Binoculars in the Backcountry: Western Australia

Eastern Queen of Sheba Orchid

In case you missed it: Western Australia - The Wheatbelt

We travelled south from the Wheatbelt to the southern coast around the town of Esperance. After arriving we poked around the coast south of town. Our primary destination was Cape Le Grand National Park the next day. We were now in flower and hiking mode, and did some beautiful hikes along the coast. Our first hike was on the coast out of Lucky Bay, followed by a hike up the steep granite dome known as Frenchman's Peak. Millions of years ago when sea levels were hundreds of feet higher, waves and current formed a cave that sits atop this feature.

Susan says, "I don't think so"

Ten Mile Beach near Esperance

Observatory Beach near Esperance

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park

Pink Summer Calytrix (Calytrix fraseri)

From the coast we get a view of Frenchman's Peak, our next destination

Thistle Cove

Time to hike up Frenchman's Peak

Near the top is this amazing sea cave

A view from the top

Pink Fairies (Caladenia latifolia), an orchid

Twisted Sun-Orchid (Thelymitra flexuosa)

Conospermum distichum

White Spider Orchid (Caladenia longicauda)

Coastal Banjine (Pimelea ferruginea)

Rabbit Orchid (Leptoceras menziesii)

As we were leaving that trailhead we came across a couple on the side of the road photographing an orchid. Of course we stopped to see and chat. They were a wealth of information and put us on another great orchid spot nearby, and several others for upcoming days. With their help we got the two local specialties - Esperance King Spider Orchid and Pointing Spider Orchid, along with another new one down by the beach - Rattle Beaks .

Pointing Spider Orchid (Caladenia exstans)

Esperance King Spider Orchid (Caladenia decora)

Rattle Beaks (Lyperanthus serratus)

Creeping Banksia (Banksia repens)

A travel day took us to the town of Hopetoun, setting us up for Fitzgerald National Park. Stops along the way turned up some great stuff.

Western Bluetongue (Tiliqua occipitalis)

Red Leschenaultia (Leschenaultia formosa)

Dragon Orchid (Caladenia barbarossa)

Common Bee Orchid (Diuris decrementum), in the Donkey Orchid genus

We hung around Fitzgerald National Park for a couple of days hiking the coastal trails.

West Point, Fitzgerald National Park

West Point Beach

An uncommon Hooded Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum cucullatum)

Western Azure Sun Orchid (Thelymitra occidentalis)

Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa)

The view from East Mt. Barren

Bearded Bird Orchid (Pterostylis turfosa)

Green Range Donkey Orchid (Diuris littoralis)

Western Azure Sun Orchid (Thelymitra occidentalis)

Near Hammersley Inlet

Qualup Bell (Pimelea physodes)

Painted Lady Legume (Gompholobium scabrum)

Not far inland from the coast is Stirling Range National Park. The scenery and biodiversity here is exceptional, so we spent for a couple of days exploring.

Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range National Park

Banded Bee Orchid (Diuris laxiflora), and my fingertip so you can see how tiny these are

Tipped off by some folks from Perth we met earlier in the trip, we made contact with orchid guide extraordinaire Terry Dunham. It just so happened he was leading a private orchid trip the next morning in the Stirling Range, and we could join the fun. Terry was beyond amazing, so knowledgeable and patient with us neophytes. And best of all, he knew the spots to see orchids. We spent an entire day with him, seeing 20 species of orchid, and so much more. The prize of the day was Eastern Queen of Sheba orchid. It's an absolute stunner and should have been long since finished with its bloom cycle by the time we got there. But again, things were hanging on a little later than normal this year. Lucky us.

Australian terrestrial orchids have evolved on this isolated continent for millions of years, and have come up with some pretty amazing methods of reproduction. They are true masters of deception. Few orchid species provide a pollinator with anything of value, like nectar or edible pollen. Many use visual deception, mimicking flowers of other species that do provide food to insects, yet the orchids do not. The truly nefarious ones use lures to bring in an insect. The pheromones of a female insect is a common theme. Hammer orchids (Drakaea) may be among the most devious of all using both pheromones and a visual lure that mimics the female of a specific wasp species. One example is Drakaea glyptodon, or King in his Carriage. The labellum shape mimics a flightless female thynnid wasp, Zaspilothynnus trilobatus. When the male comes along (attracted by pheromones), he tries to grasp the "female wasp" from behind and carry her off for mating. All he gets is a quick ride upside down as the hinge holding the labellum flips him over, thus either picking up or depositing a package of pollen. In the macro image below, this may look like a quite large flower, but is only about half an inch across.

King in His Carriage (Drakaea glyptodon)

If this geeky botany stuff interests you, I'll link a couple of resources below:

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN NATIVE ORCHIDS "The masters of deceit"

Orchids: The Masters Of Lying, Cheating & Stealing (YouTube video)

A few photos (maybe more, hard to stop...) from our day with Terry.

Clubbed Spider Orchid (Caladenia longiclavata)

Stark White Spider Orchid (Caladenia longicauda ssp. eminens)

South Coast Donkey Orchid (Diuris brockmanii)

Silky Blue Orchid (Cyanicula sericea)

Eastern Queen of Sheba (Thelymitra speciosa)

Heberle's Spider Orchid (Caladenia heberleana)

Stumpy Spider Orchid (Caladenia ensata)

Dancing Spider Orchid (Caladenia discoidea)

Actinodium sp. Fitzgerald River, a currently undescribed species in this genus

Red Leschenaultia (Leschenaultia formosa)

King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata)

Crab-Lipped Spider Orchid (Caladenia plicata)

Bird Orchid (Pterostylis barbata)

Some of these orchids are very small and require a closer look

King-in-His-Carriage (Drakaea glyptodon)

Purple Pansy Orchid (Diuris longifolia)

Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana nigrita)

Stilted Paper-lily (Laxmannia brachyphylla)

Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana nigrita)

Orchid expert Terry Dunham

If you get a chance to read this Terry, thank you so much for the spectacular day!

From the Stirling Range we moved a short distance to Porongurp National Park for more great hiking. Our first adventure was up to the top of the Castle Rock Sky Walk, a platform built on the edge of a granite dome, hanging hundreds of feet above the valley below. That one was followed by a loop route up and over the Devil's Slide and Nancy Peak. Great stuff.