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

Great Barred Frog at Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve

Recently some local wildlife experts did a night-time spotlight at the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve. Among the animals they saw, they spotted this Great Barred Frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus) on the nature trail.  This very large, long-legged frog is usually found in upland or lowland rainforest's near running streams, so it was a surprise to see it at the Rogers Reserve as there isn't a water source within the reserve. During the day it digs down into the leaf litter and soil to conceal itself.  At night it emerges to hunt for invertebrates amongst leaf littler or stream edges.

Great Barred Frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus)at Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, Highfields.

Females lick their large fertilised eggs into the leaf littler.  This species cannot tolerate forest clearing and is often found in protected habitats like national parks.  It is wonderful to see that is living successfully in the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields.

Similar looking species to the Great Barred Frog, are the Giant Barred Frog (Mixophyes iteratus) which is classed as Endangered in QLD and NSW and the Fleay's Barred Frog (Mixophyes fleayi) Endangered Species in NSW and Qld also.

J.G.

(Information Source: Australian Frogs by Lynne Adcock & Ian Morris) and the Australian Government Biodiversity Species Profile & Threats Database 2014)