On Sunday 6^th April, an enthusiastic group of field naturalists participated in an outing to Red Rocks Gorge on the Murrumbidgee River. It was a beautiful cool autumn morning enjoyed by all, and it was enhanced by the sharing of much knowledge within the group.

The timing of our walk from Kambah Pool carpark to Red Rocks Gorge coincided with altitudinal migration of honeyeaters. At least 50 Yellow-Faced honeyeaters were seen, and heard, flying high overhead. Surprisingly for me, they weren’t following the Murrumbidgee downstream but were flying upstream. David Dedenczuk explained that they would only go upstream for a while, then turn east at a suitable place and descend to the coast. (On an outing last spring to Scottsdale Reserve, further upstream, we had observed them flying to the high country from east to west, so that would seem to be one crossing point on the Murrumbidgee). We also heard White-Naped Honeyeaters, another altitudinal migrant, and a pair of Scarlet Robins were sighted in the lower canopy. The full bird list below was gratefully compiled by David.

Immersed in nature, we made our way slowly along the track to the scenic lookout, above a bend in the river, to view Red Rocks Gorge. A real highlight during the walk was the discovery of lichens in the company of Silva Landers with her expertise on the topic. Silva’s beautiful photos with text are shown below. Mosses and Puffball fungi were also observed. Plants in flower included Xerochrysum viscosum (Sticky Everlasting Daisy), Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Common Everlasting Daisy) and Styphelia humifusa (Cranberry Heath). On the way back we came across a Red-Bellied Black Snake near the track. David’s excellent photo is also shown below.

After the walk, a few of us continued discussions at a very pleasant café in Kambah.

– John Stein, outing leader

Photo: Silva Landers – *Usnea sp*. (Old Man’s Beard) or (Beard Lichen). Species in this genus have a distinct fruticose (shrubby) growth form with thin branches that, when pulled apart, reveal an elastic thread of hyphae belonging to the fungal partner. Growth of these lichens is stunted or entirely restricted in areas of poor air quality due to their sensitivity to air pollutants, making them a useful bioindicator. Usnea lichens have long been used for medicinal purposes owing to the antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties of one of their metabolites, usnic acid.

Photo: Silva Landers – *Teloschistes sp*. This beautiful lichen gets its orange colour from the pigment parietin, which the lichen uses like a sunscreen to protect its algae symbiont from excessive exposure to solar irradiance. Ever efficient, these lichens produce this pigment in proportion to need, and the same species can be found exhibiting a range of shades from rich oranges in exposed, sunny positions through to pale yellows when growing in a shaded spot.

BIRD LIST

White-bellied Sea-Eagle	1
Laughing Kookaburra	1
Galah	5
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo	10
Crimson Rosella	2
Superb Fairywren	2
Eastern Spinebill	3
Yellow-faced Honeyeater	50
Noisy Miner	1
White-eared Honeyeater	1
White-naped Honeyeater	4
Spotted Pardalote	2
Striated Pardalote	1
Weebill	1
White-browed Scrubwren	1
Striated Thornbill	5
Buff-rumped Thornbill	4
Grey Shrikethrush	2
Rufous Whistler	2
Dusky Woodswallow	4
Australian Magpie	3
Pied Currawong	6
Grey Fantail	2
Australian Raven	2
Scarlet Robin	2
Silvereye	5

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Apr 2025 – Red Rocks Gorge

Upcoming Events

June Monthly Meeting – Speaker: Steve Taylor “The Citizen Science of Giant Eucalypts”

July Monthly Meeting – Speaker: Shoshana Rapley “Bush Stone-curlews”

August Monthly Meeting – Speaker: Jane Roberts “Travelling Stock Reserves and aquatic conservation values”

September Monthly Meeting – Speaker: Ben Keaney “Bogs and Fens in the High Country”

October Monthly Meeting – Speaker: Carolyn Larcombe “Wandiyali~Environa Wildlife Sanctuary”