This Snake-necked Turtle, Chelodina longicollis, was spotted down by the dam late this afternoon.
Turtles are quite shy creatures so this one hides her long neck around the side of her shell but keeps an eye on me.
The turtle was first spotted here. She’s been preparing an egg chamber for her clutch of eggs.
Today was the day for the weekend wander around the property looking for wildflowers that have flowered during the previous week(s).
The terrestrial orchids Dipodium punctatum are now beginning to flower. This one is well advanced, others won’t flower for some weeks yet.
Pulling back from the flower above, we see a cluster of orchid flowers.
I had thought that this plant was a member of the Mat-rush family Lomandra. Now it’s in flower is seems quite different, so I’m not so sure.
Pulling back to see the plant in its entirety we see this image.
Another member of the Goodenia family. This one is a paler yellow compared to the other family members that I’ve posted here before.
I can’t recall from memory if I’ve posted an image of this daisy before. It’s not very common on the property. It’s possibly a Senecio linearifolius, the Fireweed groundsel.
Last rays of the sun
This scene presented itself as I closed the gate prior to driving up the track to the house. The last rays of the day’s light.
At last, the terrestrial Hyacinth Orchids are beginning to flower.
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The Dipodium have been growing slowly over the past several weeks. Now the flowers are beginning to emerge (those that haven’t been nipped off by rabbits or hares).
There are many more “Lady’s Slipper” violets, the Hybanthus monopetalus, than in previous years. Whether this is due to climatic conditions, or just less predators (cattle or whatever), I know not.
Now that this green-stalked hyacinth orchid is beginning to flower, it might be easier to identify. I now think it may be Dipodium pulchellum rather than the Dipodium variegatum which I had previously identified it as.
Funghi growing on a dead tree branch that’s lying on the ground. Not difficult to miss given the bright orange colour.
Will Simpson made an interesting comment regarding yesterday’s image “Faces in the Crowd”. Will suggested that this image might be processed in such a way that suggested that it could have been taken in the 1900’s. Will followed up with this example of how the image might turn out.
Will’s image as an example of the sort of treatment he was suggesting.
I hadn’t thought of this viewpoint. I remarked to Will that in this part of the world things look brown for 9 months of the year (thanks to an excess of heat and a lack of rain). Anything with a splash of lush-like green is the exception to the rule and therefore enough to warrant attention.
I was interested enough to follow through with Will’s suggestion, so here, below, is my first attempt to produce such a “1900’s”-like image. I deliberately didn’t review Will’s image, having last looked at it 14 hours previously, before I made my attempt such that I might minimise any subconcious, verbatim copying of his own image :-)
It may even be a “1880’s” image :-) I’ve increased the grain, roughened it up a tad, but it could, perhaps, stand to lose some sharpness around the edges.
Thanks Will for this opportunity to develop an idea collaboratively via photoblog and email.
Faces of individual sheep amongst the crowd
I wanted to capture the white faces of some of the sheep contrasting with the begrimed, grey, wet fleeces. Seconds later they were running off. No second chance to improve on the shot.