Random Ramblings

 This covers things we have seen in the last few days of October 2022.  The first two show the level of water a day after the near flood.

We decided to walk the track opposite the Pony Club towards the poo pits.  People have obviously driven it while wet, with more accelerator than sense, and the downpour has then unimproved the track. 

Our aim in the walk was to check the flowers.  There were lots, beginning with the genus Patersonia.  There are three local species and the distinguishing feature used in Joy Grieg's book is the height of the flowers relative to the foliage.  IMO that makes this P. fragilis, stems shorter than foliage.

Stem equal to foliage (P. glabrata) ...

.. and stems longer than foliage (P. occidentalis). 

Melaleuca sp - I think M. squarossa.  One large colony in a damp area.

Only saw one orchid in the whole walk.  Caladenia carnea.

A pea.  I have put it on iNaturalist but as it is a fuzzy snap and doesn't give much about the leaves I have little hope.

It did make a spectacular understory in places.

Brachyscome spathulata

A range of shots of Xanthorrhea sp showing the development of flowering.  The grass-tree plains are still showing the many spent spikes after the massive flowering of thousands of plants in 2020.

The biggest: close to 2m to the tip of the spike.

An odd little fungus.  An observer on iNaturalist has suggested genus Hygrocybe.

The next day I went to geology point for a sea watch.  That was good as there were few birds to watch.  This immature Great Cormorant was obliging (and wet).

Finally this creche of Australian Wood Ducks/Maned Ducks/Maned Geese were amusing to watch.  Both the female and the singular duckling jumped into the water when the rest were led under the jetty.