One of the things I most enjoy about my Fifteen Acres blog is the communication with people who are interested in nature and who enjoy sharing flora and fauna finds – both on my site, and on their own. For those long term followers who must wonder where I have been, I want to write about the previous 12 months and the goals for the next 12 months.
At the peak of the 2018 orchid season I was in hospital, having back surgery. On coming out of hospital, I could not bend to photograph wild flowers, nor comfortably use the computer to post about them. Over the last year I have been recovering and can’t wait for the spring flowers to emerge in the next few months. While I was recovering, I have been looking through photographs I have taken in previous years, and have spotted many species which are not recorded in my species lists. It seems like an excellent opportunity to revise and reorganise these species pages, and add to them. When I post photographs taken in previous years I will record the date taken within the post.
This year, the orchid season has started and I am able to photograph from a standing position, so I hope to be able to share the flowers I find, along with more tales of kangaroos, ducks, bats and trees, among other discoveries and reflections.
I think I have a few technological solutions to help me photograph the orchids without bending – yet to be tried – but if you have any clever suggestions, I would be extremely interested in finding out more information. In the meantime, I will post the best images I can get with my current camera and physical limitations.
The cover photo for this post is a patch of bird-orchid leaves I am eagerly watching for signs of buds or flowers. The photograph was taken on 16th September, in a mossy location on the Eastern side of the dam.
Fifteen Acres 
Lisa do you have a series of magnifying lenses which should allow you to photograph the orchids without bending too much. Glad you are back in the field. I am too after a difficult 12 months.
Thanks Margaret, glad to hear you are also back into the field. Yes, I have a good lens and can take photos from overhead, but I want to capture the details of the flower that require side-on shots. I have written to a few photographic companies and I think I have a solution which involves wi-fi and a tripod that has the head over top of the camera, and can lower it down. Stay tuned. I need to investigate these options. Thanks for writing. Lisa
Hi Lisa Good luck with your photography this coming season Dave
Thanks Dave, the orchid season is in full swing and I am trying (with some help from Richard) to capture it. Some success – yaaay! Lisa
Hi Lisa I found some lovely Bird Orchids yesterday at The Gurdies Conservation Reserve, my big back yard. Hope yours are now out too
Thanks Maggie, We had Bird Orchid leaves in a few patches, but I don’t think any of them flowered. Keep hoping but one patch dried up in the two hot days and the others are not looking hopeful.
That’s a shame. Is it very dry where you are? We have been lucky with rain this year and I think the birds like it. I will post some for you on my FB page if you have it
Hi Margaret, It was a dry winter, but we did have some good spring rain. Things are mostly green here. However, there were a few hot days recently and I notice that the ground went from soft to crunchy pretty quickly. I guess that means the ground is not as wet as I would like it to be at this time of the year. Still no flowers on the remaining Bird Orchid leaves… which are still looking healthy.
Hi Lisa,
Lots of rain here too and I got lucky with the Bird Orchids, but despite have at least 8 Sun Orchids on my property I seem to have missed nearly all of them flowering. I caught one half open only. Lots of darling g yellow rush lilies and chocolate lilies too.
Yes, there is lots of yellow and purple at our place too – also Goodenia’s and various species of pea bushes, and Button Everlasting Daisies too.