photos below of the juvenile.

J & B Gray

Juvenile Eastern Whipbird (sophodes olivaceus)

Eastern Whipbird's (sophodes olivaceus) with adult hidden in bush to the left

Elusive Adult Eastern Whipbird (sophodes olivaceus)

Summer at Rogers Reserve 2016

10th January 2016

SUMMER OBSERVATIONS AT CHARLES & MOTEE ROGERS BUSHLAND RESERVE, HIGHFIELDS.

A walk through the Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve in suburban Highfields today, provided plenty to see.  Birds and butterflies aplenty, along with flowering shrubs, wildflowers and more.  Here are just some of the photos of things that we managed to capture, that caught our eye, this morning.

BIRD LIST 10/01/16

1. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
2. Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
3. Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
4. Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
5. Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
6. Galah Eolophus roseicapilla
7. Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis
8. Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
9. Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
10. Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
11. Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti
12. Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
13. Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
14. Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
15. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

INSECT LIST 10/01/16

1. Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly
2. Blue Triangle Butterfly
3. Glasswing Butterfly
4. Small Grass Yellow Butterfly

Hairy-leaved Lollybush (Clerodendrum tomentosum)

Male Variegated Fairy Wren (Malurus lamberti)

Fruit of the Small-Leaf Tuckeroo

Rainbow Lorikeet's

Purple Berries on Native Grasses

Juvenile Eastern Whip Bird

Crows Nest Fern

Fringe Lily Wildflower

Laughing Kookaburra

Devil's Needles Berries

Scaley-breasted Lorikeet checking our a nesting hollow

Blue-Bell Wildflowers

Juvenile Australian Magpie

Parent & Juvenile Australian Magpie's

Berries on Tape Vine

Pale-headed Rosella

Wandering Sailor Wildflowers

Can you see me?  Noisy Miner camouflaging in a Small-leaf Tuckeroo

Nest of a Noisy Miner Honeyeater

Red Beries on native Salt Bush

Indian Mynah's (Invasive Pest Species)

Dollarbird - migratory bird that returns to Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve every year from
Papua New Guinea

Hairy-leaved Lollybush in Highfields Reserve

10th January 2016

HAIRY-LEAVED LOLLYBUSH (Clerodendrum tomentosum)

The vibrant fruits of the native "Hairy-leaved Lollybush" (Clerodendrum tomentosum) at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields. This tall shrub grows to around 10m and is found in drier rainforest's. It has perfumed white flowers in spring to summer, followed by these green-black fruits on 5-lobed red calyx.  There were two noticeable shrubs with fruit on the eastern side of the reserve today.

"Hairy-leaved Lollybush" (Clerodendrum tomentosum)

"Hairy-leaved Lollybush" (Clerodendrum tomentosum)

Black Centres of the "Hairy-leaved Lollybush" (Clerodendrum tomentosum)

Family Discovery Walk at Rogers Reserve

The Toowoomba Regional Libraries - Highfields Library is hosting a Family Discovery Walk as part of their Lost Worlds Holiday Programme at Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve this coming Tuesday the 12th of January at 10.30am.  This is a free event, however, Bookings are essential and can be made at the library.

More information here: https://toowoomba.spydus.com/Events/Events/EventDetail?PgmId=39&RceId=0&RealStartDate=01/12/2016%2010:30:00