Frogmouths at Dalmeny (South Coast NSW)

My brother Brendan lives amongst the Spotted Gum and Stringybark Eucalypt trees at Dalmeny, near Narooma, on the far South Coast of NSW.

Recently he found a nest of the Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigioides).

These interesting birds are nocturnal, but they are not Owls. They are insectivorous, with very large wide beaks, suitable for catching insects on the wing. They have weak feet (unlike Owls which pounce on their prey with their large claws). They are famous for their camouflage technique of blending in with the look of a short branch, in Eucalypt trees.

Several days ago, this bird arrived beside his 80 year old neighbour's window.

A rescue plan was initiated, of course.
The youngster was moved into a tree fork.
Here is it, sitting there, but looking unimpressed.
This is a cracker of a shot.

Brendan told me, in a later email that he stuck the bird up a tree were it stayed for the day and apparently till between midnight and three a.m.. It was calling periodically, but there was no evidence that it was being fed.

The next morning his neighbour went out and turned on some sprinklers - and the bird fluttered out from some low shubs. It had been at ground level and was not being looked after.

It seems that there were originally two young. The one that was photographed appears to have been the runt of the litter. He guessed that the parents moved on with the other young one.

There were then a couple of phone calls to WIRES, into a cardboard box and in to the local vet. He is expecting to get a report back on the bird either late this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

So, let us hope that the WIRES people have some success with this youngster.

More odd little things which happen around Robertson

My very first post on this Blog involved the Flying Duck Orchid, (Caleana major). It was called "Odd little things which grow around Robertson".

Two weeks ago, at the end of the ANOS (Illawarra Branch) field trip, several of us found this little Orchid. If you look at the "head" of the flower, and see the "duck head" - then the mystery of the name will reveal itself.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Not only was the Orchid in flower., but there was a Mosquito attempting to pollinate the flower - hence the slight variant in title from the original Blog Posting.

In fact the Mozzie was too small to trigger the labellum of the Orchid (in this case the "head of the duck") to snap closed. You can see the pollinia are still in place, at the very base of the flower. But clearly the Mozzie had the "right idea".

Click on the photo to see the Mosquito and the flower parts - in detail

For those of you not familiar with pollination in many of Australian Orchids, the plants have evolved a system of emitting highly specialised scents which mimic the pheromones produced by certain female insects. This drives male insects (of the right species) into a sexual frenzy, and the insects attempt to "mate" with the flower. This process is called "pseudo-copulation". It is well reported, in the world of Orchids and insects.

This link will take you to other photos of this species, one with a flower spider in a web spun across the open section of the flower - obviously waiting for an insect such as this one, to arrive.

Black Cocky - close enough to get a photo

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus) are commonly seen around Robertson, but usually they are high in the tops of old Pine Trees (Pinus radiata) and are either in the heavy shade, or silhouetted against the sky. Either way, they are not worth trying to photograph.

Several days ago I heard a young bird making its incessant creaking and groaning sounds, from relatively low down in a Eucalypt tree.

I stopped to take a photo (from out the car window).

Once I had got my shot, three birds flew away. I had only seen the one on the open branch, but clearly the other two were in dense cover of a low-growing Blackwood Wattle.

Female Black Cocky has a white beak
and dark skin around the eye (not a red eye ring)

My bird is an adult female, and so I assume the others included at least one juvenile bird, for their noise is diagnostic.

EDIT:
Dear reader - Please do yourself a favour and read the Sequel to this post, on my Colleague "Mosura's" Blog - The Nature of Tasmania.

Frankly it is a hilarious "comedy of errors" - but Mosura recognises the folly of his impromptu response to grab a few photos - in retrospect.

It is nice that I inspired him to try to photograph some Black Cockies of his own. He ends up giving us some stunning Insect photos, though.

Hope the Ant Bite has stopped throbbing, Mosura!

Cheers
Denis

Do you get Migratory Waders in your area?

I have received this notice from "Birdpedia".

Just as well somebody is watching what the DEWHA is up to.

A Latham's Snipe at Kangaloon

This "Policy Statement" review will impact upon most major wetland sites in Australia, but particularly Ramsar Sites, notably the Coorong, and Lower Lakes, other wetlands in the MDB, and the Victorian coastline, especially Gippsland, and the Great Sandy Straits area, within the Mary River estuary, south of Fraser Island.

Please feel free to send this on to other persons who might be interested to comment.

---

Dear Shorebirds 2020 volunteers & friends,

The Commonwealth Government has been developing an EPBC Act Policy Statement for Migratory Shorebirds, to provide guidance in relation to actions that may impact migratory shorebird populations in Australia. An important element of this policy statement is the adoption of criteria to identify nationally important sites for migratory shorebirds in addition to internationally important sites, to increase the amount of habitat protected for shorebirds nationally (see pages 9-10 of the draft policy statement).

I would encourage you to take a look and make comments if required.

See the following Birdpedia Notice for full details.

>> http://www.birdpedia.com/au/bi.dll/bipu01?m=550&id960=9756653697_0001&id509=ALL

Regards,

Jo Oldland & Rob Clemens.

---

DJW note:

I found the links suggested by Birdpedia (within their article) did not take me where I needed to go.

This one will:

http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/migratory-shorebirds.html

I would point out that not all "Migratory Shorebirds" are restricted to Australia's ocean shores. This is acknowledged in regard to the Latham's Snipe (only) in the relevant papers.

---

Public comments are now being sought from interested parties on the draft policy statement, particularly in relation to its usability and suggestions for improvement. We would also be interested in any new research or information on these 36 migratory shorebird species to contribute to future policy revisions.

Comments will be accepted until COB Monday 14 December 2009.

At the end of this comment period the policy will be finalised, taking into consideration any comments received. The policy will be updated as substantial new information becomes available.

Comments should be sent to:

Email: speciespolicy@environment.gov.au

Mail: Species Information Section
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601

Fax: 02 6274 2875

---

This might be the required strategy for Snipe - FLEE!
Only sites where 18 Latham's Snipe of more gather regularly
are regarded as worthy of protection - under their proposed policy.

Cheers

Denis Wilson

Two Greenhoods - a hybrid mystery solved

Two years ago, when the Illawarra Branch of the Australasian Native Orchid Society came up to Tourist Road, Graeme Bradburn spotted a Greenhood in a tiny drainage line. I was pleased and cranky at the same time - as I had regularly checked this drainage line looking for - you guessed it Greenhoods - and I had never found one!

Anyway, on the ANOS tour this year, Graeme struck again.

Pterostylis x ingens

Not only did he find the "supposed hybrid" Pterostylis x ingens, but there then followed some discussion about how this "hybrid" was here, when we had not seen either "supposed parents" (Pt. nutans and Pt. falcata) in the area.

Labellum of Pt. x ingens

***** ***** *****

Suddenly another member of the group called out: "Here is Falcata".
Indeed it was there - a mere 30 metres away from the hybrid plants.
I guess that solved part of the riddle.

The "Sickle Greenhood" Pterostylis falcata
(my first ever).
You can see the extremely long, pointed hood (galea).
The "hood" consists of 3 parts, the dorsal sepal and two petals.
The dorsal sepal far exceeds the petals
(which are bent down - on this specimen).

Here is the rear view of the plant.
One of the two plants in flower on that day
had a slightly damaged petal which was "drooping".
However, this image was taken to show the labellum.
It is nearly closed. Normally it should be protruding.
Here it is seen from very low down, to show the labellum.
By then, it was closed off (in the "triggered) position.
Note the very widely spaced dorsal sepals
and the deeply notched "sinus" (the "v" shaped part).
This is a "labelled" image,
as Greenhoods are very different from most other Orchids,
and the "experts" use specific words for the parts of the plant.

Yellow Leek Orchid at Penrose

Two weeks ago, a sharp-eyed member of the Australasian Native Orchid Society spotted several spikes of a yellow Orchid growing amongst some Stringybark Eucalypts opposite the Penrose cemetery.
I went back two weeks later to confirm what we thought they probably were - namely Prasophyllum flavum - the Yellow Leek Orchid.

One of the diagnostic features of this plant is
the crinkled edges to the labellum
(which in Leek Orchids is above the column)
Click to enlarge the image, to see what I am referring to.

The books refer to this plant having a preference for deep forest litter. That's exactly right for the habitat shown in this photo. The only slightly odd thing is that the region is dry sandstone soil. Alan Stephenson has shown me this plant growing in the Nowra region, in deep sandy soil, on sandstone. Colin Rowan reports that this plant grows in wet forests in the mountains of Victoria.
This plant is regarded as widespread but not common.

As a matter of interest, the Sun Orchids we had seen here two weeks before had finished flowering.

More West Wyalong photos

Several days ago I showed a few birds "up close and personal". They were photographed during a bird banding session near West Wyalong, with a senior, registered bander, Mark Clayton. The Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme is administered by the Federal Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The scheme operates on a "trap, band and release" protocol.

Two Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa) were caught on the last morning, just before we packed up. They were swimming on the dam, and as we approached the net near the dam, the birds flew away from us and straight into the net. They were quickly removed from the net and banded. Such a perfect strategy - you would think we had planned it! Although Black Ducks are well known from this site, it turns out that these were the first of this species to be banded at this site, where banding has been conducted since 1986. Something of a thrill.

Mark about to release the two Pacific Black Ducks together.

The wing panel on the Pacific Black Duck has a panel of feathers
which produce what is known as a "structural colour".
The colour is caused by optical interference owing to
reflection of light between very fine barbules in the feathers.
The colour is not caused by pigment.
In this case, the colour appears to vary
between green, blue or purple, depending upon
the angle of the sunlight and the position of the viewer.
My Blogging colleague "Snail" has written about this before.

And in another link, my Blogging colleague David Young has just published some very nice images of a Goanna he found near Bermagui.

This Goanna - a "Lace Monitor" (Varanus varius) had climbed up a Mugga Ironbark Tree (Eucalypt). It was very close to a net, and we were keen not to allow it to find any birds in the net, nor to get caught itself. Fortunately it departed the scene peacefully.David's blog shows the powerful claws on his Goanna. Mine has its claws partially hidden in the deeply furrowed bark of the Ironbark Tree.
Note the large amount of "spare skin" on the neck of this animal. Does this mean it was desperately in need of a good feed? Quite possibly - the country was very dry. The most obvious food supply around for them was Meat Ants nests, many of which had been dug into - either by these guys or possibly Echidnas.

This next bird is an Inland Thornbill, (Acanthiza apicalis) which is a close cousin of the Brown Thornbill. It is a tiny bird. It has the dark red eye, typical of this group of Thornbills. It has fine scalloped markings on the forehead, and a strongly coloured brownish rump.

This is the well-named White-browed Babbler.
(Pomatostomus superciliosus)

Here it is as seen from the rear view.
Note the white tips to the tail.

Babblers are noisy birds, which tend to hang around in family groups, they build large domed nests of sticks reminiscent of the "drays" which the little Ring-tailed Possums build. But these are inland, dry country birds.

Here is the bird I most wanted to see, in the hand, last weekend.
It is a typical bird of the inland, dry country scrub,
especially where Callitris ("Cypress Pines") are growing.
It is a spectacular male Red-capped Robin - (Petroica goodenovii).
From the rear, you can see the distinctive wide band of white in the wing (adjacent to the body) as well as the white horizontal flash, typical of most of the Petroica group of Robins.
Here is the female Red-capped Robin.

She is much paler than her partner, but I guess that
makes her better camouflaged when on the nest.Normally the female Red-capped Robin has a tinge of red on the forehead, but this individual did not. She was very keen to take off, and so we let her go as soon as possible.

Another Thornbill - this time the
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
They are sometimes known (informally) as "Butter-bums"
as that is the colour you see as they fly away.
This bird shows the black forehead and white spots
which are typical of this species of Thornbill.

For a change of subject, I could not resist photographing this tiny caterpillar which was hanging from a tree above me, via a fine thread of silk. The caterpillar was swaying around my eyes, swinging back and forth on the breeze. It was quite small, about 2 cm long.

Here is a lovely small parrot, the Red-rumped Parrot,
(Psephotus haematonotus)
or "Grass Parrot" as I knew them when I was younger.

The image on the right shows the bird flying away,
which is when the red rump is seen best.
The green head and chest of the male bird
is a really bright emerald colour.
It has a bright lemon yellow belly.
Females are drab, and nearly invisible on the ground.
This is a bird of the treetops - sitting on its nest!
It is the Varied Sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera).
It is a lovely little bird which typically
works its way down tree branches - in opposite direction to
Tree Creepers, which go up trees.
Click to enlarge the image.
The nest is made of cobwebs and fine grey bark.
It is a beautifully constructed deep cup placed on a forked branch.
The bird has an orange eye ring which is visible in this image.
Its brown head is pointing away but the bird was looking back at me.
The heavy striations on the under-tail coverts are visible
poking over the right hand side of the nest.
When flying these birds have an orange stripe visible in the wing.

A birding weekend away.

The following birds are DEFINITELY not from Robertson.

A family of Emus being led away by Dad (right)

I went to West Wyalong with Mark Clayton and some other bird banders from Canberra. My association with Mark goes back further than most people have been alive, so I shall not bore readers with the details, save to say that Mark was a youngster (as was I) when he first teamed up with my father and myself and a bunch of other young enthusiasts, and started to learn about bird banding. Mark has had an entire career in CSIRO in the intervening years.

Mark invited me to join him at one of his favourite haunts at The Charcoal Tank Nature Reserve, near West Wyalong. Mark has banded there since about 1986, so he has established some very valuable bird life-history data over those years.

Mark preparing to band an adult male Common Bronzewing Pigeon.

Here he is taking the "head/bill" measurement.
And now the bird is about to be released.
You can see the large patch of cream feathers on the forehead.
That indicates it is an adult male.An Eastern Yellow Robin - prior to release.

The weather at West Wyalong was very hot.

Sunrise at 6:00am.
The temp was already 21.6 degrees Celsius.

It reached 38 degrees Celsius at 3:00pm, on Saturday,
with just 9% humidity.

The temperature meant we had to be very vigilant with the birds in the nets, particularly the small birds, which are potentially subject to heat stress.

Here is a Peaceful Dove -
a close-up view of the colouring of the soft tissue
above the beak and the around the eye.
The same bird, with the wing held out
to show the lovely chestnut colour on the under-wing coverts.This bird is one of Mark's favourite species.
The White-plumed Honeyeater.
He has established good life-history data of this species
through re-trapping many banded birds at Charcoal Tank.
This next image is a portrait of the Yellow Thornbill.
This specimen lacks the typical colouration.
The fine marks behind the eye are about the only distinguishing features.

This image of the bird in the hand shows the size from which it was previously known by the name of the "Little Thornbill".

I have a number of other photos which I shall publish over the next few days.

More rare plants from Mt Rae forest

Readers will recall that I have a friend, Mark Selmes, who is campaigning to protect the forests of Mt Rae, near Taralga (north-east of Goulburn).
Mark had been promising me to let me know as soon as the rare Diuris aequalis (the Buttercup Doubletail Orchid) started to flower.

These plants are a lovely colour of clear golden yellow.
By contrast with Diuris sulphurea
which was also in flower on the same day,
these flowers were distinctly golden, not lemon yellow.
Even the lovely yellow D. chryseopsis had a different colour,
and grows out in the open grasslands
and has very different shaped "ears".

This plant is listed on the NSW Threatened Species list.
It is endangered because of the threat from clearing of the Wet sclerophyll forests (grassy sub-formation).
Anyway, Mark was as good as his word. I went there on Monday and we saw only 5 of these plants, but that's just the start of the season. Hopefully many more of these plants will be seen and their locations recorded before the season ends for them.

You can clearly see the labellum of the flower,
the beautifully rounded dorsal sepal (above the column).
You can clearly see the two callus ridges
divergent, at the top of the labellum.
The labellum itself has a prominent ridge towards the lower edge.

But it is less pronounced than some other species of Diuris.

It is worth remembering that these plants grow only amongst grasses and bracken ferns on the floor of the forest. But the forest needs to be there, for the plants to survive. These plants are not found in open cleared areas close by. They grow only under the canopy of the forest.

That is why Mark Selmes's campaigning to protect the Mt Rae forests is important - for these rare, threatened plants to survive.

Note how tightly the lateral sepals
(the so-called "double-tails")

are tightly held under the flower.

Mark Selmes will be the guest speaker at the forthcoming meeting of the National Parks Association, (Southern Highlands Branch) on Wednesday, 18 November, at the Moss Vale CWA Hall (adjacent to the Wingecarribee Shire Council chambers) at 7:30 PM.

Kangaloon Sun Orchid - an endemic rare plant

This is the famous Kangaloon Sun Orchid, Thelymitra kangaloonica.
Haven't heard of it? Shame on you, dear reader. It has been written up here, before.

It is one of those "Threatened Species" things which we managed to use to convince Malcolm Turnbull to declare the SCA's Upper Nepean (Kangaloon) Groundwater project to be a "Controlled Action" under the EPBC Act.

And last year, Peter Garrett deemed this plant to be "critically endangered" and put it on the Threatened Species lists of the EPBC Act.

The problem for this plant is that it lives only at 3 known locations in the Southern Highlands - all of which are under the control of the SCA.

1. Wildes Meadow Swamp was flooded by the SCA to build the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir - so that registered swamp habitat (for this plant) is now permanently under water.
   
2. Stockyard Swamp is off limits to everybody except Coal Miners, Power Company workers, Drilling Rigs and all those other sensitive souls who work for the SCA. That is right in their best source of water for the SCA in trying to develop the Kangaloon Borefield - well, so they believe anyway. Orchid enthusiasts, even authentic researchers are denied access. It was where this species was first found, and "voucher specimens" collected. It was identified at that stage as belonging to a different species (Thelymitra grandiflora). Those herbarium specimens have since been re-examined and found to belong to this species.
   
3. That leaves Butlers Swamp. Fortunately, the SCA has continued to recognise as legitimate the interests of the Australasian Native Orchid Society, Illawarra Branch, which has conducted surveys of Butlers Swamp for some 30 years. Butler's Swamp is the "type locality" for this plant. In other words, the specimen from which this plant was formally described and named came from Butler's Swamp.
   

So there they were, flowering happily last weekend.

(Click to enlarge image)

Here are two flowers on a multi-flowered stem.
You can see the rich blue colouring (with a hint of purple)
and the strong veining.

And here is the distinctive column and "post-anther lobe"
(the hooded bit over the column)
The "column arms" are held relatively flat in this species
(they do not bend or curl upwards as some others do)
and are well separated from the yellow section of the "hood".
The lobe is "notched" and "toothed.
These are diagnostic features of this species.It was gratifying to see that these plants are doing quite well this year.

Lets hope that the SCA does not resume pumping from the Kangaloon Aquifer, for when they did their trial pumping, they dried the swamp out terribly, despite their denials to the contrary. We have photographic evidence of that.

Another Sun Orchid variant

Clearly this is a form of Thelymitra ixioides - the "Spotted Sun Orchid", or a hybrid derived therefrom.
Here is a close-up of the column of this (or a similar) flower.
To refresh your memory, this is the standard form of Thel. ixioides as found in the NSW Southern Highlands.
The "column arms" are right, but there is a difference (in the previous flower) in the "post anther lobe" the ring of tissue at the top of the column. This one is tipped yellow. The other is brownish-red and much more warty ("pappilose").
My Victorian colleagues publish images of Thel. ixioides with dark rims to the "post anther lobe". Here is a link to JL's images from Great Western (in the Grampians). Her photos match Colin Rowan's (taken at Anglesea).

In the same area, at Penrose, there were many of these lovely unspotted forms of the same plant.

I say that with some confidence, as this species is renowned for its variant forms, including an unspotted form of the "Spotted Sun Orchid". Confused? Don't worry - so am I.

Here is a closer image of one of the flowers.
It was a lovely blue specimen (without spots).
And here is probably my best image of the column
and the column arms.
So, what have I got here?
It might be the hybrid form of Thel. ixioides,
which is known as "Thel. x truncata".
That hybrid form has been named,
but the photos of that hybrid which I can find
do not seem to me to be truly diagnostic of the hybrid form.

Or, should I say, if their photos (from NSW and Victoria)
are true hybrid forms of "Thel. x truncata",
then these plants (in my photos from Penrose)
are of something else entirely.

Fine.
But what?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Stegostyla testacea (a "Caladenia"}

Stegostyla testacea was formerly classed as a Caladenia testacea.
It carries the name "Honey Caladenia", but my nose is not sensitive enough to detect that, but it is said to be most noticeable on warm days (and I don't get a lot of those!). There are a number of similar species of Stegostyla (Caladenia), including Steg. hildae and Steg. transitoria (this last one reported by my colleague Gouldiae - from the Latrobe Valley in Victoria).

This shows the tendency of this species to carry several flowers on the one stem - unlike the early flowered Stegostyla species I showed before.

This image is not good, but I was trying to look inside the flower, to detect any marks on the column, which are just visible.These plants were located in Kangaloon, just on the side of Kirlkland Road, where the Illawarra Branch of ANOS had permission to enter, from the SCA. Many thanks to them for that.

They were growing in dense closed Eucalypt forest on loose grey sandy soil, over sandstone. They were not growing in the open habitat along Tourist Road.

More Sun Orchids from Sunny Sunday

Here are some more of the wonderful Sun Orchids which I photographed when on tour with the Illawarra Branch of ANOS on Sunday.

One of the few Thelymitra carnea (Pink - or Tiny - Sun Orchid) plants we found in flower. Most had long since been pollinated and were standing proudly with swollen ovaries (not yet ripe seedpods, but heading that way). That species is a very early flowerer.

This one is very pale compared to others I showed two weeks ago.Here is a close-up of the column (seen from above/front)
You can see that this species lacks the "column arms"
which many species in this genus have.
The prominent structure in the middle of the
encircling yellow bit - the "post-anther lobe", is the Anther.Here is the "Spotted Sun Orchid", Thelymitra ixioides
This plant is very common in Kangaloon along Tourist Road.
It is a strong growing Sun Orchid and the buds have a distinctive mauve tinge on the reverse of the petals, with a pale creamy edge.
Even when the flowers are closed they look lovely.
Here is the column of Thel. ixioides.
When Thel. ixioides and Thel. carnea are cross-pollinated by the bees they sometimes produce a natural hybrid plant,
which is common enough to have been named:
Thelymitra x irregularis - the "Crested Sun Orchid"
From the Thel. carnea parent it takes the yellow colour
(on the column top) but it still lacks "column arms".
From the T. ixioides parent it has this "crest"
- the fringed top of the post anther lobe
instead of the fleshy structure of T. carnea.
The spots, of course come from T. ixioides.
From the side you can see the unusual column arrangement,
the "crest" which helps identify this plant.
Here is the close-up view of the column from that angle.
And from above/front view you can discern
the shape of the full post anther lobe.
And now to complete the set,
here is a pink version of Thel. ixioides.
This plant is a colour variant of the true species, not a hybrid.
The colour is more reminiscent of the mauve/pink colour
I mentioned before as being seen normally on the back of the flower.
This one does have fewer spots than normal,
but again, this species sometimes produces plain flowers.
In other words it is incredibly variable in form.
But the column details show this is a
true member of the T. ixioides group
complete with white column arms and brushes.
That Pink Hybrid form seen above had no such structure
(reflecting its T. carnea parentage)

As I mentioned, the sun was shining beautifully on Sunday, and so many Sun Orchids were flowering closely together, cross pollination is almost inevitable. So hybrids and odd colour variants are relatively common in such circumstances.

Sunny Sunday of Sun Orchids

On Sunday the Illawarra Branch of ANOS came for a tour of the highlights of the Southern Highlands. The weather was perfect for orchid hunting. Hot, and sunny, and a bit humid. The Sun Orchids were out in force.

Of course, the schedule is not accidental, for the ANOS people from the Illawarra know this area very well, and have collectively been visiting here for some 30 years, so they know when is a good time. But this year, the weather really Gods smiled on them. So did the Orchids.

I have no idea which type of Sun Orchid this plant might be.
The perianth segments (petals and sepals) were strongly reflexed back.
The column is pale blue at the base, dark purplish-blue at the top,
with a white section at the front, where they are normally yellow.

Here is a small image (only 400 pixels high)
showing the column details.
The little fluffy bits in the front are called "column arms".
Different species of Sun Orchids have
different arrangements of column arms
as well as variations in the lobes at the top of the column.

This is my next "puzzle".
There is no plant that I can see in David Jones's excellent book
which I can match with this flower.

The flower was a light powdery blue colour, with just a hint of mauve wash.
The flowers are lightly veined.
The column arms are very fine, and are slightly upcurved.
There are no other branches or structures on the column arms
apart from the fine fibrous brushes.

The column hood appears nearly black,
but on close examination it is a dark reddish-brown.
There is no sign of any yellow - which is normal on the front edge.

Here it is in close-up.
Not a hint of yellow to be seen.
Very odd.

I will publish more images over the next few days of different species of Thelymitra (Sun Orchids) which we saw.

Any advice on IDing these two plants would be gratefully received.

Flower Spiders love Orchids

HAVING SEEN HOW SLOW MY BLOG IS TO DOWNLOAD ON A FRIEND'S COMPUTER (EVEN THOUGH HE IS ON BROADBAND) I HAVE DECIDED TO UPLOAD IMAGES AT MUCH LOWER COMPRESSION, BUT STILL AT THE STANDARD SIZES I HAVE BEEN USING FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH IS 1000 PIXELS WIDE, OR 600 PIXELS FOR SMALLER IMAGES. THE FILE SIZES WILL BE ABOUT 100 Kb.

HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ALLOW REASONABLE VIEWING, WITH MUCH FASTER DOWNLOAD SPEEDS.

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On Sunday, when out with the Illawarra Branch of the Australasian Native Orchid Society, I twice saw specimens of the Pink Flower Spider Diaea evanida.

The first was sitting very boldly on a lovely specimen of a white form of Diuris punctata, the Purple Donkey Orchid.

Here she is, front on.

Much later in the day, we found one sitting, with bee it had captured.

It was on a specimen of the Kangaloon Sun Orchid, at Butler's Swamp. I did not see it on the flower, but someone brought the spider, complete with its "lunch", for the group to admire.
The Spider (still with its prey) was put back on the plant.

A rainforest rock Orchid on the Plateau

Sarcochilus olivaceus is a plant which I have previously only seen in wet rainforest gullies, deep within the Shoalhaven Valley. And I have only seen the leaves, not the flowers (previously).

So, when exploring a gully just on the edge of the Upper Kangaroo Valley, near Carrington Falls, several months ago, I recognised the leaves of this Orchid. It was growing on moss-covered rocks in a dark gully, close to a small waterfall. It was, in a geographical sense, at the "top" of the Plateau, NOT down in the valley (a more natural habitat for it). Technically, it is just below the sandstone scrub on top of the plateau, but the gully is marked by creek-bank trees, such as Coachwood, Possumwood and some huge specimens of the "Water Gum" (Tristaniopsis laurina).

The flowers of this species of Sarcochilus are held semi-pendantly.
The bright reverse of the flowers are flat,
leaving the flower "face downwards".
The manner of its presentation of flowers is very different
from the relatively common Sarcochilus falcatus which holds its flowers
open and facing outwards.

Inside this gully, below a 15 metre waterfall, there are many rocks thickly covered with soft mosses. On one particular rock there are 3 plants of Sarcochilus olivaceus growing. This plant is called the Green Tree Orchid, but my specimen is growing in moss on rock. In fact, I have only ever seen it on rocks, elsewhere in the Shoalhaven Valley system (which includes the Upper Kangaroo Valley - where this plant is growing).

This flower has been lifted up from its semi-pendant position for viewing.
The "cup-shaped" Labellum is very prominent in this view.

One of the plants had several sprays of flower buds on it, when I first saw it, several months ago. Eventually the buds opened this week. It has taken me three separate trips to this site to find it in flower.

The parts of the flower are labelled here.

From the side, the sharp angle at which the labellum is held is obvious in this photographic angle. You ought remember that in nature, the flower is pendant, with the green back of the flower uppermost. That would mean that the labellum would be at the bottom of the flower, and basically, "upside down".Here is another flower, seen more or less in its natural position

- as a pendant flower.
You can see what I meant about the flower being more-or-less upside down.

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