Month: October 2013

Donkey Orchid (Diuris orientis)

These  Donkey Orchids were a cheerful addition to my daily walk.  We had a patch of around five or six plants in a three meter radius in a transitional position between dry bushland and a grassed area.   While they were not densely packed together, I found it interesting that they were all growing in … Continue reading Donkey Orchid (Diuris orientis)

Chocolate Lily (Arthropodium strictum)

The first of the Chocolate Lilies is in flower!  We had them last year, but that was before I developed an interest in native flowers. So I really didn’t take much notice of them until we were cleaning up the land for the Summer period.  In the process, a few were mown down.  I took … Continue reading Chocolate Lily (Arthropodium strictum)

Brown-clubbed Spider-orchid Caladenia phaeoclavia

My friend pointed out the leaves of the spider orchid before it flowered.  We placed a loop of squared fence wire around the precious flower (so the Swamp Wallaby would not eat it) and waited.  Eventually it bloomed. Luckily I took some photographs, because I went back a few days later to find only a … Continue reading Brown-clubbed Spider-orchid Caladenia phaeoclavia

And then there were nine…with apologies to Agatha Christie!

Last year, the pair of Australian Wood Ducks successfully raised eleven ducklings to maturity, and we were hoping they would be able to do the same for the twelve ducklings in this year’s brood.  The ducks frequently walk from wherever they nest  to the grass verge in front of the dam to forage, and this … Continue reading And then there were nine…with apologies to Agatha Christie!

Sparring Pacific Black Ducks

On Friday night we attended our first Field Naturalist meeting in Ballarat.  By asking myself the simple question, ‘What do we have on our land?’ I have discovered the pleasure of finding a bird or a plant, and classifying it. The Field Naturalists seemed a logical progression, but for various reasons  Friday was the first … Continue reading Sparring Pacific Black Ducks

Dianella – the Flax-lily

I’ve seen the Flax-lily featured in some of the field guides I have on my bookshelves, and as the photographs were so striking, I’ve been watching for them since we moved in. Finally, I have found one!  In my imagination, they were large-flowered beauties, growing from a central stem, but nothing could be further from … Continue reading Dianella – the Flax-lily

Tall Sundew Flowers

At the moment, Tall Sundew flowers abound.  At least I am pretty sure they are Tall Sundews.  Pale Sundews look very similar. My field guides tell me that the way to tell the two plants apart is to look at the leaves just above ground level – that the Tall Sundew leaves are circular, and … Continue reading Tall Sundew Flowers

A wet Swamp Wallaby

The last two days and nights have been wild and woolly with gale force winds and lots of (very welcome) rain.  This Swamp Wallaby had obviously not found much shelter, as it was very wet.  Even in its bedraggled coat, the rich golden fur of the chest and belly looks soft and glowingly warm. The … Continue reading A wet Swamp Wallaby

Fringed beauty for a day

I can identify these beauties as a species of Fringe Lily, or Thysanotus. Most the guides I have looked at show them on graceful stems, or as a trailing climber, while our flowers seemed to be growing at ground level. When I took this photo, I intended to come back the next day and look … Continue reading Fringed beauty for a day