Kwinana Rockingham Mandurah Branch, 25–26 September 2021
The September field outing was a long weekend stay at a property near Lake Clifton. While it was not native bushland, it still had plenty of mature Tuarts and other trees that provided nice habitat for birds and other fauna. A total of 10 members arrived on Saturday morning to stay for two nights, and another two members joined for some of the walks through local nature reserves.
After quickly settling in, we headed off to our first destination, the Treasure Block, a large area of Banksia woodland at the end of Codforth Road, which runs south off Lake Clifton Drive. Heather Adamson, who had recommended we visit this reserve, joined the group for the morning to lead us through the reserve. Despite being situated close to the Forrest Highway, the reserve is in good condition. However, a few patches had signs of historical illegal rubbish disposal before it was fenced off. Heather immediately took us to some Carousel Spider Orchids (Caladenia arenicola) and Common Donkey Orchids (Diuris corymbosa) close to the entrance. Following the path through the reserve, we found Twining Fringed Lilies (Thysanotus sp.) in good numbers, many with impressive displays of flowers. Drosera sp. were also plentiful, and we spotted many instances of insects coming off second best when venturing too close to the sticky drops.
A Crane Fly caught by a Drosera sp. C. Prickett 
A flightless female Clouded Footman Moth –Anestia ombrophanes with eggs laid on the cocoon from which she emerged C. Prickett 
Twining Fringed Lily (Thysanotus sp.) C. Prickett 
Warty Hammer Orchid (Drakaea livida) C. Prickett 
Island Point Spider Orchids (Caladenia swartsiorum) at Island Point Reserve C. Prickett
After a break for lunch, we set off for an afternoon walk through part of Kooljerrenup Nature Reserve, situated just south of Lake McLarty on the eastern side of the Peel-Harvey Estuary. We were immediately rewarded with sightings of Swamp Spider Orchids (Caladenia paludosa) growing on the track’s edges. As we walked, we remarked that the Swamp Melaleucas (Melaleuca rhaphiophylla) were in very fine condition, there being several very impressive specimens. A Pimpernel Sundew was found with a Green Scarab Beetle entrapped in its sticky foliage, and Book Trigger Plants (Stylidium calcaratum) were common along the track.
Sunday morning started with fine weather. Drinking our breakfast coffee on the deck outside the house, we watched as Grey Currawongs flew in and out of the trees, and it was not long before the site of a nest was found that had one parent sitting on eggs with only its head visible. Scarlet Robins and Splendid Fairy Wrens were also spotted on the block, and Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos were frequent visitors to the block over the weekend.
We packed up and departed early to visit Lake McLarty on the way home the following day. Out on the lake, we spotted Black Swans, Musk Duck, and Hoary-headed Grebes while near the water tank entrance Splendid Fairy Wrens, Grey Fantail, and Willie Wagtails were active. The three waterbird species took the bird tally for the weekend to 50 species. We had also seen 16 species of orchids and countless other flowering plants.
Colin Prickett