Sign of the Bellbird, Trip #51

The ‘Sign of the Bellbird’ was built in 1914, as a tearooms and caretakers cottage. There are several photos of the building here and here. It is on the edge of Kennedys Bush Reserve.

cc looking IMG_0972
Investigating ferns and spiders on an old wall.
cc map Screen Shot 2017-11-07 at 10.00.35 PM
Location of the Sign of the Bellbird, marked with a red pin.

In September (2017) we explored a very small area around the building site, including the short ‘totara walk’. Below is some of what we saw.

Animals

Sheetweb spider

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Sheetweb spider (Cambridgea sp.).

Garden orbweb spider

cc Eriophora pustulosa IMG_0981
Garden orbweb spider (Eriophora pustulosa).

Bagworm moth

One of the bagworm moths, see here. The catepillars build protective cases around themselves to hide in.

cc Lepidoscia heliochares IMG_1008
Bagworm moth (Lepidoscia heliochares).

Cabbage tree moth

These feed on cabbage tree leaves. They emerge into moths with a stripy pattern, that looks like the pattern on a dead cabbage tree leaf, see here.

cc Epiphryne verriculata IMG_1012
Catepillar of a cabbage tree moth (Epiphryne verriculata).

Springtail

cc springtail IMG_1067
Springtail (Order Poduromorpha) on a fungus.

Beetles

cc holes in wood IMG_1062
Holes in fallen branches.
cc evidence of beetle larvae IMG_1090
Evidence of beetles in a rotting log.

Plants

Garden grape-hyacinth

This was near the carpark, and was likely planted – it is a popular garden plant.

cc Muscari armeniacum IMG_0912
Garden grape-hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum).

Creeping willowherb

cc Epilobium nummularifolium IMG_1002
Creeping willowherb (Epilobium nummularifolium).

Scrambling fumitory

cc Fumaria officinalis IMG_1011
Scrambling fumitory (Fumaria muralis).

Poataniwha

cc Melicope simplex IMG_1049
Poataniwha (Melicope simplex).

Kaikomako

cc Pennantia corymbosa IMG_1113
Kaikomako (Pennantia corymbosa).

Kohuhu

cc Pittosporum tenuifolium IMG_0961
Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium).

Mahoe

cc Melicytus ramiflorus IMG_0964
Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus).

Broadleaf

cc Griselinia littoralis IMG_0965
Broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis).

Five finger

cc Pseudopanax arboreus IMG_0963
Five finger (Pseudopanax arboreus).

Lancewood

cc Pseudopanax crassifolius IMG_1021
Lancewood (Pseudopanax crassifolius).

Kotukutuku

cc Fuchsia excorticata IMG_1112
Kotukutuku (Fuchsia excorticata).

Tōtara

cc Podocarpus totara IMG_0962
Tōtara (Podocarpus totara).

New Zealand Bindweed

cc Calystegia tuguriorum IMG_0968
New Zealand bindweed (Calystegia tuguriorum).

Mosses

This species grows on every continent, including Antarctica:

cc Polytrichum juniperinum IMG_0957
Juniper polytrichum moss (Polytrichum juniperinum).
cc moss IMG_0957
Unidentified moss species.
cc bryophyte IMG_1096
Unidentified bryophyte.

Liverworts

cc Lunularia cruciata IMG_0990
Crescent-cup liverwort (Lunularia cruciata).

Ferns

cc Polystichum oculatum IMG_1053
Shield fern (Polystichum oculatum).
cc Polypodium vulgare IMG_0973
Common polypody (Polypodium vulgare).
cc Phymatosorus diversifolius IMG_1058
Hound’s tongue fern (Microsorum pustulatum).
cc Pellaea rotundifolia IMG_1053
Button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia).
cc Asplenium flabellifolium IMG_1119
Necklace fern (Asplenium flabellifolium).
cc Asplenium appendiculatum IMG_1060
Asplenium appendiculatum ssp. appendiculatum.

 

Fungi, including lichens

Dendrothele sp.

cc Dendrothele IMG_1031
Dendrothele nivosa fungi (or similar).

Daldinia sp.

Daldinia sp. fungus.

Shelf fungi

cc shelf fungus IMG_1111
Shelf fungus and moss.

 

Most of the lichens we didn’t manage to identify, but we had a look to see how many different ones we could find.

Lichen

Lichens cover many of the exposed rock on the Port Hills.

Many lichen species, on volcanic rock.
Many lichen species, on volcanic rock.

 

The Sign of the Bellbird was a great spot to explore.

cc scenery IMG_2422
View into Lyttleton Harbour.

Our thanks to the folk at NatureWatch for help with identifications.

 

Leave a comment

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑