Also known as the Scarlet Coral-Pea or Scarlet Runner, this brightly coloured flower is covering the ground in a grassy area just behind our orchard. While I believe it is a creeper that grows along the ground, it looks like many individual plants growing together in a clump. The flowers are about 2 cm across, … Continue reading Running Postman ( Kennedia prostrata R. Br.)
Month: September 2013
Vanilla Orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)
In researching this orchid I have discovered that it is also called the Lemon Orchid, Rabbit-ears or Rabbit’s Ears Orchid. Looking at the photo on the guide, I can see that the dark marks in the centre do look like some flopsy ears. These aren’t shown in my photos, so I will go back out … Continue reading Vanilla Orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)
Grey Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla harmonica)
The Story: I’m amazed at how many new bird species we find inside the cat enclosure, which was designed to keep the cats in and the birds out. Hmmm, it is obviously not working as well as it should. Yesterday, a pleasant lunch was interrupted by loud bird calls, and excited cat noises. I went … Continue reading Grey Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla harmonica)
A Taste of Honey – the Eastern Spinebill is back
Our new, larger, laundry window has proved useful in observing this honeyeater feed. Last year, I photographed the Red Wattle Bird feeding on this cactus in flower, but the cat netting prevents the larger birds from coming into our back yard now. Small birds, such as this Eastern Spinebill, sneak through the openings on the … Continue reading A Taste of Honey – the Eastern Spinebill is back
Native Pea Flowers
In one vibrant corner of our bush we have Waxlip Orchids, Pink Eyes (coming soon!) and this glorious shrub covered in gold and red flowers. So many of our native shrubs have flowers of this colour and shape, and my head is spinning from trying to identify this one correctly. I believe it is probably … Continue reading Native Pea Flowers
Pink Fingers: Australian Native Orchid (Caladenia carnea)
Today I was finally able to go out looking for native flowers again. I’ve had a busy few days, and when I was ready to take a break, it was raining. Over the three days, many more Waxlip Orchids have opened. I found these distributed throughout the bushland, with some patches and some solitary plants. … Continue reading Pink Fingers: Australian Native Orchid (Caladenia carnea)
Gnat Orchid
On the same day I photographed the Waxlip Orchid, I also managed to get some clearer photographs of the Gnat Orchid. This Orchid is so hard to see. It is so tiny, the stems are slimmer than a blade of grass, and brownish purple. i was so lucky to be with people who knew what … Continue reading Gnat Orchid
Tree Angles
Over the past month we’ve had some days of very high wind. This took a toll on some of our trees, but mainly with branches falling. These old Wattles were already dead, and some of them had already snapped off, but we had a few more snap recently. I like the effect of all of … Continue reading Tree Angles
New Brood: Twelve Little Australian Wood Ducks
Spring truly is here. Our pair of Australian Wood Ducks brought their twelve young ducklings down to the dam for a swim. This was our first glimpse of the new brood. I’m sure in the months to come, we’ll get many more photo opportunities, so I’ll just start with this one photo.
The First Waxlip Orchid this Spring
Yesterday I spent an enjoyable morning searching for orchids with friends. We found many Greenhoods of varying types, and many more leaves or buds indicating that a number of species were about to burst into flower – Spider Orchid, Sun Orchid and Waxlip Orchid among them. Try as we might, we didn’t find one of … Continue reading The First Waxlip Orchid this Spring
Birds in Spring: Nest Hunting
Two of the trees we can see from the house have hollows in the trunk – just about right for nesting birds. Over this first week of Spring, I’ve noticed a flurry of activity as pairs of birds try to find the perfect nest. It reminds me of house hunting. The birds will land close … Continue reading Birds in Spring: Nest Hunting
More orchids in flower
It is amazing how much more I can see when I have a knowledgeable guide to point out the tiny Australian Native Orchids in flower. I must have walked past some of the tiny mosquito orchids hundreds of times without noticing they were in flower. My friend B.J., who is an orchid enthusiast visited today, … Continue reading More orchids in flower
Fifteen Acres 