Shepherds Bush Reserve is a 16.5ha Bush Forever heritage reserve in Kingsley, which the City of Joondalup has recently upgraded with new paths and signage. We were fortunate to have the co-ordinator of the recently formed Friends of Shepherds Bush, Elizabeth Griffin, lead 12 members, three visitors and three children on school holidays, around the reserve on our September walk.

As we entered the reserve we were struck by the perfume of Grevillea vestita despite it being some distance from the path. We managed to record over 40 plants in flower, one of the most common being the white to pale blue Wahlbergia preissi. Other common small natives included Morning Iris, False Boronia, Swan River Myrtle, Milkmaids, Purple Tassel, Cottonheads and Blue Devils. Bushes in flower included Wedding Bush, Parrot Bush, Yellow Buttercups, Stalked Guinea Flower, One-sided Bottlebrush, Davesia nudiflora and Eremaea pauciflora (below, D. Poynton).

Orchids, which had been prolific a few weeks before, were rare; only one Donkey Orchid and a few Pink Fairy Orchids were spotted.

Several species of Trigger Plants were found, including Stylidium rigidulum (Flagon Trigger Plant) and S. schenoides (Cow Kicks). A sport of the latter was found which had three petals instead of two (below, D Poynton.)

Cabbage Whites were the only butterflies we saw, probably due to the damp weather. However we did see a number of other invertebrates including ‘spitfires’ and an unidentified yellow caterpillar on the same leaf as a native cockroach (above, D Poynton.) Our sharp-eyed children also spotted several skinks which disappeared before they could be identified.

Red Wattle Birds were very numerous, along with Rainbow Lorikeet, Raven and Galah. The last three all had nests in the one tree, while many other trees had at least two species nesting in them. One early Rainbow Bee-eater was seen.

The Friends have started rehabilitating a small area that was burnt in 2006 and another area that was once a school playground. It will be worth revisiting the reserve in a couple of years to see how well the new seedlings have grown.

Don Poynton