Cataby Peregrination

 

Cataby 170Km north of Perth in Western Australia could hardly be called the epicentre of the universe. There’s a titanium mine to the north and a mineral sands operation just south. There is the Cataby Important Bird Area just 2Km outside the settlement. None of these were the reason for my visit. I was there to explore the scrubland that runs along side the Brand Highway looking for orchids, in particular the Arrowsmith Pansy – insert politically incorrect joke here. I must say that when I first pulled up I didn’t expect to find much. The low lying scrub was difficult to walk in and it was very difficult to see the smaller plants. Here’s what I found.

 

Arrowsmith Pansy Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Arrowsmith Pansy Orchid, Diuris sp ‘Arrowsmith’. Cataby, Western Australia.

 

Autumn Leek Orchid, by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Autumn Leek Orchid, Prasophyllum parvifolium. Cataby, Western Australia.

 

Winter Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Winter Donkey Orchid, Diuris brumalis. Cataby, Western Australia.

 

Hairy-stemmed Snail Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Hairy stemmed snail orchid,Pterostylis sp. ‘hairy’. Cataby, Western Australia.

 

Northern Banded Greenhood by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Northern Banded Greenhood, Pterostylis sp ‘Dongara’. Cataby, Western Australia.

 

 

Spring Is Springing

Red Capped Robin by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Red Capped Robin, Petroica goodenovi, Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia. Panasonic G85 with Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f4-6.3 lens. Exposure: 1/500 sec, f6.3 at ISO 1000 with -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Tomorrow here in Western Australia is the first day of spring. I don’t think Mother Nature got the memo as the bush around York sprung into life a couple of weeks ago. Flowers are bursting into bloom and the birds are in a frenzy of nest building and dancing around trying to attract mates. This means that I have also sprung into action trying to document as much of thais activity as possible. The cameras are working over time.

 

Common Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The unusual lutea or “yellow” form of the common donkey orchid (Diuris corymbosa). Talbot Hall, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/800 sec, f8 at ISO 400.

 

Green Spider Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Green Spider Orchid, also known as the Fringed Mantis Orchid (Caladenia falcata). Talbot Hall, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: 1/160 sec, f5.6 at ISO 400.

 

White Spider Orchids by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
White Spider Orchids, Caladenia longicauda, Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6D with Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: aperture priority with off camera flash 1/50 sec, f11 at ISO 100 with -1 stop exposure compensation.

 

Winter Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Winter Donkey Orchid, Diuris brumalis, Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: 1/25 sec, f8 at ISO 100.

 

Brown Honeyeater by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta, Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia. Panasonic G85 with Panasonic LEICA DG 100-400/F4.0-6.3 lens. Exposure: 1/500 sec, f13 at ISO 200 with -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Western Whistler by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Female Western Whistler, Pachycephala occidentalis,, Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia. Panasonic G85 with Panasonic LEICA DG 100-400/F4.0-6.3 lens. Exposure: 1/500 sec, f11 at ISO 200.

 

Wandering the Winter Wandoo Woodland

As me Uncle Ted would have said it’s been “reeet parky” hereabouts. Or to translate it to English it’s been freezing. It has been very hard to leave a nice warm bed in the mornings. Anyways yesterday I made the effort to go up to Mount Ronan Nature Reserve and take a look to see what’s out. Wasn’t a bad haul.

 

Winter Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Winter donkey orchid (Diuris brumalis), Mount Ronan, Western Australia.

 

 Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Dwarf Pink Fairy orchid or Little Pink Fairy Orchid (caladenia reptans subspecies reptans), Mount Ronan, Western Australia.

 

 Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Dwarf Pink Fairy orchid or little pink fairy orchid (caladenia reptans subspecies reptans), Mount Ronan, Western Australia.

 

Dark Banded Greenhood Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Dark banded greenhood orchid (Pterostylis sanguinea), Mount Ronan, Western Australia.

 

Jug Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Jug orchid or recurved shell orchid (Pterostylis recurva), Mount Ronan, Western australia.

 

Jug Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Jug orchid or recurved shell orchid (Pterostylis recurva), Mount Ronan, Western australia.