Footmobiles do most of the Captains Creek Trail

 On 29 September the Footmobiles Walking Group went most of the way down the Captains Creek track marvelling at the display of orchids along the way.

The most astonishing sighting was approximately 50 plants of Pyrorchis nigricans (Red Beaks) right beside the gate onto the track,

There were still a few Lyperanthus suavolens (Brown Beaks) further down the track.  (The two 'beaks' used to be both in Lyperanthus, but they have now been split.)

Caleana major (Large Flying Ducks) were everywhere in very large numbers.

Some of the Diuris orientis (Wallflower Orchids) had started to 'go over' but there were still large numbers in good flower.  As noted in the past on this track there were about equal numbers of red/brown form and ... 

... yellow form.

Glossodia major (Waxlip Orchid) was still in good numbers.

The small Caladenias were still in profusion but I did not take (or make) the time to work out which species they were.  (Shime, shime)

Although it was still only 16 -17 C a few of the Thelymitra ixioides (Spotted Sun Orchid) were out.

Not an orchid but many members were, quite rightly taken by the display of Lobelia gibbosa.

A good socially distanced walk.

Bioblitz Part 3

In the early afternoon of 27 September - before most of these sightings had been added - it was good to find a summary page for the Blitz and even better to see that I was on the podium for species count!

Obviously folk spent the Sunday evening entering up their observations as by the Monday morning I had dropped to 21st, with 57 species, and have to rack up another 32 to get into the top 10!  (The leading observer is bizarre: its some dude from NZ with 157 observations: all of NZ Pigeon and from all over the country.  Methinks he is an academic studying the species and has juust added his entire set of observations.)

The aim of today was to focus on the rocks at Bastion Point.  Early in the morning the weather was non-propitious but there was still entertainment to be found as I removed a tick from my thigh: the first of the financial year!  (The second of the financial year was discovered under my chin in the evening.)

As the weather appeared to be improving I took myself to Bastion Point where an Australian Fur Seal pup was relaxing at the foot of the steps.  ESGC had put up a warning sign so a clamber down the rocks was in order.

It was quite vocal and after I had done my business (see below and clambered back up the rocks it seemed to be heading back to sea.

The lot of Sea Hares Aplysia sydneyensis we had noticed earlier in the week were still in the various pools.

The pools were still relatively low on shells, both number and diversity.  No abalone, tritons or shield limpets.  What follows is, in most cases what has been suggested by contributors to iNaturalist.

Siphonaria funiculata

There is general agreement that the following is a Nerite (genus Nerita) but the two observers who have responded have given different specific names.  The first suggestion was N. atremosa while the second was N. melanotragus noting "more likely at location".  Consulting the Atlas of Living Australia entries for the two species shows that both are possible so I leave the big boys to fight it out!  

The proponent of N. melanogaster has explained that the Australian species used to be all N. atremosa but research in 2007 showed that the Eastern specimen were N. melanogaster (previously thought to be a NZ species).  There is still room for doubt and the distinction can be made on the operculum - once I find out what the difference is I will go and check a few out.

Everyone seems to agree on this as Austrocochlea porcata the Zebra Top Snail.

Meridiastra calcar the Carpet Seastar.

Hormosira banksii Neptune's necklace.

We now get into tick country - ie the bush.  Most of the following comes from the forest at Mullet Creek, with a few other bits and pieces added in.  The first is a mystery:  the AI of iNaturalist suggested Pittosporum but in the field the leaves were not that.

The next two images were stages in the life of Smilax australia - the lawyer vine.  While not as prickly as most specimens it did a good job of tripping me up, so the vernacular is still appropriate.

Lathyris latifolius: an escapee.

A Wonga vine Pandorea pandorana.  The Wonga pigeon is named after its call, a repetitive "wong, wong".  This vine was silent.

This was on the dunes in the morning.  I think it is Cakile maritima Sea Rocket.

Common all over the place Acacia mearnsii.

Angophora floribunda: also ubiquitous this is a favoured roosting spot of the Mullet pigeon.

The skinks are everywhere in our garden.  This is Eulamprus heatwolei the Yellow-bellied Water Skink.

Bioblitz Part 2

 There were two main outings today.  The first to Captains Creek Fire Trail mainly to bag some orchids and the second to Gipsy Point to check an orchid en route and then to score a few forest plants on the Peninsula.  

As it turned out we got plenty of opportunity on the Peninsula as I managed to lose the track twice, turning a 2.5 km walk into about 4 km.  I have no definite idea quite how I managed that but possibly it can be explained by a fallen tree blocking the path and obscuring the track?

Anyhow to the pictures: basically they are in three groups:

1. non-orchids from Captains Creek;
2. non-orchids from Gipsy Point ; and
3. orchids 

1 Non-orchids from Captains Creek.

The first few images are across the road from the Trail under the power lines.  The grass trees (Xanthorrhoea sp) are starting to flower.  This is X. resinosa with no above-ground trunk.

The trunk of this specimen makes it clear this is X, australis.  The tallest spike is close to 2m long (on top of some 50 cm of trunk.

Getting to the firetrail the first flower is Lobelia gibbosa.

Kennedia prostrata

Scaevola ramosissima

Banksia serrata, sprouting from the ground and ...

... epicormic growth.

Clearly a member of the Family Fabaceae, but I'm not game to go to genus.  Lets see what iNaturalist comes up with.

2 Non orchids from Gipsy Point

Starting off where we finished - in fact a bit further back as I won't put this one to Family - we found it beside the main road.  iNaturalist gave some suggestions none of which were anything close to possible (mainly US species).  Frances had mentioned Wedding Bush and that is what contributors to iNaturalist have gone for Ricinocarps pinifolius,

Once setting off on the peninsula Indigofera australis was in good flower

There was a good number of Solanum prinophyllum (Forest Nightshade).  Note the prickles.

Not a flower, but a good specimen of the huge Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum - although I'm sure these aren't referenced in Exodus).

I found a specimen of this on my previous visit and at that time had to settle for 'Nightshade'.  I now think it is Solanum pseudocapsicum - an escapee.

A large shrub (aka small tree) of Myoporum insulare (Common Boobialla)

INaturalist gets another chance!  This is a white vine.  I think I considered Wombat Berry for this but discounted it as there were not white hairs on the edge of the petals.  However several folks on iNaturalist have signed up for Eustrephus latifolius so Wombat Berry it is.

On my last visit Lasiopetalum macrophyllum had flowers.  They have now all set seed.

This time I checked the image of Passiflora cinnabarina - a passionfruit.  Flora of Victoria mentions it growing in crevices on granite boulders rather than a sandy flood plain but obviously the plant hasn't read that website.

3 Orchids

Nearly all of these come from the Captains Creek Fire trail.

Diuris orientis (Wallflower orchid): the 'normal form ...

...

... and the less common all yellow form.  In this area (ie around Mallacoota) the two forms are almost the same in proportion.

Glossodia major (just to get the tick in the blitz).

Caladenia carnea

Caladenia clarkiae - an aged specimen ...

.. and more typical  - or at least fresher - specimen.

Many Caleana major flapping around.

I only found one Lyperanthus suavolens today.

This was our target species, Pyrorchis nigricans (Red Beaks).  It used to be in Lyperanthus but now is its own genus: the 'pyr' element reflects it only flowering after fire.  A tough plant to find - we were assisted by a friend who is a guru (a) finding it and (b) putting up some tape as a marker!

A cardboard background to facilitate focusing!

4 Other Kingdoms

Proving I am not a vegetatist, we found this spider while planting a rose bush in our garden.  Spider is about as far as I will go.