We went to nature journal orchids, but I spent my time down memory lane with a silver dollar eucalypt instead.
Eucalyptus cinerea
Tag: australian native
looking closer
I thought I knew the eucalypts on our block! I went out to observe and record the rate of fruit (gumnut) drop, and to my surprise learned that adjacent trees are actually different in significant ways.
This process, and learnings, delighted me … and engendered even more questions, to be explored in the future.
Adenanthos sericeus
The woolly bush is a shrub native to the south coast of Western Australia. We planted three here in 2017; one eventually died but the other two are doing well. This fine-textured, upright shrub or small tree typically reaches a height of 6 to 10 feet. The wispy stems are adorned with soft, gray, needle-like foliage that feels velvety to the touch and displays pink hues in its new growth. Small red flowers emerge intermittently throughout the year at the base of the leaves. They are so obscure that I wasn’t even aware the bushes were currently flowering until I noticed the hummingbirds having a feast.
Pardalotus punctatus
I‘m a sucker for a bird with spots, so I was delighted to spy a group of spotted pardalotes at my sister’s bird bath. So pretty!
Pogona barbata
It felt so good to go for a nice long ramble out in the Ginninderry Conservation Corridor in north-western Canberra, especially as we spotted some iconic Australian fauna. We followed it up with a delicious lunch, to make quite the perfect morning.
Callocephalon fimbriatum
My sister and I spotted a small flock of these stunning birds in the bush behind her house. The gang-gang cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum), native to the coastal regions of southeastern Australia, is easily recognised by its unique call, often likened to a creaky gate. It is the faunal emblem of the Australian Capital Territory.
The loss of older, hollow trees and feeding habitats has caused a significant decline in the birds’ population in recent years. As a result, the gang-gang cockatoo is now classified as vulnerable in New South Wales and is slated for listing as endangered. So we were especially pleased to spot these beauties.
Acacia podalyriifolia
Many of the green spaces in this suburb have more grass than tree cover. But Alice Mawson Reserve is thick bush. I spent an hour or two meandering through, and when I emerged I was greeted by a couple of kids on their scooters. “Isn’t it great in there?” they yelled enthusiastically. “Did you see any spiders or snakes? Did you see any koalas? Did you see any lizards? How big?”
I pulled out my sketchbook and they exclaimed over it. The boy said excitedly “I draw too! Every day!” Then they were off on their scooters. The whole interaction made me smile. A couple of nascent nature journalers, perhaps?
glass house mountains
The Glass House Mountains are a group of thirteen hills that rise sharply from a plain on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The mountains lie within the traditional lands of the Jinibara and Gubbi Gubbi people. First Nations Australians hold a rich legend surrounding these mountains, with Mt Beerwah being especially significant as the “mother” of the range.
Both Indigenous groups request that visitors refrain from climbing Beerwah and Tibrogargan out of respect for their sacred importance, a call they have voiced publicly since the mid-1990s, to little avail. In Gubbi Gubbi tradition, climbing Mt Beerwah is believed to bring bad luck.
My daughter and I did not climb Mt Tibrogargan—we circumnavigated its base, and saw some really cool invertebrates, flowers, and birds, as well as views of more distant mounts.
invertebrates
Feeling well enough to go for a short walk and admire the smaller wildlife. Hoping to test negative in a day or two!
Cracticus nigrogularis
Bummed to realise that my “heavy cold” is actually Covid. It’s going to put a damper on the next few days, but I hope for a speedy recovery! 🤞🏻
hashiworks 