22 de enero de 2021

Bungendore - Spooks Hill - Summer- January 22

It's been a while since I walked up to Spooks Hill and it's interesting to see the grasses once green are tall and dry, their seed heads nodding in the breeze. The native raspberry Rubus parvifolius have sweet, red berries though they are desiccating on the brambles. The Scotch Thistle Onoporium acanthium seems to have been taken over by a new type of thistle that I've never seen before but looks to be Carthamus lanatus.

I spotted another plant I hadn't seen before. It looks like some kind of Eryngos but I can't be sure what kind. There was also a tree heaving with small yellow fruit. They tasted like plums so I'm assuming that the tree was a yellow fruiting Cherry-Plum Prunus cerasifera. I wasn't sure if several of the purple flowering plants along the path were Paterson's Curse Echium plantagineum because they don't look like the ID photos.

Publicado el enero 22, 2021 09:36 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 5 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

03 de junio de 2020

Bungendore - Spooks Hill - Winter - June 3

It was a lovely crisp and sunny morning for a long wander through the radiata pine forest at the top of Spooks Hill. I spotted so many Fly Agarics Amanita muscaria on the edges of the forest and especially under the oak trees on the northeastern slope. There were also lots of tiny Bonnet Mushrooms scattered on the ground.

Going off the path to explore under the Oaks I was pleasantly surprised to find a large group of mushrooms I've never seen, snuggled into the thick layer of oak leaves. They were a beautiful soft grey/purple colour with light purple stipe and gills. After checking ID it looks like they could be Wood Blewitt Lepista nuda, which means they're edible. I might pick some next time I go up the hill if they're still around by then.

Publicado el junio 3, 2020 03:08 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 2 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

Bungendore - Around Town - Autumn - June 2020

Walking around town this week has been lovely, the weather is gorgeous and I've spotted some interesting mushrooms. A happy looking troupe of Shaggy Manes Coprinus comatus have blossomed under a sign in the centre of town. They've already started to autodigest itself into black goopiness and I didn't realise that they were edible as long as they were eaten immediately.

This morning, on my walk back from Spooks Hill, I spotted a big cluster of Spectacular Rustgills Gymnipilus junonius under an old Eucalypt tree.

I'm also proud of a submission I made to Council on Monday, to redesign a large car park development in town. I suggested that it would be much better for local businesses, the community and the environment to retain the gardens, buildings and green space for a 'Village Green and Gardens' concept, and reduce the car park footprint.

The submission received a very positive response from the community when I posted it on the Bungendore Community Noticeboard on Facebook. I hope the Council listens to the community and sees the potential in the space.

Publicado el junio 3, 2020 02:42 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 2 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

24 de mayo de 2020

Bungendore Bio-region Information

Bungendore lies within Australia's South Eastern Highlands Bioregion, which spans just under the Sydney Basin inland to Orange, Bathurst, and Goulburn, and south through the Monaro and Alpine Region into Northern Victoria.

Climate
The climate is temperate with hot summers (30 degrees Celcius spiking to 40 degrees) and cool winters (down to -1 degrees Celcius with short troughs to -6). Fog is common in autumn and winter, but thunderstorms are infrequent. Strong gales with high winds are common in winter. Rain is variable but not seasonal.

Geology
Bungendore township lies in the middle of a valley running N-S with the Lachlan Fold Belt causing the formation of the Lake George Escarpment to the West. Gibraltar Hill and small mountain ranges, part of the Great Dividing Range, lie to the East of the township.

The geology is composed of palaeozoic granites, metamorphosed sedimentary rocks and tertiary basalt outcrops. During the Devonian Period, the region was an open sea accumulating fine shale, sandstone and volcanic sediments. The soil is shallow red earth on the ridges, yellow textured contrast soil on the slopes and deep coarse sand on the alluvium.

Water Catchment
The town lies in the Lake George water catchment. Lake George is a shallow, dry endorheic lake basin with lunettes and fossil high water tide lines. The main waterway is Turallo Creek which flows from the Tallaganda forest, through Bungendore into Lake George. Turallo Creek flows intermittently in response to rain events.

When water accumulates in Lake George as a result of rain events, it is brackish, almost as saline as seawater and one of the saltiest bodies of water in inland NSW.

Lake George is called Weereewa by local indigenous peoples, which means 'bad water.' There is a theory that the lake may be connected to the nearby Yass River by subterranean aquifers which pass under the surrounding escarpment, and that this connection may explain the salinity of the river.

First Nations
As stated on Wikipedia - The original inhabitants of the region were the Ngambri peoples. There is contention about which First Nations group can lay claim to the region. However, government-commissioned research found that the family who lived in the Ngambri location were part of the Nyamudy/Namadji people who lived on the Limestone Plains and spoke a language similar to Ngarigo spoken on the Monaro Plains.

The Nyamudy/Namadgi people, some 500 persons, consisted of at least eight family groupings, those around Queanbeyan (Ngyemutch), Pialligo, Brindabellas, Isabella Plains (Namwitch), Namadgi Range, and Sullivan's Creek (Ngambri). The name used by the early European settlers for these people was the 'Pialligo Mob' and 'Limestone Blacks". In 1831 the Ngambri area was granted to settler John McPherson who called it Springbank. By the 1860s the Nyamudy tribe under the pressure of the settlements had either moved up to the Monaro or had merged with the Europeans.

Land Use
The land around Bungendore is used for grazing of cattle and sheep. There is a small Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation close to the town, which is owned by the local butcher and grazier. To the SW, between Bungendore and Queanbeyan are several NSW government Radiata Pine plantations. Several cold country vineyards are established at the top of the Lake George Escarpment.

The township is composed of medium to low-density housing surrounded by larger block estates, small farms and large grazing properties.

Environmental Impacts
The area suffers from the consequences of grazing, deforestation, monocropping, and use of fertilisers and pesticides. This has resulted in land degradation, heavily compacted soils, soil erosion, weed infestations, habitat fragmentation, and water insecurity.

Ecological Restoration

  • Palerang Riparian Restoration Program - part of the Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority Project
  • Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council Flood Mitigation project - part of the Bungendore Floodplain Risk Management Plan involving the removal of dense vegetation and creek re-shaping where Turallo and Halfway Creeks meet
  • Bungendore Community Landcare Group
  • Mulloon Rehydration Project
  • Woodland Bird Project - through Molongolo Conservation
  • Ngambri Local Aboriginal Land Council
Publicado el mayo 24, 2020 11:53 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

Bungendore - Spooks Hill - Autumn - May 24

We've had several days of rain and cold weather near the end of this week. The ground was soaked but not waterlogged. A cold and brisk breeze blew steadily all day, scudding clouds with frequent sun breaks. The frogs croaked in the divet along the railroad track. Salsify Tragopogon pratensis and False Dandelion Hypochaeris radicata nodded their fluffy seed heads in the breeze. None of the Native Raspberries Rubus parvifolius or Blackberries Rubus fruticosus have any berries emerging from their sepals despite large flower flushes. Now their leaves are starting to turn I doubt if there will be any berries this season. I wonder if that's because the bees did not pollinate the flowers or if the drought and fires we had over our harsh summer did something to their fertility.

The patches of weedy groundcover that I've noticed scattered throughout the forest are fruiting with tiny red berries. I have no idea what these are and the plant identification apps haven't been able to help. Hopefully, the inaturalist community will be able to help.

More crops of Saffron Milkcaps Lactarius deliciosus have popped up throughout the forest and a new flush of Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria have popped up in their patch on the NE side of the forest. None of the lomandras Lomandra filiformis are flowering but the Lip Ferns Cheilanthes are looking lush. The Yellow Buttons Chrysocephalum apiculatum and Native Blue Bells Wahlenbergia stricta have slowed down their flowering.

A small family of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos Calyptorhynchus funereus swooped through the trees at the edge of the forest, making their beautiful mournful calls. The Ravens Corvus coronoides must have been out foraging as they weren't in the forest like they normally are.

Publicado el mayo 24, 2020 10:41 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 1 observación | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

10 de mayo de 2020

Bungendore - Spooks Hill - Autumn - May 9

We've had a good amount of steady rain throughout the week and Saturday morning was sunny and fresh with a deep blue, cloudless sky. The pine forest was full of mushrooms. There were many more large groups of Saffron Milkcap Lactarius deliciosus scattered through the forest. On the northwestern side of the pine forest, large numbers of what looks like immature bracken Pteridium aquilinum have popped up. I also noticed a group of Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria further in the forest. There were large numbers of the small, white and funnel-shaped mushrooms scattered throughout the forest. I haven't been able to confidently identify them but they might be Fragrant Funnels Clitocybe fragrans. I need to smell them next time to see if I can scent aniseed and then I'll be more certain.

Publicado el mayo 10, 2020 11:27 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 4 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

04 de mayo de 2020

Bungendore - Spooks Hill - Autumn - May 3

A brilliant, sunny Autumn day after three days of cold, steady rain. The ground is damp and the plants have had another good drink. The Native Australian Raspberry Rubus parvifolus still hasn't fruited.

Mushrooms have popped up all over the forest floor. There were several clusters of Saffron Milkcap Lactarius deliciosus. I picked one to take home and taste. The small white/grey mushrooms were scattered across the forest floor, especially where there was deep litter. I'm hoping the iNaturalist community might help with identification.

I also noticed a cluster of what I think are Onion Earthballs Scleroderma cepa underneath an oak tree on the edge of the pine forest.

There were many clumps of rushes popping up on the norther-eastern edge of the pine forest. One of these clumps had flowers and I was able to identify them as Wattle Mat-rush Lomandra filiformis. It will be nice to see them mass flowering in the next couple of weeks.

I also noticed a thistle plant on the eastern edge of the forest that looked more delicate than the ubiquitous Scotch Thistle found in paddocks throughout the region. The whole plant, including the flowers, were more delicate and the growing habit was more rambling than upright. I suspected it might be the Spear Thistle Cirsium vulgare. This was confirmed by a fellow naturalist, thank you 'reiner.'

Publicado el mayo 4, 2020 10:24 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 6 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

26 de abril de 2020

Bungendore - Spooks Hill - Autumn - April 25

I had been recording my observations on Evernote but this is a much more useful place for my field journal notes.


The start of 2020 was a horrendous one for many people. Here in Bungendore at least, we weren't directly threatened by fires although huge fires burned for many weeks all around us, some very close and impacting our region's farmers. For two months, the air was thick with smoke from so many fires, hot and dusty from the endless drought. Images of burnt towns, forest and animals flooded our screens. There was fear and stress in everyone's eyes. Water was running out, restrictions were tightened.

It was so hot and dry for so long that even the eucalypts were dying, whole swathes of trees baked grey in the sun. That's what worried me the most, the trees most adapted to our climate were losing their struggle to survive. The ground was baked dry and lifeless, turned to dust and scoured away with the winds. I felt anguish for our Earth whenever I went outside. The only plant that seemed to be thriving was the Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceolata. I could not begrudge its greenery amongst the drabness, and I admired its determination.

The rains that came in February brought blessed relief to everyone, humans, animals and plants alike. Deep steady rain cooled the fevered land and soothed our harrowed souls. The rains came steadily and regularly throughout March and almost overnight the land flushed green, overtaken by vast expanses of Mallow Malva sylvestris and Purslane Portulaca oleracea.

Other common weeds flourished: Dandelion Taraxacum officinale, Flaxleaf Fleabane Conyza bonariensis, Smooth Hawksbeard Crepis capillaris and Wild Chervil (aka Cow Parsley) Anthriscus sylvestris.

Over the following weeks I noticed Purslane start to decline, then Fleabane, while Shepherd's Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris began to emerge and became increasingly abundant as did Turnip Weed Rapistrum rugosum (aka Bastard Cabbage... which gave me a hearty laugh when I discovered the name, now I giggle every time I see bastard cabbages, I giggle alot).

As beautiful Autumn weather descended, days of blue skies, warm sun and cool breezes, I began to take weekly walks to Spooks Hill and decided to document the plants that I noticed or could not identify. One of the first things I noticed was that in the grassland below the pine forest crown, the Blackberry brambles Rubus fruticosus, which used to be plentiful had greatly reduced in numbers. Instead, I found an abundance of much more delicate looking brambles, with rose-coloured canes, small and delicate leaves, and pink flowers with pointed petals. I was happy to learn that these were Australian Native Raspberries Rubus parvifolius. I'm looking forward to their fruit!

The area was also scattered with bare-leafed Dog rose Rosa canina covered in ruby-red rosehips. These plants are a declared weed in Australia as they are invasive, harbour pests and displace native species. Interestingly, when I walked by yesterday, I noticed the roses were covered in leaves. It seems a little out of season to be leafing as the weather is turning towards winter.

I am particularly interested in mushrooms at the moment as they are so unfamiliar to me. I was excited to see several different species growing in the pine forest but found it difficult to identify them. The first mushroom I noticed was large and vase-shaped. Several specimens looked like they had been foraged then discarded. I was later happy to receive help from this website to identify the species as the edible Saffron Milkcap Lactarius deliciosus.

Further in I saw a group of white mushrooms that could have been very immature milk caps but dry weather over the last week meant that they were desiccated when I last visited. I have also identified Scaly Rustgill Gymnopilus sapineus and Spectacular Rustgill Gymnopilus junonius. The Spectacular Rustgill had doubled in size by my last visit, yesterday.

I also spotted what I think was a Slippery Jack Suillus sp. There were more mature Saffron Milkcaps on the other side of the forest and I was delighted to see a Common Puffball Lycoperdon perlatum under an Oak tree just below the pine forest. Unfortunately, the Puffball had already been 'puffed' and was desiccated by the time I returned yesterday.

I suspect the pine forest is in decline. The hard summer we just experienced, coupled with the age of the forest that I'm guestimating to be close to 100 years old means that the trees are not looking well. There are many dead branches and the presence of saprotrophic mushrooms could be indicating this decline. All the trees are of the same age and there is no progeny. It will be a sad day when this forest is lost to old age or removal. The trees appear to be Radiata Pine Pinus radiata.

Publicado el abril 26, 2020 05:12 MAÑANA por froggie79 froggie79 | 8 observaciones | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

Archivos