10/09/2024
After enjoying our pub breakfast with Jan and Bob, we go our separate ways and will catch up again at Hotel Beverley our next overnight stay.
Deb and I decide to have a walk around Cuballing to start the day and took some tourist snaps.
After a wonderful walk around town we drive east out of Cuballing to the Commodine Nature Reserve for our first orchid exploration of the day.
This proved a great location with many species found, starting with the good olde faithful Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava).
However, one particular specimen could be the Brookton Highway cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. ‘late red’) due to its size and colouring.
Thoughts?
The Blue china orchid (Cyanicula gemmata) was found all over the area checked.
The rest of the orchids found were not in such numbers but still a buzz to find:
Green spider / Fringed mantis orchid (Caladenia falcata),
Sugar orchid (Ericksonella saccharata),
Banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata),
Dark banded greenhood (Pterostylis sanguinea),
Hairy-stemmed snail orchid (Pterostylis setulosa),
Little pink fairy (Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans),
Small-flowered donkey orchid (Diuris porrifolia),
Little frog greenhood (Pterostylis occulta),
Pink candy orchid (Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea),
Jug orchid (Pterostylis recurva)
and
Un-named caladenia hybrid (Caladenia flava x reptans).
What a great location, with 12 or more species found, with 1 hybrid.
After nearly 2 hours we move back to the Great Southern Hwy, then. north to Yornaning, where we check out the dam walk trails before we have a picnic lunch.
A good number of orchid species are found as follows:
Common donkey orchid (Diuris corymbosa),
Green spider / Fringed mantis orchid,
Banded greenhood,
Cowslip orchid,
Blue china orchid,
Candy orchid (Caladenia hirta subsp. hirta),
Jug orchid
and
Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera).
However, by far the most prolific orchids found belong to the Filamentosa complex of the Caladenia genus.
Identification of particular species within this complex always proves challenging and the finds at this location confirm this conclusion.
Possible species found are:
Chapman’s spider orchid (Caladenia chapmanii),
Joseph’s spider orchid (Caladenia polychroma),
Crimson spider orchid (Caladenia footeana),
Chameleon spider orchid (Caladenia dimidia),
Common spider orchid (Caladenia varians)
and
Tenterden yellow spider orchid (Caladenia staminichila).
I have attempted to name all but one of my pics so feel free to comment on your thoughts.
Well, this was an amazing lunch spot, but all good things must come to an end, so onwards we move.
Northwards past Popanyinning and Pingelly we head then pull into Kulyaling Nature Reserve for a first-time exploration.
First up I check out the western side of the Avon River before walking over the bridge to join Debbie for an exploration of the eastern shore.
Other than some amazing orchid finds we also come across the abandoned cricket pitch as recorded in Maps.
Orchids found in no particular order, on either shore of the river are as follows:
Candy orchid,
Small-flowered donkey orchid,
Green spider / Fringed mantis orchid,
Crimson spider orchid,
Blue beard / Blue fairy orchid (Pheladenia deformis),
Cowslip orchid,
Sugar orchid
and
Blue china orchid.
Only 1 new species for the day, though we should not expect more given we are within 40kms NNW as the crow flies from our previous 2 locations.
We now head northwards past Brookton and then westwards to Dale where we checked out the historic Dale Community Hall and the Anglican church, St John in the Wilderness.
A quick search and we found more Green spider orchids and Small-flowered donkey orchids.
As it’s now past 4:30, we head toward Beverley where our hotel stay awaits. Driving along Westdale Road, we spot a sign for Dale River Reserve, so we turn onto Deep Pool Road to check it out, about 4 km in.
At first, not much is discovered, but with closer inspection, the following species are revealed:
Candy orchid,
Blue beard / Blue fairy orchid,
Little laughing leek orchid (Prasophyllum gracile),
Crimson spider orchid,
Green spider / Fringed mantis orchid,
and
Small-flowered donkey orchid.
Another new species for the day, which is great, but we need to head off as it is now after 5.30pm.
Well, we arrive at the Hotel Beverley before 6pm and are greeted by Jan and Bob. We check in then proceed to have a great pub meal before hitting the sack.
Around 23 species found today!!!!
