Aracnophilia

 I did three exercise forays on 7 September.  The first was our usual walk towards town.  It was remarkable for a flock of 20 Little Corellas that tore across Angophora Drive as we approached home.

The second foray was to revisit the Pebbly Beach Heath to try to find a Spider Orchid (Caladenia tessellata) located by neighbours.  I got to the area and searched the heap of Glossodia minor on the LHS of the track but couldn't find them so went on to search further possible sites, No luck so took a turn out into the heath.  Luck was mixed: I didn't find the spider orchids, but neither did I trip and impale myself on the sharp burnt Allocasuarina paludosa stakes - I think a net positive.

On returning to the first spot I glanced to my new left (ie my old right, the opposite side of the track to my first search.  Bingo.

Overall I found 5 plants which is quite pleasing for a hard-to-find species.

For some reason my computer is showing unduly blue colours for pink orchids.  Like this Caladenia carnea.

Glossodia minor is still doing well.

During my turn out in the heath I found that the Allocasuarina paludosa is beginning to flower.  A very promising sign of recovery in an area burnt to bare soil 8 months ago.

Wahlenbergia sp.

The Xanthorrhea resinosa is beginning to generate flower spikes.

And Patersonia sp. is getting very colourful.

The third exercise for the day was a walk along the Narrows nearly to the entrance to Top Lake.  There were quite a few attractive flowers but my snaps didn't come out too well.  Also a lot of Pterostylis curta and a few P. pedunculata.  

After failing with flowers this image of a Superb Fairywren came out quite well.  (I was hoping to get one of him and a largeish Skink battling for flies but they didn't get down to issues.)