Orchids from Nowra and Cambewarra Mountain

This morning I rang Alan Stephenson to check on the weather in Nowra.
We have had such cold, windy weather in Robbo that I was very uncertain that it was going to be worthwhile making the trip down to the Shoalhaven. But Alan assured me it was warm and sunny,

I am glad I went, for I found a number of interesting Orchids.

Hymenochilus bicolor
Formerly Pterostylis bicolor
Growing in Nowra Cemetery

Prasophyllum elatum
These plants on Leebold Hill
have green leaves and
black flower stems.
The buds are just visible,
They come out creamy colour.

Pterostylis erecta

Speculantha vernalis
This spring flowered species
of Speculantha
is distinct from the regular
summer and autumn flowered species.
Alan Stephenson has persuaded
the Federal Authorities
to list it as Critically Endangered
because it is so highly localised.

The epiphytic form of the
Sydney Rock Orchid
it grows so high in trees on
Cambewarra Mountain
that it is very hard
for me to photograph.
You can just make out
the long flower sprays.
Thelychiton epiphyticus

Dockrillia pugioniformis

Petalochilus alatus
Fairy Caladenia
This tiny Caladenia
is very sweet, but hard to find
and harder to photograph properly.

 An unusual magenta colour form of Glossodia minor
beside a regular colour form on right

Glossodia minor

Nowra weekend with Canberra Native Plant people

I stayed at Alan and Michelle's place on Friday evening, in readiness for meeting up with Roger and Christine and the rest of the travelling group from Canberra Australian Native Plant group who had come to Nowra for the weekend.
Their plan was to start with Bomaderry Creek Nature Reserve, and then move on to other areas in the Shoalhaven region.
Naturally we showed them lots of tiny Orchids, some almost invisible.
I have posted a Picasa album, which is open to the public.
https://plus.google.com/photos/113268294402913437731/albums/5859215150742708113?banner=pwa

Probably the most unusual image is a photo of a newly described and named species of Banksia from Vincentia. Apparently this plant has recently been formally described and named by Peter Weston, from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. He is a recognised expert on Proteaceae. In all probability this is the first internet published image of this newly described and named species.

Banksia vincentia

Leaves of Banksia vincentia

This is a tiny, aberrant form of "Speculantha sp. aff parviflora" - one of the Tiny Greenhoods. Normally these plants are about 100 mm (4 inches) high, to 250mm for tall specimens. This plant was only 30mm in total height.The 5 cent coin is there for scale, to show how tiny the whole plant was.

Speculantha - a tiny "alba form".
A vary rare variation from the normal forms
which are found in the Shoalhaven.

There are many other photos of tiny Orchids, mostly Corunastylis species which were seen on this weekend.
https://plus.google.com/photos/113268294402913437731/albums/5859215150742708113?banner=pwa

Corunastylis species in the Shoalhaven (some of them)

Here are some of the Corunastylis species which Alan and I found on Sunday and Monday.

Some were just finishing, others just starting. Of course there are many more than these species to be found, but these are what we did manage to track down.

Corunastylis superba I showed you yesterday - just finishing flowering.

We found a few finished flowers of Corunastylis apostasioides, and just one which still had one open flower. Unfortunately, I did not photograph it, as it was not particularly photogenic. Here is one I "prepared earlier" as TV Chefs say.

Corunastylis apostasioides - one flower open
Click to enlarge image.

I stayed over at Alan and Michelle's place (thanks Michelle) and we went out the next morning in search of Corunastylis despectans.These plants were at Tomerong.

These tiny flowers were just starting to bloom, it seems. 

Not many available to be photographed.

The flowers are very fine, with pointed sepals

and not a large dorsal sepal.
While the base colour is reddish, they overall impression

is of a slightly built, silvery red flower.

The stems were about 180mm high (about 8 inches).

Corunastylis despectans.

We then decided to go looking for some Corunastylis plants which normally are to be found, at Vincentia. These plants have not yet been named, and so are still given the made-up name Corunastylis sp. aff oligantha. It is not that named species (the Mongarlowe Midge Orchid), but is very close to it. I like to refer to it as the Vincentia Midge Orchid.

Vincentia Midge Orchid (as yet un-named)

After lunch at a cafe in Vincentia, we went to the Nebraska Estate, St George's Basin. We went looking for Corunastylis ventricosa (which we found -  but which I will not show tonight). Instead, I will show you some Corunastylis laminata which we also found.

Corunastylis laminata
the so-called "Red Midge Orchid"

On the way home, up through Kangaroo Valley 

I stopped to photograph several of the better small waterfalls

above the Barrengarry Range.

These falls flow permanently, but are normally

not visible from the Kangaroo Valley below.

This Falls is the one close to the Lookout

at Manning Lookout.

Waterfall in gorge west from Manning Lookout

These Falls are sometimes referred to as

Bridal Veil Falls
I find that name too cliched, and overused.

These falls are below the Grotto which is accessed by track

 - east from - Manning Lookout.

Second waterfall near Manning Lookout
East from the Lookout point.

Slip Sliding Away

It is raining hard in Robertson tonight. After 6 weeks of grey skies, but relatively little rain, that is good news for the bush, and its little slippery creatures. That's why I have called this post "Slip Sliding Away".***

My friend Wendy, from Ulladulla has just posted on Facebook that the Frogs are singing their praises for the rain there, too. Good for them.

Last night I returned from a trip to Nerriga (between Nowra and Braidwood) and collected an important parcel from Sam and Charlie. Sam had told me several weeks ago about a Slug with a red mark on its back. I had heard of this mysterious creature before, but I had never seen one before. 

I did know that it was called the "Red Triangle Slug" (Triboniophorus graeffei) How infrequently one finds an accurate descriptive common name! Judging by the comments and other images in the Gallery on that linked page, my Slug is in its "retracted" state. 

It seems to be saying "Go Away - Leave me alone". I took it outside, and released it into dense cover, while it was raining, last night. Slugs love the rain, as it means they can move easily across otherwise drying surfaces.

The image is too bright, but it shows the marking really well

Red Triangle Slug

Triboniophorus graeffei - Red Triangle Slug

Triboniophorus graeffei - Red Triangle Slug

After posting these images on Facebook this afternoon, I got a message from a fellow Blogger Margaret that she had also posted photos of them. In fact she posted what she called a Red Triangle Slug Orgy, for indeed there are 4 of these creatures in a huddle, two pairs of paired up slugs. And, as they are hermaphroditic (see below), it is an orgy in every sense of the word.

• "a form of sexual reproduction in which both partners can act as the "female" or "male". For example, the great majority of pulmonate snails, opisthobranch snails and slugs are hermaphrodites"  (Wikipedia)

***********

Having been inspired by the rain to write more about "slippery, slimy things" I asked another fellow blogger Bronwen, who rejoices in the nom de plume "Snail", about this little slug I found late one afternoon, at Fitzroy Falls. 

To me, the surprising thing about this Slug was that I found it at about head-height in a prickly-leafed Tea-tree Bush (Leptospermum sp). That's not where I would ever expect to find a small Slug.

"Snail" responded: "Because it is not extended, I'm not 100% (sure) but it looks like a native cystopeltid. There are probably a whole bunch of species in the SE, but for the moment the S one is called Cystopelta astra".

A quick Google image search revealed a very close match indeed, from Mongarlowe, which is only about 120 Km south-west from here. Cystopelta astra - the "Snowy Mountains Humpback Slug" Thanks "Snail" (aren't experts great? Especially when they are generous with their information!)

The feature I noticed straight away with this Slug was the distinction between the thick body and the relatively fine, flat tail.

 That is quite clear in this next image.

Cystopelta astra - the "Snowy Mountains Humpback Slug"

This little slug seems to be widely distributed in south-eastern Australia, but not seemingly it has not often been photographed. 

The Morwell National Park website (as it often does) has a good page of information on a closely related species: It says: "This is a native species of slug that appears to be somewhere between a normal slug and a snail. The visceral mass, appears to be separated from the foot at the rear (this is the part permanently enclosed in the shell of a snail). The tail is flat......" (I have omitted comments which do not apply to my species.)

Cystopelta astra - the "Snowy Mountains Humpback Slug"

Cystopelta astra - the "Snowy Mountains Humpback Slug"

Well, as I conclude my blogging tonight, I note that the rain has now eased, and the Moths are starting to fly. The Moths of Robertson seem to love a good wet night.

I have has 41mm in the last 24 hours. That amount of rain is not high, by any means. It is simply worthy of comment as it is more rain than we have had in any day these last two months. So far this year, Robertson has "missed out" on the good rains which have fallen in Queensland and northern New South Wales (in Sydney even and certainly in points further north).

*** "Slip Sliding Away" Lyrics by Paul Simon - performed by Simon and Garfunkel "Concert in Central Park" 1981. 
Art had nearly lost his formerly pure, angelic singing voice at that stage, but it still was one of the all-time great live concerts. But, on that particular night, in Central Park,  he ought not have gone for the high notes in "Bridge over Troubled Water". Apart from that it was a great concert. And I merely saw it on TV (and had the tape, then the CD).

Turquoise Parrots on Nowra - Braidwood Road confirmed

Further to my preliminary report of 2 Feb, re possible sighting of Turquoise Parrots, I can now confirm the ID positively.

Only one male with blue face and red wing patch sighted, with a "spotting scope". But that was clear enough to put ID beyond doubt.

The location is identified on Google Earth as Yerriyong, NSW.

It is just past the Parma Fire Trail (if coming from the west).

On all occasions, we saw the birds within 600 metres of their preferred location - not further away.

Juvenile male Turquoise Parrot showing some wing colour

Turquoise Parrot - a juvenile

On Saturday afternoon (between 3 and 4 pm) the birds were present in the same place as previously, but they were skittish. They were "hiding" amongst Eucalypt regrowth saplings along the road, and seldom coming out to rest on the powerlines.

On Sunday morning we went back at 7:30 am. We saw a maximum number of 21 birds at any one time, along the powerlines. Small parties kept breaking away from the group, and new "new birds" flying in. They were very active this morning. It is impossible to know exactly how many birds might be in this flock, but we can say there were at least 21.

The birds were seen best in early morning light. They were not very approachable - flying in to nearby re-growth Eucalypt saplings for cover, then returning to the powerlines.

Turquoise Parrots - Small section of flock on powerlines

Occasionally they would double back to a location further down the powerlines, probably just to give us exercise - following them. We could see them well, and photograph them somewhat better than on Friday. But they would not allow me to approach within about 100 metres.

Turquoise Parrots - small section of the flock.

By 7:45 they were beginning to feed amongst the patches of seeding grasses along the road.

Better photographic equipment is called for, I am afraid.

As the Turquoise Parrot (Neophema pulchella) is listed as Vulnerable on the NSW Threatened Species List, I will report these birds, on the NSW Wildlife Atlas.

Alan has just learnt that the local National Parks office is preparing to "slash" the roadside verge in this area, which would be bad news indeed for the Parrots which are feeding on the low grasses there which are happily seeding at present. Lets hope that move can be delayed for a few weeks at least.

Turquoise Parrots on Nowra - Braidwood Road

A complete surprise today - I saw a flock of 20+ Turquoise Parrots.

A "first " for me - a "lifer" as the "twitchers" say.

Alan Stephenson and I were driving back to Nowra from Bulee Gap (Between Sassafras and Nerriga) when I spotted a flock of birds on the power lines.

Mystery bird on powerlines

I had assumed they were Woodswallows, then as we zoomed past, I realised they had long tails. Could they be Parrots?

If so, what species?

They were parrots all right, but small, and NOT Lorikeets.

I asked Alan to stop and go back.

 Parrots on powerlines.

The light was terrible, so my  photos are very very very poor quality.
Bugger.
Grey skies are not helpful.
Click to enlarge, to see some details of the birds.

Turquoise Parrots on powerlines - Jerrawangala National Park

Turquoise Parrots were the obvious suspects, except I have NEVER seen them.

It was misting, and dark in the late afternoon - a photographer's nightmare.

It is definitely a "Neophema Parrot" (smaller than the Red-rumped Grass Parrots - which is in a different genus). The call of the Turquoise Parrot is a little thin rattling "tweeet" - very quiet (described as similar to a Thornbill's call). That explains why we didn't hear them calling at all. By contrast, Red-rumped Grass Parrots are relatively noisy birds (but nothing near as noisy as Lorikeets),

Turquoise Parrots - two-toned blue on wings, slight orange wash on belly.

The two-tone blue markings on the wings (turquoise blue and dark blue) are right for the Turquoise Parrot.

Some hint of orange on the belly had me confused at first - but Birds in Backyards has a  female which looks just like my birds.

It says that older birds of both sexes show some orange on the belly

I can see no red on the wings, but everything else is spot  on.

I have just found these images on the Internet.

Those images show that the red is not always visible, and there is no red on the wings of females or young birds. I have checked that with the Bird Books and it is correct. That explains a lot (especially given that a group like that could well be composed of 50 % young birds in early February).

This linked image is very clearly of a male bird, in clear light.

But the two-tone blue on the wing is right for my birds.

I get no strong colour on the birds faces in my photos, unfortunately. But the females look right.

In my mind, the Turquoise Parrot ID is strongly enough established, to "claim" a sighting.

Previous records in the area.

My old bird books report  records of "family groups south west of Nowra" of Turquoise Parrots, between January and February 1977, and also near Tomerong (same year).

Guess where we were today?

Now that I have learnt how to use the NSW Wildlife Atlas, I can now report that it shows 3 records along the Braidwood Road, and one at Tomerong. See Map details.

NSW Wildlife Atlas records for Turquoise Parrot in Nowra region

Nobody can quibble with this record.

The species is listed as "Vulnerable" in NSW.

The maximum number in any of my images is 13 birds - so that is a definite number. There were more birds when we first saw them. Small parties split up and then re-joined the main group.

I would "claim" 20+ birds. Not precise, but it gives a better idea than the "definite 13" in my first photo.

Will these birds be there when the weather clears?

If the weather clears on Saturday or Sunday, I will go back there and see if I can find them again, and try for a decent photo.

A good record - my first ever sighting of this species.

Even if this species has been previously reported from the area, I am still delighted to have seen them.

Shame about the photos, though.

Post Script:

Written Friday afternoon

The Canberra Ornithologists have come in on this issue.

Some suggest Blue-winged Parrots. Of course I had considered that, but I would require a much better "standard of proof" to claim that species (and many on the COG chatline  would have howled down my claim)

• not only out of area
• but out of season, as they mostly breed in Tasmania and stay there until March.

Anyway, my friend Geoffrey Dabb has communicated with Joe Forshaw, on the subject.
Joe is the author of "Australian Parrots"

Geoffrey's note is as follows:

• Thanks Denis.  Better slightly imperfect images than none.  Joe Forshaw confirms turqs (within range, not Out Of Area), as below
• Many thanks for the enhanced images. 
• Really interesting because I cannot see an adult male, and most, if not all birds, appear to be juveniles. 
• Joe

Alan and I will go back again, on the faint hope that we might be able to track down these birds again and get better views of them, and hopefully better images. 

We know exactly what to look for now, as diagnostic characteristics.

Alan has reported the sighting to the local National Parks people, who were interested to hear about these birds.

Denis.

Hot weather burst finished some Orchids, kick started others

After three weeks of cold weather, with the Sun Orchids sitting there refusing to open, suddenly we got a burst of hot weather (27.9 C max). Two things happened (well three really) - my Peonies got burnt off (but I'm not going to talk further about them now), and then the little pink Caladenia type things nearly all shrivelled up, and in response to hot weather (which suits them) the Sun  Orchids, Beard Orchids and Flying Duck Orchids all popped open. So, it is a case of win some, lose some.

Firstly, the most prolific Sun Orchid which is found along Tourist Road 

The Spotted Sun Orchid - Thelymitra ixioides

The Spotted Sun Orchid - Thelymitra ixioides var ixioides.

Here is another example - a Spotted Sun Orchid with hardly any spots.

Thelymitra ixioides - a form with few spots

This flower is brand new, and the "column" has not yet fully developed.

It was just expanding, in the warm weather.

A newly opened Thelymitra ixioides

As a matter of record, these are the very first of this species of Sun Orchid to open, in Kangaloon, on 24 October 2011. The same species was rampantly in flower in Nowra, on 28 August, when I went down there with Alan Stephenson, to check out the Depot Road powerline easement - (an equally great spot for Orchids as Tourist Road, Kangaloon).

• Similar habitat - both are slashed grasslands on sandstone base soil.
• Different altitude - approx 60 metres in the Nowra case, and approximately 600 metres in the case of Kangaloon.
• Difference in flowering time: 7 weeks delayed flowering - owing to the altitude and cooler climate.

The next "new season" Orchids to open in the heat were these Leek Orchids. This is an as-yet un-named species of Prasophyllum. The closest species is probably Prasophyllum fuscum, which means I can safely refer to this one as "Prasophyllum sp. aff. fuscum".

Prasophyllum sp. aff. fuscum

And finally (for tonight's Blog post) here is the Flying Duck Orchid - Caleana major. Once again, this is the first of this species to open in Kangaloon this year. I saw one last weekend, at Dharawal State Conservation area, but that is lower and more coastal. So, that time difference is not surprising.

Flying Duck Orchid - Caleana major

I love this weird little flower. it is my favourite "challenge" to the pro-Dawkins lobby, for Richard Dawkins is a keen supporter of the "Blind Watchmaker" view of evolution. I just cannot figure that something this cute, effective (and good looking) is the result of "randomness coupled with cumulative selection". But I stress I am not arguing for an "Intelligent Design" view of the origin of species. I am simply expressing my admiration for the result of some 60 million years of Evolution, in what I like to categorise as one of the marvels of the Nature of Robertson.

Tall Leek Orchid - Prasophyllum elatum

Ten days ago I found a group of Leek Orchids with half-formed flower buds along nearly black flower stems. I guessed that they would open up to be Prasophyllum elatum - the Tall Leek Orchid.

Anyway, I went back yesterday to check their progress. 

The plants I had originally found were not properly open 

(but they were recognisable as being this species). 

Dark stems of Prasophyllum elatum - not yet open

Fortunately I found another group of these lovely flowers, fully open. 

Prasophyllum elatum full stem view

These plants are growing in deep sandy soil on top of Cambewarra Mountain. They are growing in a semi-open heathland shrubbery, not in the rainforest one sees on that same hill, from the main road between Kangaroo Valley and Nowra. Obviously it is a very high rainfall area, but the sandstone provides excellent drainage.

Here is a shot of one of the flower spikes.

Flower spike of a Tall Leek Orchid - Prasophyllum elatum

Close-up of flowers of Prasophyllum elatum.

It seems that the Leek Orchid family of plants are much slower to flower in the Southern Highlands than they are on the Shoalhaven Valley and on the coast around Jervis Bay (where some of the Leek Orchids have already finished flowering).

Cambewarra is an interesting location, in that it is nearly at the same altitude as Kangaloon, but its proximity to the warm coastal plain seems to bring forward the flowering time, relative to the same species at Kangaloon (where they are yet to flower). So altitude (and proximity to the coast) appear to give a considerable delay to flowering time, in Springtime flowering Orchids.

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