By: Michael Fox
A beautiful morning to welcome our friends from Clairvaux MacKillop College and bonus our best Koala spotters had left a large arrow on the track pointing to a cute ball of fluff curled up against the cold. A special treat for our visitors, many of whom had never seen a Koala in the bush.
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It is always a pleasure to welcome the students to work with me in the bush … aside from a mile of weeds removed they always find interesting flora and fauna.
Special finds included tiny Birds Nest Fungi Cyathus novaezelandiae. These fungi have cups holding egg-like peridioles: with a hard outer casing which holding a mass of spores. The peridioles are splashed out by rain drops.
Another special find was Scarlet Bracket Pycnoporus coccineus dressed out in fluorescent bright orange. Bracket or wood decay fungi are typically found on dead trees or branches. Mycelium from the fungi grow through the dead timber releasing enzymes that break down and recycle plant material.
The Scarlet Bracket fungi is common in bushlands and gardens. Note of the pores on the underside.
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We were closely watched by a handsome Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus the team named Derick. Our Butcherbirds and Kookaburras love to join us at Bushcare so they can snap up insects for breakfast.
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A Burton’s Legless Lizard Lialis burtonis was found hidden in the leaf litter and put on a performance twisting in knots.
I have reported our observations to iNaturalist for verification. You can check local observations: go to iNaturalist enter Mt Gravatt in Location.
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Great job Team … thank you.
Mount Gravatt Environment Group 