Its "Wood Duck" duckling season in Robertson

I have just been sent this wonderful Dutch video.
Thanks to George for sending it on.
It is linked here - you can download it for free.

There are some words in Dutch, but you hardly need words.
Original title seems to refer to "Spring cleaning".
The French caption (in the linked title) says "Never remove the dead leaves at the base of a tree"

• It is simply beautiful imagery.
• Mother Duck encourages kids to jump out of tree hollow, to join her on the ground.
• one by one, they jump.
• And when they're all down, whole new world opens up before them.

Seeing baby ducks always makes me feel optimistic.

There are some "Australian Wood Duck" (Chenonetta jubata) family groups around Robertson at present - but the parents always guide them away from the road, as soon as my car slows down. By the time I get the camera out - they are always well away.

Wood Duck family - Dad - on left - being "protective" (always closest to me)

Mother Duck leading the kids away

Wood Duck family - Safe distance, we can all start feeding again.

My Blogging colleague David, has a much better photograph of a Wood Duck family swimming in a local pond somewhere on the Far South Coast of NSW. His post was dated 2 August, but he's on the coast - so life starts earlier - in every sense - on the Coast.

Enjoy Springtime - how could you not?

My birding colleague and fellow Blogger, Martin, has queried if (i.e., suggested that - possibly) the female Duck might be an American Wood Duck?
I cannot be sure.
I had assumed it was European, but on doing a bit of a search, it looks right for a Female American Wood Duck (the eye marking is distinctive, it seems) and they do nest in trees.
Martin has also posted about our Aussie Wood Ducks hanging around in a tree. It certainly looks to me that they are "lurking with intent"

Dalmeny under water

My brother, Brendan lives at Dalmeny, just north of Narooma. (see attached Map) Actually he lives in a little patch of Eucalypt forest immediately south of the coastal settlement of Dalmeny. He has supplied the information and photographs in this post.

The Footbridge over Mummaga Lake (creek) at Dalmeny
16 February 2010

Mummaga Lake opened to the sea overnight 15 February 2010
Seen here on 16/2/2010.

"They also serve who only stand and wait" (Milton)

Brendan has told me, over the last couple of days of the rain they have been having down there. Remarkably, Narooma topped the State in rainfall till 9:00am this morning (for rain which mostly fell yesterday). Not often Narooma does that. Robertson is more likely to have that distinction, or Dorrigo.

It seems they have had even more rain today in Narooma..

Earlier today he wrote:

• We had 152 mm to 9:00 am.
• It is currently pissing down and more heavily than over the last 24 hours. The radio reports today are that it is raining at about 25 mm per hour for up to 3 hours in a hit.
• The highway is cut both sides of Bodalla.
• All the lakes are cut (open) to the sea.
  
• Tuross Lake opened last week and released the three dolphins that were captive there for about 18 months.
• Yesterday Kianga Creek opened. It is seriously septic because of algal blooms - they had collapsed before Christmas and were sitting in an anaerobic state on the bottom of the lake. When the initial water escaped it smelled really bad. I am hoping that this second storm will scour out the crap from the bottom of the lake.
• Dewsbury beach has an opening at each end (small creeks flowing to the sea).
• Our own swamp was across the bottom of Eucalyptus Drive and is broken to the sea.
• Mummaga Lake (Dalmeny) is almost up to the pedestrian bridge and raging to the sea. The sand bar broke open overnight.
• How is your arid zone. You only had 42 mm yesterday. (Very Funny - DJW)
  

This evening he said:

• South East NSW has been in drought for some years.
• Last week we got about 170 mm across 4 days. Over 3 days till 9:00 am this morning we had 278 mm and we most likely had a further 200 mm today. Very soggy.
• No problems with the house or garage, but there is some damage in the garden.
• Attached are a couple of photos of the area.
• This on the main drag into Dalmeny about 400 m before the shops (opposite the fire station and tennis courts).

Real Estate website

Fortunately, on the scale of floods, this is relatively minor flooding.
But no doubt for the owners, it is a"big deal".

• The rain seems to have eased off in the last couple of hours.

DJW Comments: It is really good that these various Lakes and streams have opened to the sea. Brendan mentioned that Dolphins had been trapped in Tuross Lake. They are now free. It will also allow fish stocks to be renewed, and the Prawns too.

DJW UPDATE:
The Bureau's weather records were "jammed" and presumably some person needed to approve the publication of an "anomaly" in their records. It was published at 11:00am this morning (16/2/2010):
Rainfall at Narooma - last two days:
Monday 15 February 2010 151.6mm
Tuesday 16 February 2010 161.8mm
That is a pretty amazing amount of rain to fall consistently over two days.

Other South Coast Bloggers:
My Blogging colleague David of "Focus on Nature" wrote last week of the storms they had at Bermagui. No doubt he has had even more since then, too.
James Woodford, who writes "Real Dirt" from somewhere south from Moruya, has also written about the Lakes opening, and fish being freed from stagnant lagoons and Eels on the move.

Cicada Shells

My colleague, David Young, has recently posted about live Cicadas he has seen. I subsequently was in Canberra, and came across a bunch of "shells" of Cicadas, gripping onto the bark of an Ironbark Eucalypt.
These are not dead Cicadas, but rather, the exoskeletons of the Cicadas at the larval stage.Cicadas are reputed to live underground for many years - although some American species are reported to stay in the immature stage for perhaps as long as seventeen years - but who knows for sure?

Hole in ground from which a Cicada has recently emerged.
One could easily poke a finger into the hole.
I do not recommend doing that - for another creature
would surely not waste such potentially valuable "real-estate".

Anyway, having lived a long and peaceful life underground, sucking sap from the roots of their favourite food trees (in Australia, mostly Eucalypts it seems), they emerge, and climb to a suitable vantage point where they hook their legs onto a strong perch, then they begin their final stage of metamorphosis. (Technically, as they are "bugs" (Hemiptera) and do not go through pupation (unlike Butterflies) they are said to have a life cycle of "incomplete metamorphosis". Their larval stages are "nymphs" which basically resemble the adults - just varying in size, until the last stage where wings appear).

The mature Cicada emerges by a process of splitting the back and the head of the shell. Then the head emerges, and it pulls the legs out.
Once free of the constraints of the old shell, the wings start to expand and then they pump the veins inside the wing membrane full of body fluids - or full enough to make the fine structure rigid enough to support the insect in flight.Once that is done it is time for flying, singing and loving.

A brief adult life but a merry one, it seems (hopefully enough to justify the seventeen long years of waiting around underground in the larval stage, anyway).

Here is a study of the "eyes" of a Cicada shell.

And here - the real thing.

Two large eyes, and the three "jewels" are in fact semi-functioning optical points "occelli", which the theory has are able to function underground, to assist the larvae to sense to their environment underground. That's just a theory as far as I am concerned.

You may read a detailed academic study of Cicada biology here.

A rare glimpse of a Mangrove Heron

OK, I know that "Mangrove Heron" is the old name for this bird, but I find it hard to call this bird a "Striated Heron" - for this form shows only a thin white patch on its rufous chest - hardly my idea of "stripes". I prefer the old name of Mangrove Heron. (Butorides striatus) As usual, the "scientific name" is shown, to avoid complete confusion.At the risk of boring everybody, this is the problem with international rules of nomenclature for birds. Birds which have a wide distribution, as happens with many sea birds, and "waders", as well as some migrant Australian birds which travel into Asia, are meant to carry the name first ascribed to them. So names which were popularised in Australia, in the old-fashioned Bird Books (in this case "Mangrove Bittern") have been forced to give way to the international names. This bird was described by Linnaeus as Butorides striatus. That name was given to this bird by Linnaeus, in 1758, so clearly it was not from an Australian specimen (prior to European settlement of Australia). This bird is recorded from Africa, North and South America, Asia and the Pacific, as well as Australia, down to Mallacoota in far-eastern Victoria. It is uncommon south from Sydney. So this is an interesting record for Bermagui, NSW (Baragoot Lake) on Friday 31 July 2009, at 2:30pm.

I will report this "sighting" to the Canberra Ornithologists Group, as someone there will be able to tell me how to officially record this sighting (other than on my Blog and David's Blog).*** See update, below.

I should acknowledge that when I first saw this bird I thought it was a "Reef Heron", but when I developed the images, several days later, I realised how much rufous this bird has, thus ruling out that original ID. The "Reef Heron" is slaty grey (or white). It is now officially classed as an Egret. (Pacific, or Eastern, Reef-Egret).

My clearest photo of the Striated (or Mangrove) Heron.
It shows the hunched posture adopted by this bird.
It also shows the light green patch of skin in front of the eye,
which is typical of this species.
Click to enlarge the image.

In further "old-fashioned" bird language, this pose is typical of many "Bitterns". Wikipedia explains what I mean: "Bitterns are a classification of wading birds in the heron family Ardeidae. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family." Many Bitterns adopt this hunch-backed pose, when "skulking around" looking for food. But this bird was out in the open. But the hunch-back appearance is normal for this species.

My Blogging colleague David Young has reported on this sighting, with a very nice photo. So, this report serves as confirmation of David's record. David was standing closer than I was, and his image is nice and clear, and shows the rufous colour very well.

It seems that juvenile birds are prominently striped. Also, as with many birds which have a wide range, there are local variations in colour. There are apparently 22 sub-species recorded, of which two are recorded in Australia. There is a full page of Australian images of this species showing the variability of this species.

This bird appears to fall into the group described as a "rufous morph" (colour variant). This image shows the rufous colour better than my others.Here is a photo of this bird in flight, showing its habit of flying with the neck bent (tucked in).By contrast, here is a White-fronted Heron in flight (calling as it flies). This image was taken at the same coastal inlet, a mere minute or two before the Mangrove Heron flew in, and then flew out again.
This is my "art photo" for the day. I love the shadow on the sand as the bird flies away.If you click to enlarge the image, you can clearly see the shadow of the beak, and even of the feet and the separate shadow of the hind toes. How sweet is that?

The bird's shadow looks like a delta-wing plane - revealing the inherent efficiency of its flight, created by adopting what looks to us as a slightly awkward pose. Nothing off the sort - it is aerodynamically efficient!

*** Update:
This record has now been reported on Birds Australia's "Birdline NSW"
See this link.
My report is registered on Friday 31 July - the date of the sighting.
Anyone can join. The posts are "moderated" and it might take 24 hours to get your name "registered" and your record published. They will send you a log-in once you have joined, but my report was accepted on the basis of what I sent in, just by applying for registration. In other words, prior registration is not required.
So, as I said, anyone can report an unusual sighting.
Obviously, a clearly recognisable image and a decent locational report, etc helps to maintain the standards which one would expect of Birds Australia.

When is an Ant not an ant? When it is a Fly.

When I was at the Barren Grounds yesterday, with a group of birdwatchers, we were distracted by a strange looking Ant-like creature walking (almost running) all around the picnic table in the shelter shed there.

I could not get a good fix on what kind of creature this was, at the time. It moved fast, by walking quickly on its distinctively long legs. It looked like an Ant. But was it? Could it have been a wasp? Or even a Spider? There are Ant-mimicking Spiders, after all.Just in case it might have been an aberrant Spider we decided to check the number of legs, and came up with an odd number - literally an odd number. It appeared to have only 5 legs, and that always makes it hard to work out what kind of creature it is, for obviously it has been damaged, as often happens in Nature. I recall a Phasmid (Stick Insect) I once found which is famous for having a "sacrificial" strategy, of losing limbs, or parts thereof, in order to allow the insect to survive attacks by birds - a similar strategy is used by Skinks, of course, which readily shed their tail tip, but can survive such an attack and even re-grow a new tip of the tail.

As someone who once thought seriously about buying a 5 cylinder Audi, I am always intrigued by such seeming imbalance. But I digress.

The clue to the identity of this creature is here. At full resolution the head shot shows a distinctive shadow (from the flash).See what I mean? The v-shaped protrusion is typical of a Fly. As a matter of fact, you can even check out David's wonderful shot of a Hoverfly, and see a similar antenna structure on its face. As soon as I spotted that v-shaped shadow, I checked the positive image itself, and realised I was staring a fly's face. Even the red eyes on each side of the head became obvious as typical fly eyes (obvious once you work out what you are looking at).

But it was the shadow of the short antennae which swung it for me. You see wasps and bees (related creatures - Hymenoptera) both have prominent mid-sized antennae which are distinctively bent ("elbowed" as Peter Chew refers to it). By contrast, Flies (Diptera) have very short, straight antennae - which is what I had noticed.

From that moment on, it was simply a question of searching the available internet references.

I started with the wonderful Chew Family's Insects and Spiders of Brisbane. That took me to the prospect of it being a "Stilt-legged Fly". I followed a further link to Nick Monaghan's "Life Unseen" website. and I found that it was indeed a "Stilt-legged Fly" - indeed he has a 'dead ringer' for my insect, under the name of Metopochetus sp.

So, that reminds me of the old joke: "When is a fly, not a fly? When it is a Walk!"

In all the time we watched this creature, running around the picnic table, crossing large gaps between the rustic boards on the table, etc, it never attempted to fly. That's why we thought it was an Ant. Indeed its transparent wings were held so close to the body (not widely spread, as in many flies), that the wings simply looked like a metallic sheen on the body of the insect.

Just to help clarify the shape of the insect, I spent some time on Photoshop, removing the shadows (because I had photographed it with the flash, on a Macro setting). In a sense it was just as well I did, as it was the shadow which gave me the clue as to the identity of this creature, as I mentioned. But the true shape of the insect is more clearly visible now, once the shadows have been removed.
I still think it looks like an Ant - but I am convinced that it is indeed a Stilt-legged Fly.
But with 5 legs, it might just be an "Audi-fly".

By the way, it was almost impossible for me to get a really clear focus on this creature, as it ran around the picnic table. These days, I only have manual controls on my Micro lens (A control ring on the Micro lens has broken). So just consider how amazing is David's achievement to snap that hoverfly in perfect focus, when in flight? No wonder his blog is called "Focus on Nature".

Carrington Falls after heavy rain

The beauty of Carrington Falls is that it provides so many different views and points of interest. I went out there today with David to take some photos, and his girls came along to play, and spot interesting creatures. Aaah, that reminds me of when I had terrific eyes. You can see some of David's photographs over at today's post on his site.

Yesterday (after a morning of heavy rain, the light was very difficult, as there was heavy cloud, and the waterfall spray was creating mist everywhere below the falls. But there was a huge amount of water of going over the Falls (well, the Kangaroo River is a very small river, with only 6 km of catchment length above these falls - so you cannot expect too much).
These are the main falls - once again seen from the main lookout point, opposite the falls. This shot was taken today, on the second day after heavy rain. So the levels had dropped considerably from the day before.This is a detail shot of the water crashing over the rocks half-way down the falls.
It is a very compact waterfall, dropping into a narrow gorge, which is the absolute top end of the Upper Kangaroo Valley.
Above the Falls, the river is still known as the Kangaroo River, but there is no longer a valley (in the sense it is normally understood). So this is the very beginning of Kangaroo Valley. You can see a bright reflection of light from a pool about 600 metres away, down in the bottom of the Gorge. Here is a shot of the top of the falls, taken from the same lookout as where the gorge was viewed from (immediately above).Above the top of Carrington Falls, the Kangaroo River is transformed into a typical creek (or River, if you must) flowing over shallow sandstone bedrock. It also provides rock crevices for these Lizard Lovers to enjoy their view of the River - in safety. They must have been marvelling at the difference between the torrent of yesterday and the "heavy flow" of today.

A pair of "Wall Skinks" (Cryptoblepharus virgatus)
enjoying their view of the Kangaroo River,
just above the Carrington Falls.

Above the Falls, there are riffles, alternating with smooth flowing streams, small cascades, and pools for kids to safely swim in. Because of the recent high flows, and the cool weather, few people were swimming, but Rhiannon and Aeron could not resist the temptation to paddle their feet in the water, at least.Across the river, a small stream flows into the Kangaroo River. It drops over a sandstone rock wall, a ledge, forming what is known as Nellies Glen (forgive the ungrammatical title - it is a name steeped in local history. Apparently there is another place with the same name in the Blue Mountains as well). I know of several such formations in the district, but this is the most popular, and most accessible to the public.Adjacent to Nellies Glen, there is a long rock shelf which drips fresh water constantly into a carved our depression, a cave of sorts, with a small pool in its bottom. The rock shelf is not particularly high, or deep, but it is probably 50 metres in length. Underneath is an area which is constantly moist and shaded. Naturally it has a wonderful natural moss garden growing there.Just outside the rock ledge, there was a pool of rainwater, which today was occupied by a few Tadpoles and some small insects, and this very fine "Fishing Spider" (Dolomedes sp.)
I love the way these creatures create dimples in the water, showing that their feet actually spread over the surface of the water, supported by the "surface tension" of the water. Presumably their feet are coated in very fine hairs to spread their weight over as much surface as possible, and to prevent the feet puncturing the surface of the water. They are related to the Wolf Spider, and behave similarly, running after their prey, or waiting to pounce on it. They apparently eat water insects, but sometimes move away from water as well. This group of Spiders is distributed around the world.

New Year's Eve - sunset and evening sky

The sun has just started to move back from its southern most point, but on this New Year's Eve sunset, it is still close to its furthest most southerly point in the sky (at the Summer Solstice, 10 days ago).

Do I make myself clear? In winter, the sun does not pass anywhere close to this wonderful old tree, but sets well around to the right (further north). But tonight it was setting, just on the south-western side of the wonderful old Blackwood tree (when viewed from my back deck).
The sky had been clear during the day, but an afternoon sea-mist rolled in and formed a light cloud cover, enough to diffuse the sunset. The clouds sat above the horizon, so as the sun set, it came out more clearly than it had been shining, giving this golden light wash. The presence of the tree in silhouette makes the picture more dramatic.

To understand a bit more about my affection for this tree, you need to understand that I deliberately positioned my house, with this tree in mind. In fact it is blocking out a particularly large and ugly "mansion" which to my eyes is totally unsuited to the Southern Highlands. But in addition to using this old tree as a screen, I love its shape, and in this case, the way it filters the afternoon light from the setting sun.

Just a few minutes later, the sun had sunk into thicker cloud, and while there was still light, the sky changed to this blue and pink picture, just for a few moments. Then the colour faded. I love the way the soft light allows you to see the folds in the valley below, looking over Belmore Falls, towards the Shoalhaven Valley. The tall trees highlighted by the pink sky are along Myra Vale Road, towards Fitzroy Falls (from Robertson).

This image is a compound image, a "panorama". The "stitching" together of the three images is far from perfect, but if you click to enlarge the image, you will get a fair idea of the wider view out over Kangaroo Valley and the far distant Shoalhaven Valley.
The "Blackwood" in the first image is the open-crowned tree in the centre-right of this picture. The "solid" or darker trees (with pointed profiles) on the right hand side of the image, and just to the right of the Blackwood, are Sassafras trees. They grow very densely, and give a solid profile, unlike the Blackwood which grows into a more open crowned tree, as it matures.

Today I celebrated New Year's Eve with a luncheon meal for David and Petra (a visitor from Germany) and Captain Jim (who took me flying yesterday). Good honest plain food, with a roast leg of lamb, baked very slowly on the hooded gas BBQ, baked potatoes (fresh from Kim's vegie garden) and a salad courtesy of the new Fruit Shop in Robertson. (I haven't told you about this, but it is turning out to be a great asset to the village). Today, while I was in there buying the greens and stuff for the salad, and a lady came in and said to the shop owner: "Thank you so much for opening this shop". She speaks for many of us.

I might even start eating more vegetables from now on. If that passes for a New Year's Resolution (and I never make them) then so be it.

Happy New Year, everyone. Especially to Kevin Rudd and the new Australian Government, and hence to all the people of Australia (plus Leo in Nova Scotia, Canada). And to my loyal blogger colleagues, especially Miss Eagle, and Gaye from the Hunter, and David. And nice to meet you, Petra. And a special Happy New Year to George, and Lucy and her kids (George, Meg and Charlotte), Steve and Celeste and Jasper, Judy B. and Greg, Mike and the rest of the people of Robertson.

Its all happening in Springtime, in Robertson.

The title is nothing to do with the current "Springtime in Robertson" festival - rather it is a comment about the Natural Phenomenon which is Spring, in Robertson. It is a glorious season, full of the promise of new life.

The Tree Peonies are bursting their buds open. The Herbaceous Peony buds are swelling, (and the first is showing colour, today). Lilacs are in full bloom, the earliest Roses are starting. Out in the bush, the Waratahs are starting to open (the cultivated ones in the village are in full flower). The Spring-flowering Orchids are coming along fast - some flowering already, others budding up.

And that is not to mention the extra activity amongst the birds, and especially the Moths and other Insects. Robertson is a very "mothy" place - all you need to do is leave a porch light on for a couple of hours, in the early evening. Your house will become a "light trap" and you will have hundreds of moths and wasps and other insects to photograph - without harming a single moth or other insect (just turn your light off, and they will go away). In short, there is too much too much for one blogger to document.

So, for a different perspective on what is happening around Robertson, check out David Young's blog "Focus on Nature".

Here I am publishing more of the Tree Peonies today, and then I will try to catch up with the other plants, and some moth photos as well, over the next few days.

A pale pink form of the single Tree Peony Paeonia ostii
- this one always flowers a few days later than the pure white form.

Here is a close-up view of the same flower -
what I call the "eye" of the flower.
You can see the twisted stigmata (the receptive female parts of the flower)
dusted with pollen already.
The stigmata (plural of stigma) are grouped in the centre of the flower
inside a sheath which gives the appearance of the carpel being a single unit.
In fact it is not - there are 5 carpels inside,
with 5 stigmata protruding from the centre of the sheath.
I will show what I mean by showing photos of the developing seed pods - soon.
Here is a tiny fly, which is just visible as a small dot
in the bottom-right hand side of the top image (above) of this flower.
A pure white specimen of P. ostii (a late flower - fully matured)

This variety shows the faintest blush pink at the bud stage, but opens white,
and then fades to this stunning starch-white colour. This specimen has a few pink tinges.
The colour of the carpel is always a deep magenta red in this species.
Here is Godaishu, (again).
Unlike the earlier photo (from yesterday) this flower is now fully open.
It looks almost out of proportion, compared to the other Tree Peonies
for the flower is so large, and the carpel is a normal size.
The flower is a full dinner-plate size. Huge.
It is a lovely white, with the faintest blush pink tinge,
with a white carpel (with yellow stigma).

By contrast, here is the first Herbaceous Peony, "Red Charm".
The bud is just bursting open,
with its wonderful shiny red petals showing.
The leaves of the Herbaceous Peonies are very different from Tree Peonies,
but they are related plants (both groups are in the same genus).

Here is the pure white semi-double Tree Peony "Shimane Hakugan".
This lovely plant has numerous layers of pure white petals.
It does have a similar magenta-red carpel to that of P. ostii.
However, it is genetically a long way from that plant, for its leaves are quite different.

The same image, cropped, to show the carpel, and stamens,
and the bee inside the flower.

Here is another image, showing a Honey Bee in flight.
The Bee is zooming in to the pollen on the flower.
You can see that the Bee is already dotted with pollen,
having visited other flowers previously.

Here is "Kokko-No-Tsukasa", the darkest red Tree Peony I know of
- in the "pure" Japanese group of Tree Peonies.

There are many dark red Tree Peonies amongst the hybrid Tree Peonies,

but their mixed parentage means that they do not flower till much later in the season.

A new Orchid - for me.

My friend Lucy and her son George drove past, when David Young and I were out taking photographs of Ground Orchids this morning. The sight of two grown men lying on the ground, beside the road, caused some comment from Lucy. For the record, we were taking photographs, separately, of different plants, at the time. But that did not stop Lucy from raising an eyebrow. Oh dear, how we photographers and plant enthusiasts are misunderstood!

Well, Lucy knows full well what we were doing, but she could not resist teasing us. Fair enough. I tease her, from time to time, too.
Today I found a rare Orchid which I have been on the lookout for. It is called the Wollongong Bird Orchid, Simpliglottis chlorantha. This plant is known to grow on the Budderoo Plateau, but that is a very large area, adjacent to the Barren Grounds. Anyway, today I got lucky, and found the distinctive paired leaves of these plants, and one of the plants (one only, mind you) was in flower. It is quite a thrill to find a plant, in these circumstances, when you have been given a bit of a clue as to where to look, but not much more than that. I think it was the fourth time I have gone out to this area, looking for these plants. As I said, today I was lucky enough to find them (or it).

*****

That plant is related to the far more common "Ant Orchids" which feature below. If you compare these photos (above and below) the first impression is that the plants are very different, and indeed they are. One is wide, and green, the others narrow and dark reddish. However, if you concentrate on the structure of the flowers you will notice some obvious similarities. Note the "column" like a broad tube held above the labellum, with the pollinia prominently positioned above the scent producing glands. Unlike the Ant Orchids, which have glands resembling an insect in appearance, this Bird Orchid has some red, and one prominent green scent gland, of what looks like a soft jelly-like substance.

Until very recently, all these plants were classed in the same genus, Chiloglottis. The Botanic Gardens website has not yet formally recognised these new names, so the link above takes you to "Bird Orchids" and Wasp and Ant Orchids - all under the same genus name.

*****

Earlier in the day, I had gone out with David to try to photograph some of the little Ant Orchids which are found out in the tall Eucalypt forests (on sandy soil) in the Kangaloon area. These tiny little plants are very hard to see on the forest floor, for they are perfectly camouflaged, amongst the leaf litter.

This one is the "Diamond Ant Orchid" (Myrmechila trapeziformis)- a reference to the diamond shaped blade or "labellum" of the Orchid flower. Their lateral sepals are held wide and flat, beside the labellum. They arc back, as can be clearly seen in this photo.
This second plant, growing in a small colony, just about 20 metres away from the other plants, is of a different, but closely related species. This is the "Common Ant Orchid", Myrmechila formicifera, which means "ant-bearing" - a reference to the structure on its "labellum". In this case, there is a line of small glands behind the "pseudo-insect", which glands reach down in a line to the furthest edge of the labellum. How far these glands extend on the labellum is the easiest way to distinguish these species. These differences in the two species were quite consistent amongst the individual plants in each group. In other words, all the plants in one group were basically the same. And the other group were all basically consistent too. These plants have a series of glands on the labellum which have the appearance of an insect. It is referred to as a "pseudo-insect" by Orchid experts and those few entomologists who study this process. In fact these plants emit a scent which mimics the pheromone of a female wasp, prompting male wasps to seek to mate with this "s.x-toy" on the Orchid's labellum. In so doing the male wasp might end up with a dob of the Orchid's sticky pollen stuck onto his back, which, hopefully, he will take off to another flower, and will accidentally pollinate it, as he once again attempts to mate with the other flower. This is the process known as "pseudo-copulation".

I went out in the bush with David, who has a very good camera, which allows far closer camera positioning than mine does. Here you can see how low the dedicated photographer has to get down, in order to take photos of these plants. I have placed a ring of light around the flower which David's camera is focussing on - just to highlight exactly what it is that David is photographing on the forest floor.
You can see some of the results of David's handiwork over on his blog, where he has photos of some other plants and some amazing photos of the Hover Flies which were buzzing around the flowers of the Hardenbergia violacea, the so-called "Native Sarsaparilla". David's blog is called "Focus on Nature", which is exactly what he was doing in this shot.