A cool, damp weekend in the mountains now seems dream-like in the midst of a scorching summer. This was the weather experienced by Field Naturalists on the 14th and 15th of December in the shadows of Sentry Box at Bradleys Creek on the Yaouk Road. The outing occurred on John and Janet Stein’s property in NSW, which extends from the valley, at an elevation of 1120m, to over 1400m along a ridgeline border with Namadgi National Park in the ACT.
After arriving on Saturday, we had morning tea, then some of the group explored the valley, where Native Geraniums and Billy Buttons were flowering in profusion. Here, Alison Milton also discovered many invertebrate species. The remainder of the group crossed Bradleys Creek, leaving the valley floor, for a loop walk up the hill slope. We left the Black Sallee (Eucalyptus stellulata) that tolerate cold-air drainage and fringe the creek, and moved up through snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) forest with the occasional Candlebark (Eucalyptus rubida). Here there was a carpet of yellow with Clustered Everlastings and Leafy Bossiaea in flower. We then passed by granite boulders and into Broad-leaved Peppermint (Eucalyptus dives) forest during a delightfully drizzly shower. Then we continued up to the edge of Mountain Gum (Eucalyptus dalrympleana) forest that covers the slopes above, where we had a lunch break. Almost immediately, John Brickhill noticed scratches on a tree trunk, and Jenni Marsh confirmed it looked like glider landing marks. A huge wood fungus was also seen in the canopy.
High on the ridge was Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis), but the mountain-side slope was steep and fire-regrowth was thick, so we headed down instead, where walking was easy in long-unburnt forest. We followed the edge of a gully and before long, a cave was found. Elin went right in while others looked on. Eventually we reached the valley, where we stopped for an afternoon snack at the edge of the wetlands, where Bradleys Creek fans out. Some returned by the side of the creek, but others explored the wetland, then needed to cross the main channel to go back. John came across the distinctive call of a Golden-headed Cisticola.
The six of us who camped overnight were rewarded with the calls of Whistling Tree Frogs and a Boobook Owl, and a dark sky with very bright stars.
The great discovery of Sunday morning was a Lewins Rail by John. Unfortunately, it was dead.
Before leaving, Isobel Crawford wandered around the valley with us and generously shared her plant identification expertise. This was enormously appreciated. (See her list below)
Elin Adam’s efforts in the compilation of a bird list were also greatly appreciated. (also below)
– John Stein
Bird List – Elin Adams:
Gang-gang Cockatoo
Sulphur-crested cockatoo
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
Red Wattlebird
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Rufous whistler
Laughing kookaburra
Baby Australian magpie
Superb fairywren
Flame robin
Scarlet robin
Grey Currawong
Pied currawong
Crimson rosella
Grey Shrike-thrush
Fantail Cuckoo
Sahul Brush cuckoo
Striated Pardalote
Spotted Pardalote
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Australian Brown Thornbill
White-browed Scrubwren
Grey Fantail
White-throated Treecreeper
Superb Lyrebird
Nankeen Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Swamp Harrier
Australian Raven
Little Raven
Australian wood duck
Leaden flycatcher
Golden-headed Cisticola
Lewins Rail
Boobook Owl
Some of the plants in flower – John Stein:
Ozothamnus thyrsoidens (Sticky Everlasting Bush)
Geranium solanderi var solanderi (Native Geranium)
Craspedia variabilis (Billy Buttons)
Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Common everlasting)
Chrysocephalum semipapposum (Clustered everlasting)
Bossiaea foliosa (Leafy Bossiaea)
Stylidium montanum (Alpine Triggerplant)
Cassinia aculeata subsp. Aculeata (Dolly Bush)
Hibbertia obtusifolia (Hoary Guineaflower)
Orchid Diuris semilunulata (Late Leopard Orchid)
Creamy Candles (Stackhousia monogyna)
Brachyscome decipiens (Field Daisy)
Wahlenbergia planiflora subsp. Planiflora (Flat Bluebell)
Bulbine glauca (Rock Lily)
Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. Tuberosus (Common Fringe Lily)
Velleia paradoxa (Spurred Velleia)
Viola betonicifolia subsp. betonicifolia (Mountain Violet)
Leptospermum grandifolium
Callistemon sieberi (River Bottlebrush)
Additions to plant list – Isobel Crawford
| family | scientific name NSW Plantnet | common name NSW Plantnet | notes | scientific name ACT Census | common name ACT Census |
| Araliaceae | Trachymene humilis subsp. humilis | Alpine Laceflower | Trachymene humilis ssp. humilis | Alpine Laceflower | |
| Asteraceae | Cassinia longifolia | Cassinia longifolia | Cauliflower Bush | ||
| Asteraceae | Cymbonotus preissianus | Austral Bear’s Ears | underside of leaf with ‘coarse multicellular hairs on nerves’ | Cymbonotus preissianus | Austral Bear’s Ears |
| Asteraceae | Senecio longipilus | ||||
| Boraginaceae | Cynoglossum australe | Cynoglossum australe | Australian Hound’s Tongue | ||
| Boraginaceae | Hackelia suaveolens | Hackelia suaveolens | Sweet Hound’s Tongue | ||
| Caryophyllaceae | Scleranthus sp. | leaf margins and keel fimbriate ? fascicularis /brockiei | Scleranthus sp. | ||
| Ericaceae | Acrothamnus hookeri | Leucopogon hookeri | Mountain Beard-heath | ||
| Ericaceae | Acrotriche serrulata | Honeypots | Acrotriche serrulata | Groundberry | |
| Ericaceae | Epacris breviflora | k 3.1 mm and >corolla tube | Epacris breviflora | ||
| Ericaceae | Leucopogon fletcheri subsp. brevisepalus | Leucopogon fletcheri ssp. brevisepala | Twin-flowered Beardheath | ||
| Fabaceae | *Trifolium campestre | Hop Clover | *Trifolium campestre | Hop Clover | |
| Fabaceae | *Trifolium dubium | Yellow Suckling Clover | *Trifolium dubium | Yellow Suckling Clover | |
| Fabaceae | *Trifolium repens | White Clover | *Trifolium repens | White Clover | |
| Fabaceae | Bossiaea buxifolia | Bossiaea buxifolia | Matted Bossiaea | ||
| Fabaceae | Swainsona monticola | Notched Swainson-pea | Swainsona monticola | Notched Swainson-pea | |
| Gentianaceae | *Centaurium erythraea | Common Centaury | Centaurium erythraea | Common Centaury | |
| Hypericaceae | Hypericum gramineum | Small St. John’s Wort | Hypericum gramineum | Small St. John’s Wort | |
| Juncaceae | Juncus filicaulis | Juncus filicaulis | Thread Rush | ||
| Mimosaceae | Acacia dealbata ssp.?dealbata | Silver Wattle | pinnae to 2.4 cm, 15–16 prs; pinnules to 2.5 mm, 34 pairs | Acacia dealbata ssp. ?dealbata | Silver Wattle |
| Myrtaceae | Baeckea gunniana | Alpine Baeckea | leaves 4.9 x 1.8 mm; pedicel 0.8 mm. | Baeckea gunniana | Alpine Baeckea |
| Myrtaceae | Callistemon sieberi | River Bottlebrush | leaves 2.2 cm x 1.7 mm | Melaleuca paludicola | River Bottlebrush |
| Plantaginaceae | *Plantago lanceolata | Lamb’s Tongues, Plantain | Plantago lanceolata | Ribwort | |
| Plantaginaceae | Plantago varia | Plantago varia | Variable Plantain | ||
| Plantaginaceae | Veronica calycina | Hairy Speedwell, Cup Speedwell | Veronica calycina | Hairy Speedwell | |
| Plantaginaceae | Veronica gracilis | Slender Speedwell | Veronica gracilis | Slender Speedwell | |
| Poaceae | *Aira caryophyllea | sp. 2.9 mm; glume 2.9 mm, l. 2.2 mm. | *Aira caryophyllea var. caryophyllea | Silvery Hairgrass | |
| Poaceae | *Vulpia bromoides | Squirrel Tail Fescue, Silver Grass | l. 6.5 mm x 1.5 mm; l.g. 4.0 mm; u.g. 6.4 mm; callus 0.1 mm. | *Vulpia bromoides | Squirrel-tail Fescue |
| Poaceae | Anthosachne scabra | Common Wheatgrass | Anthosachne scabra | Common Wheatgrass | |
| Poaceae | Poa induta | Poa induta | A snowgrass | ||
| Poaceae | Rytidosperma laeve | l.g. 17 mm, 9–n; u.g. 17 mm, 9–n; l.b. 4.5 mm; l.l.4 mm; l.l.b. 4.5 mm; p>s by 2.0 mm. | Rytidosperma laeve | Bare-backed Wallaby Grass | |
| Ranunculaceae | Ranunculus lappaceus | Common Buttercup, Yarrakalgamba (D’harawal) | Ranunculus lappaceus | Australian Buttercup | |
| Rosaceae | Acaena ovina | Acaena ovina | Sheep’s Burr | ||
| Violaceae | Viola betonicifolia | Native Violet, Showy Violet | Viola betonicifolia ssp. betonicifolia | Mountain Violet |