ANPS goes to Scabbing Flat

It being a Wednesday, and not the third Wednesday of the month, we took ourselves to Scabbing Flat, which is part of Cuumbeun Nature Reserve on the top of the Queanbeyan escarpment.  Just to do a small bit of foreshadowing, the definition of escarpment mentions the 's-word' - steep!

As the day was characterised by a fairly stiff Southerly wind it was not that warm when in the wind.  However it was quite sunny and overall a very pleasant day.  The interesting plants started as soon as we got through the fence, with this bunch of epicormic growth on a fallen Yellow Box looking most weird.

There were quite a few flowers out, despite the recent frosty weather.  Here are some that were quite common.  In sequence: Brachyscome rigidula, Chrysocephalum apiculatum, and Xerochrysum viscosum.

The first flowering wattles were also seen.  While this species Acacia genistifolia is the first it does give a little hope that the massive flowerings of Spring are not too faraway.

Of course the other iconic family is the Myrtaceae.  Here is a group of trunks shining in the sun (I think Eucalyptus mannifera).

One specimen of this species had been attacked by insects and looked most weird with cavities (rather like huge versions of the openings in Banksia cones when the seed has been ejected).  For some reason I didn't photograph this.  I did photograph the weird collection of insect egg cases (I think that is what they are) on a few eucalypt leaves down close to the ground.  They are stuck out from both surfaces of the leaf rather than - as first appeared - going through the leaf.  Any suggestions as to what they are would be welcome.

Having got into insect stuff, here is a snap of a mantis insect case.  (I had never seen one of these before this year, and they now seem to be a dime -or possibly a nickel - a dozen!)

Finishing off with insects, I noted a few Common Brown butterflies and one Australian Painted Lady.  They were not polite enough to wait to be photographed.

The only fungus I photographed was a Cortinarius sp. (possibly C. erythraeus)

We did also find a (relatively) small Laetiporus portentosus (aka 'White punk') on the ground.  It appeared to have been munched somewhat!

There were VERY few birds around today.  I only noted 13 species (including a Scarlet Robin which was rude enough to wait to appear until I had left the lunch spot)!  Despite looking closely at every Exocarpus I found I not write Boobook down.

Why did I pay mention to "steep" in my preamble?  Because that is a good description of some parts of the Reserve is why!

The group as a whole found one reasonably steep bit while following a fire trail.  However I had to return to the parking area to meet Frances at lunchtime and did so in company of another member who was much younger and a rogainer.  While we did try to dodge the worst of the slopes we did go up and down quite a bit, and at a fair speed.

Getting back to rejoin the group with Frances we went a bit further to the heads of various evil gullies but still caused Frances to make reference to Mountain Goat!  I was quite pleased that we actually managed to re-find the rest of the group in a trackless area of the Reserve.  I was even more surprised that when leading the group back, going even further from the steep bits of the gullies and creeks, I took us through the area where we had partaken morning tea. 

All of this happened close to Queanbeyan. It is therefore traditional to include a photo of a burned out car.  In this case I am surprised they didn't remove the roll cage first.  Perhaps the incendiarists were not the owner of the vehicle?