Kwinana Rockingham Mandurah Branch, 21- 23 September 2024
The September excursion was a long weekend visit to the Wongan Hills area to explore several local nature reserves. The visit coincided with the Great Southern Bioblitz 2024, which provided an opportunity to record the biodiversity of the Wongan Hills Region in this event. A group of nine members and two visitors met at the car park for Christmas Rock, the first reserve visited, at 10:00 am on Saturday. We found this reserve had a lot of weeds. But despite this, there were some interesting plants, birds and insects to see. Bird species sighted included the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Rufous Songlark and Pied Butcherbird. We found no orchids in bloom; it was too late and too dry.
After a stop for lunch, we set off for Roger’s Reserve. We saw a Spotted Harrier swooping low over the road verge on the way. The reserve had interesting plants, birds and rock formations. At the nearby Mt O’Brien lookout, we saw the Purple-backed Fairy Wrens while enjoying the nice views from this location. It was then on to Mt. Matilda (where two more members joined the group) and Elphin Nature Reserves for brief stops before heading back to town to get ready for dinner at the hotel. After dinner, Daniel and Desiree Heald and their friend Belinda went back to Christmas Rock to set up a light trap to collect insects for the Bio Blitz.
On Sunday morning, we awoke to the melodious song of the Pied Butcherbird, with a Pallid Cuckoo calling in the distance. Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos, Corellas and Galahs flew past. At 8 o’clock, we headed off to Dingo Rock for the morning. We found this to be a great reserve, and the flowering Red Granite Kunzea (Kunzea pulchella) was stunning. On top of the rock, there was a patch of pink flowering sundews. Two Gnamma holes on the right-hand side of the rock still held water and were teaming with life, which kept Daniel busy identifying what was present. Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo and White-winged Triller were among the bird species recorded here.
After a stop off in town for lunch (the café is very good), we went off to Reynoldson Reserve for the afternoon. Although a bit early for the Verticordia (still a few weeks off flowering), the Black Toothbrush (Grevillea armigera) and Flame Grevillea (Grevillea eriostachya) were looking good. Spotted Harrier, Masked Woodswallow, Crimson Chat, and Rufous Songlark were among the bird species sighted here. After dinner that evening, a group of 5 members went to Mt. O’Brien to set up a light trap. Despite being a bit windy, many moths, beetles and other insects were photographed and recorded. A nice little gecko, Western Tree Dtella (Gehyra variegata), was also sighted.
We visited the Wongan Hills Wildflower Walk on Monday morning after packing for our departure. It is a great area for flowering shrubs, and three orchid species were also sighted here: Purple Enamel (Elythranthera brunonis), Donkey Orchid (Diuris sp.) and Cowslips (Caladenia flava). Many insects were sighted on some flowering plants, and many photographs were taken.
The group departed Wongan Hills mid-morning, with a few stopping off at Lake Ninan on the way home. The water was salty, and no water birds were present. A Sacred Kingfisher was a nice addition to the bird list for the weekend. In total, 54 species of birds were sighted, which, together with extensive lists of flora and fauna, made it a great weekend.
The Great Southern Bio Blitz project set up for Wongan Hills recorded 1,007 observations and 354 species (with some identifications still to come). One notable species posted to the project was a Bee Fly, Neosardus cosmus. The identifier, Chris Lambkin, commented that Daniel’s photograph is the first recorded of this species and also the first sighting away from its only known habitat in the Great Victoria Desert.
Chris Punter