Late season sighting for endangered orchid in Ku-ring Gai Chase NP: May 5 2026

Got that lockdown feeling. Wife working at home with a broken foot. Markets less than happy last week. Tax man wants tax returns done but got no tax to pay. A depressive state building. Got moving to take the bike on the train - no bolts for the rear rack to attach panniers. They are in the other bike. Raced to walk to the train - newd air and there are orchids in a new spot to find

Walked from the station into the National Park - they did a hazard reduction burn last week on the side to the left - wiped out one rare orchid colony for a few seasons

Evidence - acianthus orchid leaf and flower spike singed in the burn. This one may not flower this year but maybe next year

My friend had given me a location for an endangered orchid in a spot neither of us had seen. I knew where to go. This seeded midge orchid was on the way inna known spot. Looking healthy to pop seeds for next season - two plants seen

A few peach-flowered tea trees flowers open. This one in pink

And this one a bit more white only - leptospermum squarrosum

A different violet for my granddaughter Violette. I call this the teardrop flower

Banksia flower - spiky leaf form

Did finally get one shot of the NSW coral heath flower somewhat in focus - epacris pulchella

Longer flower form for this banksia - similar leaf

My friend had said the sought after orchid was tight by these orchids. Greenhood rosettes and a ravel of sundew threaded above

A bit of framing for sharp greenhood - pterostylis acuminata

Pterostlyis acuminata - a known location and I knew I was close. Now to find the midge orchids

This is the photo my friend shared. I know the pole as it is near the acuminata orchids and it is the only pole with a path around both sides. Hard part is there are 3 and photo shows two. I tramped back and forth and could not find the orchids. I was not giving up. Found a way to get co-ordinates from a photo into Google Maps. Am in the right place. Then started to work the photo - clue - sunset - face West. Next clue - come from the West pole has red paint marking - none in this photo

Found two plants together - brittle midge orchids

Genoplesium baueri - an exciting find as they are later in season and I have not seen them here. Note: there is an Environmentally Sensitive area sign here. Maybe someone knows. The sign was not in the photos

Zoomed in. Well I compared notes with my friend. It seems that the two plants I found were not the ones she found. She came back next day and counted 14 plants

My location shot for next time - 3m from the pole and where those two rocks are

Fab afternoon light for a banksia shot

Late flowering lambertia formosa. Did walk down Chase Trail to check if any midge orchids had popped up since last walk. Mild autumn with warm days and nights is easy to get confused

Did fund acianthus orchid flower - tiny heart shaped leaves on the ground

And a flower on the spike - small mosquito orchid - acianthus pusillis - makes for orchid 3 for the day

Did some shopping on the way home

Simple dinner - made cottage pie from left over bolognese sauce with fresh Brussels sprouts
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Daily Activity, House Chores, Photowalking, Shopping

Height 183 cm		Weight 90 kg		Body Fat %
Waist cm		Thighs cm		Chest cm