Helen watching birds and basking in the winter sun at the York Golf Club.
This autumn and winter we’ve been spending quite a bit of time at the local golf course – not playing golf at all but walking in the woods at the back of the course. It is a fantastic piece of Wandoo forest with rocky out crops and steep gullies cut by water erosion. In fact that’s probably why it still exists as the land wouldn’t be fit for any commercial purpose. For us it is a wonderful place where we can walk the dog and view native flora and fauna. The other great thing is other than seeing the occasional golfer on the fairways as we drive in there is nobody around.
Frida looking in holes at the York Golf Course.
Frida our wayward and reluctant Bull Terrier loves it. There are rocky outcrops to stand on and strike a heroic pose, holes to look down and lots and lots of interesting things to smell. It is the one place where she enthusiastically jumps out of the car rather than having to be enticed out with bribes.
Me I go there to photograph flowers and animals and just generally get away from everything. I find it so peaceful and relaxing. Here are a selection of photos I’ve taken this winter.
Djakal-ngakal or pink and grey galah enjoying the last warmth of the winter’s sun as it goes down.
The early morning sun highlights the golden web of the Golden Orb Weaving Spider.
Green-veined Shell Orchid, Pterostylis scabra, growing just off the fairway in the rough.
You never know who you’ll meet in the rough. Female western grey kangaroo aka sooty kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus).
Fringed Mantis Orchid, or Green Spider Orchid, (Caladenia falcata).
Cowslip Orchid, Caladenia flava subs. flava.
Hundreds of Sugar Orchids, Ericksonella saccharata, can be seen growing in the bark and leaf litter beneath the wandoo trees.
Winter donkey orchid, Diuris brumalis.
Chapman’s Spider Orchid, Caladenia chapmanii.
A quick bite to eat.
Fridas enjoying a morning run in the bush at the York Golf Club.
Christmas Rock Walk Trail that is. Christmas Rock is in Wongan Hills and I’ve written about going there before. This time I’m writing about the Christmas Rock walk trail which is located in a 2000 hectare reserve. It is an easy 2.7Km walk along relatively flat well marked paths not far from the centre of the town site. Along the trail are interpretive panels which give insights into the reserve. What makes it worthwhile is that at wildflower time the walk passes through country that is a riot of colourful flowers. It is a gobsmackingly beautiful sight this year as the weather conditions have been ideal. The bird life in the reserve is also pretty impressive and their song provides a fitting score for a very pleasant walk.
Cristmas Rock Walk trail is an enjoyable easy 2.7Km walk trail in the Wheatbelt Town of Wongan Hills. Sony A7r with Tamron 35mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/160 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
Yellow everlastings at Christmas Rock, Wongan Hills. Sony A7r with Tamron 35mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/125 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
Pink Everlastings, Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r with a Tamron 20mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/160 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
The rock gets its name from the Western Australian Christmas Trees (Nuytsia floribunda) which used to be found there and flowered at Christmas time. On the top of the rock is an elaborate series of channels that were designed to harvest rain water run off for the “Railway Water Supply” which was built in 1916. But the rock is also home to a wide variety of plants such as lichens and mosses. On a warm sunny day if you’re quick enough you might see the lizards who live in the various cracks and crevices.
The walk takes you up on the top of the rock which was part of the “Railway Water Supply” built in 1916. Rainwater runoff was harvested through a series of channels and creeks. Sony A7r with Tamron 20mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/800 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
A suprising number of plants grow on Christmas Rock. Sony A7r with Tamron 20mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/320 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
Rainwater captured on Christmas Rock in natural forming crack, depressions and gullies. Sony A7r with Tamron 20mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/400 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
But for me it is the display of orchids which brings me to Wongan Hills. There are so many different types in large quantities. It made me feel like a kid on Christmas Day. The funny thing is that it could have been very, very different. Prospectors actually dug pits looking for asbestos. Luckily they didn’t find it in large enough quantities to make it a viable commercial operation and went looking elsewhere. So in September give Wongan Hills a visit. This isn’t the only walk as there’s Mount O’Brien Lookout, Gathecole Nature Reserve, and the Mt Matilda walk trail. Then there are the lakes which host lots of water birds. So instead of a day trip why not make a long weekend of it.
Pendant Spider Orchid (Caladenia pendens, subsp pendens). Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r2 with a Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/40 sec, f5.6 at ISO 125.
Lemon Scented Sun Orchid aka the vanilla orchid (Thelymitra antennifera). Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r2 with a Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/200 sec, f5.6 at ISO 125.
Lemon Scented Sun Orchid aka the vanilla orchid (Thelymitra antennifera). Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r with Tamron 20mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/250 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
A White Spider Orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp longicauda) among the everlastings on Christmas Rock in Western Australia. Sony A7r2 with a Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/125 sec, f5.6 at ISO 125.
Chameleon Spider Orchid (Caladenia dimidia). Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r2 with a Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/800 sec, f5.6 at ISO 200.
Sugar Candy Orchid, Caladenia hirta subsp. hirta. Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r2 with a Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/250 sec, f5.6 at ISO 125.
Pink Candy Orchid, Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea. Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r2 with a Canon 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/80 sec, f5.6 at ISO 125.
Cowslip Orchid, Caladenia flava subs. flava. Christmas Rock, Western Australia. Sony A7r with a Tamron 20mm f2.8 lens. Exposure: 1/160 sec, f8 at ISO 100.
Spring is here and the bees are hard at work pollinating the almond trees in my garden.
It only seems like the other day I was blogging about winter coming and getting my wood supply in. Now after a very mild winter spring is breaking out all over. The fruit trees in my garden have been keeping the local bees very busy. And further afield the native terrestrial orchids are starting to bloom. I’ve never known them start quite so early, and I thought that last year was a prolific year, but this spring is looking to be even more bountiful.
A cowslip orchid being pollinated. Mokine, Western Australia.
Rosy-cheeked Donkey Orchid, Diuris aff. corymbosa, larger than the common donkey orchid and has reddish-brown labellum lobes hence the name.
A lemon scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera) also known as vanilla orchid. Mokine, Western Australia.
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