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