Southern Highlands offers up new orchids : February 21 2025

Quiet night - no listening to the water flows from the apartment above at 5am. Just the sound of the sea in the distance. Plan today - drive up to Southern Highlands to seek out bunny orchids that have started flowering

Drove up Macquarie Pass and down Tourist Drive toward East Kangaloon. Cycled it a few times but never driven it. Tourist Drive borders the Nepean River catchment - always orchids to be found along the boundary line. Too bad that this is the day the mowers are working to trim the borders. Photo shows the special area markers

Parked up to walk the fringes in case - did find an orchid not 5 metres from the car

Close up suggests tiny midge orchid - corunastylis nuda. Standing less than 3 inches tall

Walk the edges and zigzag back to the bottoms of the trees

Sundew flower - a bit smaller than a US penny

Pine-leafed geebung

Cryptostylis leaves - always taking photos of what I see

The warning signs

Goodenia flowers

A study in detail - lobelia

Australian bluebell - also smaller than a US penny

Grass cutting wiped out orchid spotting prospects for lots of weeks

A splash of bright blue - never seen a bug like that

Seeded cryptostylis orchid - was thinking it was a bonnet orchid - top does not quite look like a wilted bonnet

Well - well - they were cryptostylis seeded but not what I was accustomed to. Small tongue orchid. Have not seen cryptostylis leptochila in all my walks. Mower man could not mow tight up to the trees

Now for the detail - the leaves are a little wider and have a reddish edging which sets them apart

Moved the car to walk another slice - purple fan flower

Great light for a lichen photo

Chiloglottis leaves - no signs of budding

Did find a few more small tongue orchids in this segment. I do like finding more than one plant - 3 today. Photo work was harder with less light

Over the top photo to show how the flower folds back on itself

The drive is characterised by these swathes of white gums - almost like snow gums

The tiniest purple fringe flower I have ever seen - half normal size

Did find one bunny orchid in the mown area - eriochilus cucullata

A tough photo challenge with a small flower with sepals maybe two match heads long - Parsons Bands orchid

The smallest native violet I have seen - looks like it is different to what I am used to seeing

Fitzroy Dam from the sailing club side

Dinner: Butterflied prawns on BBQ and Swiss style rősti

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Daily Activity, House Chores, Photowalking

Height 183.0 cm		Weight 90.0 kg		Body Fat %
Waist cm		Thighs cm		Chest cm