Australian Native Plant – bushboys world

On being green

Published on June 19, 2022 by bushboy16 Comments

Friendly Friday Challenge: Green
A Photo a Week Challenge: Nature at Work

Being green is quite easy for me being my lifestyle since I was in my teens…..way back then. Living in the Australian bush, having to rely on my own water supply, heating and most recently cooling and solar power to supplement my existing electrical consumption, I guess makes me think about what I do and the impact on the environment.

I also belong to Landcare and assist others in restoring or rehabilitating their patch of land as well as doing the same on my place.

This post is a mix of just green as well as nature doing its thing. I love this Pitcher Plant photo. Not many plants consume insects to survive. I’d be drawn to the colour as well.

A little green iridescent beetle doing his thing on a green leaf

This is a bit of green colour and how nature comes back after a fire

and with Eucalypts, the first flush of new growth is usually red

Once the red growth has established, the green takes over to do the plants chlorophyll and photosynthesis thing

Butterflies do wonders for plants reproduction and pollination. I love the annual migration of Caper White Butterflies although last seasons migration there wasn’t as many butterflies.

Bees are always busy

Whether sitting on a plant or flying to the next one to gather nectare and pollinate the flowers

Birds, like this Eastern Spinebill, also have a part in the pollination process as the pollen sticks to their feathers and is transferred from flower to flower as the drink nectare as well

Tiny Scarlet Honeyeaters also move pollen as they drink

Bigger Blue-faced Honeyeaters get right into the flowers and sometimes find insects as well as consuming nectare and spreading pollen.

Bigger birds like Wedged-tailed Eagles take care of the carrion and unfortunately road kill

It is easy to be green and enjoy yourself at the same time

Purple around my place #1

Published on May 2, 2021 by bushboy13 Comments

Life in Colour May: Purple

Jude has asked “What purples can you find in Nature?” I have a few native plants and flowers around my place that are purple. It is hard to capture the purple of the flowers in some of the flowers. Most of these flowers are between 10 and 18mm in diameter. Unfortunately I don’t know the names of some of these.

I am saving a lot of purples for later in the month so come back every now and then and see what else I can find.

It’s all about the greens

Published on April 15, 2021 by bushboy15 Comments

Cee’s Mid-Week Madness Challenge – April Colour – Light Green or Neon Green

A few leaves

You can’t see me

New growth starts red on this Australian native plant

A few from the past – water reflections abstract

Green Tree Frogs are always happy to pose

Superb Parrot

Yes I did find a dead beetle

A church window

This Pitcher Plant really was this colour

And a round nosed VW Beetle just for Cee again

The Pink Bloodwood Tree

Published on March 22, 2021 by bushboy27 Comments

I was intending to write about some of the trees on my place this year. Waiting for trees to flower, produce gum nuts and being there when they do, has been a failure on my part. I put some Pink Bloodwood nuts, which I photographed a while ago, in a post and a few people were interested about the nuts and the trees. Here is the gum nut photo I posted of the urn shaped nut which are10 – 20mm in length and 8 – 16mm wide.

Here is one of the many Pink Bloodwood trees, Corymbia intermedia, which grows on my property. This one is just down the hill from my house. Pink Bloodwood trees can reach 20–30 m (65–100 ft) in height with a 10–20 m (35–65 ft) spread. The scent from the blossoms is quite strong when the Bloodwood trees flower between December and March.

As you can see, Pink Bloodwood trees have a distinctive bark when compared to the other trees in the bush behind.

Why are the called Bloodwood trees did you say? When there is a change in weather or damage to the bark or growth of the tree, particularly when the tree is flowering, they exude sap which can look similar to blood.

This sap is a food source for Gliders, Squirrel Gliders, Yellow-bellied Gliders and the Gliders I know I have here, Sugar Gliders and Feather Tail Gliders. Gliders have been seen by researchers biting and chewing the bark to get the sap to run out and licking the sap. I am sure other possums, insects and animals would enjoy the sap as well.

The sap running down the tree can resemble globules of blood. The sap hardens in the sun and sticks to the bark. The First Nations people of Australia are said to have used the sap to treat wounds, burns and sores.

I have not seen the sap do this before. A series of strings clinging to the bark was a fascinating find.

The flowers have a distinct habit where the flowers are in bunches of seven on the end of the branchlet. The flowers are 20mm in diameter and mainly occur on the top and higher branches of the tree.

Often the bees can be heard buzzing away attracted by the flowers scent as are many of the Honeyeaters. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters came in numbers to feast on the flowers nectar.

Then, almost just like that, the flowers die leaving the fruits behind which have closed valves encasing the seeds which open after a short while to spread and drop to the forest floor.

This is not before seed eating birds come to eat the seeds from the nuts in the tree like this Silvereye.

Then the gum nuts fall to the forest floor and you can now go back to the start of the post where this story began.

It’s quite new

Published on March 19, 2021 by bushboy7 Comments

The Ragtag Daily Prompt Friday: Sprout

A selection of plants that emerged after the fire

This is November 2020

Published on December 6, 2020 by bushboy46 Comments

Ahhh….November. A mix of wanting to get out and take a few photos, don’t go as it’s getting rather hot out there, look isn’t that interesting and a bit of general ambivalence.

This months song may not be for everyone. A really good 70’s band, Pavlov’s Dog had some wonderful music but the singer, David Surkamp’s voice wasn’t for everyone. I hope you give the song a chance as you scroll around bushboys world.

There was a small amount of rain during November but the last week was not to very hot. It was 41C on the verandah a couple of days ago and it’s been in the high 30’s. Those brief showers bought out this frog, a Tylers Tree Frog, who was on the back door getting out of the rain or maybe getting snacks from the insects attracted to the lights inside the house.

The bird bath at my besties has a work out too. There was a number of Brown Honeyeaters swooping around and having fun

A Mistletoe Bird in the early morning light which brightened it’s red breast.

A female Rufus Whistler was singing out for her mate.

He wasn’t far away and was singing back. They have a wonderful song that resonates through the bush.

A Scarlet Honeyeater found the Bottlebrush flowers

and the Honey Gem Grevillea. Not long after I took this photo, a Noisy Friarbird who thinks they own that part of the garden swooped in frightening the little Scarlet Honeyeater off.

No the Spangled Drongo isn’t broken!! One hot day a Spangled Drongo decided to have a dip in the old pool and hang out to dry.

This is what a Spangled Drongo looks like when it feels a bit regal.

Tiny, the resident King Parrot, sat on the old Tree Fern trunk in the garden as I was going outside doing a number of poses.

This mad Little Friarbird sat on the window sill outside of my office window for ages just squawking and carrying on. I eventually gave up and went elsewhere to escape the constant noise.

These purple flowers haven’t opened yet and this is a large bud I guess

The Cactus in the pot flowered and flowered for most of the month.

I love the colour of this rose

A little creeper slowly trying to get a foothold. Hope the hot weather doesn’t set it back. The flower is about 5mm across

Here is a big part of the garden I don’t show often. This is an Elkhorn Fern. The fronds can get to 90cm or about 36 inches. It is an epiphyte. I attached a small piece to the tree around twenty years ago. It has endured some hardships but now looks great. Around 1 meter in height and girth and still growing. From this one there are quite a number of small plants growing around the garden and into the bush.

A delicate native pea flower. Again a tiny flower almost 10mm in diameter

The Billy Bonkers Grevillea has been flowering non-stop even through Winter. Each of those red striped parts of the flower is about the size of a match head.

I went over to the dam in the afternoon perhaps to capture a photo like the one with the little frog in the flower. I didn’t know at the time that I managed to get a spider, this time on the flower stalk.

The Flame Tree’s leaves are a favourite for a caterpillar or other leaf chewing insect.

This is a new Native Bee to add to my list of Australian Native Bees. I discovered this one, a Gold-tipped Leafcutter Bee, at my besties place

I snuck up on the Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly while it was busy with it’s head inside of the Agapanthus flower.

I haven’t seen the wallabies around the house much over Winter. After the fires the vegetation growth has been amazing so they have lots of feed elsewhere. Do you remember the Joey and Mum I was feeding after the fires? Here she is with the little one almost grown and too big to get into the pouch any more.

I just love this Holden Ute. These were the first cars built in Australia in the late 1940’s early 50’s, the Holden FX and FJ Models. My elder brother owned a FJ sedan of the same model as this one

Thanks for stopping by and having a look through my world in November. Did you have a favourite photo?

Also for Su’s Changing Seasons

This is August 2019

Published on September 5, 2019 by bushboy46 Comments

I am not really in the mood to write. The dry continued for all of August so my mood wasn’t all that enthusiastic to gather images around my place. I posted quite a number of images from here and for the photo challenges over the month and I haven’t, as usual, added them to this months wrap.

I am heartened by the caring responses from my “blog family” to my posts. Thank you for being there.

August was my first month of being the Thursday Ragtag prompter sharing with Tracy. I was surprised at the number of people who responded with some great photos, writing and poetry.

OK lets go. I think you may need to go to the dunny and come back with a cup of tea/coffee or drink of choice, perhaps a snack or two depending on the time of day you are here.

I might start with some of the things I found at an auction which I didn’t know was happening. I was going to the farmers market for breakfast and a bit of food shopping.
One of the things I like to find and collect are boxes. Pity these were already sold or if they weren’t the auctioneer was a long way from this lot

A rather random group of items
Anyone have one of these at home?
Up the road a ways is the town of Kyogle. We go there at least once a year in case something may be happening. On this day it was just us and the tumble weeds lol There is some nice gates though.
I was surprised by the number and variety of flowers in peoples garden as we walked about the back streets

The bees were about too

I think this Salvia is called Hot Lips

I love this salvia

More flowers for you to enjoy

The grevilleas are quite outstanding this year, except at my place

A lovely window box of daisies
These flowers were further north near a town called Murwillumbah where we went following the Mud Trail which was along the North Cost highlighting the pottery skills of the potters around here.
My begonias are flowering but not as profusely as in previous years
I was down at the waterhole digging out the silt to make the waterhole back to what it was years ago. While I was there I walked about and found this native plant about to flower despite the lack of rain and soil moisture
A black and white view of Kyogle from the Art Gallery

The lovely layers of blue you get from the vapours of Eucalypt trees

The bees are out collecting pollen and nectar from the flowers
Look how full the pollen sacks are on the tiny Native Stingless Bee
While we were away for a few days we came across the flower gardens that had just been watered in Nelson Bay

I love finding cats in windows. This one was just moving on just as I saw it.

Oh well a cats tail is still OK
I just love this cows hair cut
Down at the waterhole, the place where there has always been water on my place. This year it was the lowest I have ever seen it but the birds know where it is and flock there to get a drink or a bath. Time to get in……….
…..and out again
The Fuscous Honeyeaters seem to stay down this part of my place and don’t venture up near the house.
A Red-browed Firetail gets a drink

The whole flock of Fuscous Honeyeaters suddenly turned up much to the astonishment of a White-throated Honeyeater
Remember last month I told the story of the Willie Wagtails nest that was destroyed by something. Well they found a spot on the car port to rebuild their nest
The Willie Wagtails really can’t stand the Magpie getting close to their nest. Incoming!!!

They really give the Magpie a hard time until it goes away
The Welcome Swallows are also nesting at my besties
Here is three of the four chicks in the nest. Aren’t their fluffy heads adorable?
The Little Friarbirds have found the grevilleas
An Olive-backed Oriel dropped into the birdbath for a while
I found these Pelicans at the Lismore Waste Facility – a fancy name for the rubbish dump
I felt for the birds and have put up a feeder which I put seed in every now and then. The King Parrots drop in for a snack when there is seed in there.
The Brown Honeyeater has to stretch a bit
The Double-barred Finches are enjoying the grass seed
While we were travelling around we dropped into a small wetland that is surrounded by farm land. I was surprised to see a Black Swan paddling about.
At the wast facility the Black Kites are always wheeling about.

I love seeing the flocks of Ibis as they fly over my besties place every afternoon on their way to their roost.
These Corellas loved it up a bit in Nelson Bay
Is there anything a happy as an Australian Raven skipping down the hill
Our Moon and the clouds
Almost time for sunset
At this time of year the sun sets just on the hill
OK then, thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your look at my This is August 2019

Also for Su’s Changing Seasons

Here at the farm

Published on June 20, 2019 by bushboy14 Comments

The Ragtag Daily Prompt Thursday: Farm

My property is not really a farm. Over the years there has been horses, cattle, sheep, geese, ducks, goats, vegetable gardens, fruit trees and of course chooks. Nowadays I just have Australian Native Trees that grow all by themselves without much work from me. There is about one-third of the property that has been conserved with a Native Vegetation Conservation Agreement. I was wondering if I had many photos of the past and almost all of them are on film. One day I’ll do the hunt and scan of the old photos, but today is not that day.

Here is a selection of what I can find from the digital camera.

This is June 2018

Published on July 5, 2018July 26, 2018 by bushboy16 Comments

Welcome to my world in June. Not an abundance of photos this time but I do recommend getting comfortable. June was the month where my bestie sold her 103 year old farmhouse in a Rain-forest, where a lot of bird bath and bird photos came from, and moved into her new place which is similar to my climate. It is a newish house but has a bird bath and a great bird attracting garden. So far we have identified 38 birds, some are in this post. As you can see I have been a bit busy helping move house.

The house is still in a rural setting.
cow_clothes line_named_caniaba_june 2018

This is my first attempt at photographing Dandelion seed heads.
dandelion seed head_named_caniaba_june 2018

One afternoon the sky became fierce looking. Quite an angry face looking out isn’t it?
cloud_named_caniaba_june 2018

The early morning at my place walking through the Blady Grass. It was very dry in the previous months. Green shoots struggled to grow among the dry brown grass.
blady grass_named_home_june 2018

This native plant is growing in the middle of a paddock. The Autumn saw the stalk covered in white flowers. I hope the seeds have spread and not harvested by ants.
seed pods_plant_named_home_june 2018
June is the month for the Lismore, a town nearby, Lantern Parade. I didn’t get many good parade photos. There were a number of Orchid lanterns hanging in the trees in the park where the show and fireworks took place. lantern_named_lismore_june 2018
The fireworks were quite spectacular. fireworks_named_lismore_june 2018

While my bestie was moving house, I was given some, OK a lot, of plants to look after. The Kalenchoe loved being in my sun room and has put on a wonderful display of flowers.
kalenchoe flower_named_home_hune 2018
Winter has also brought some other visitors into the house. I usually have native rodents come into the warmth. I have a trap to catch them and then they get taken back into the bush. This time I have had a House Mouse or two in the pantry. This little fat one, I suspect to be a pregnant female, was relocated up the road. mouse_named_home_june 2018
This is the big section of birds for the month of June

The little Silvereyes have really taken to the hanging pot bird bath and drinking place.
silvereyes_hanging pot_named_home_june 2018

The other bigger birds prefer to use this bird bath. A female or juvenile Satin Bowerbird was chatting to someone nearby.
satin bowerbird_female_bird bath_named_home_june 2018

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater takes a drink.
yellow faced honeyater_named_home_june 2018

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater at my besties has claimed this branch of a tree.
yellow faced honeyeater_named_caniaba_june 2018

There has been quite a number of Yellow-rumped Thornbills around my garden
yellow rumped thornbill_named_home_june 2018

A very cute looking Jackie Winter enjoyed the morning sun on the fence.
jackie winter_named_home_june 2018
While we were walking along a road, we came across a small flock of Variegated Fairy Wrens darting in the grass beside the road. A young one made an appearance on a nearby tree. vareigated fairy wren_young_named_caniaba_june 2018

Of course I couldn’t let a post go past without my favourite, an Eastern Yellow Robin. Sadly we had to leave Bobbin behind so maybe this one at my place will be the the new substitute. I haven’t found the right name yet. Any suggestions?
northern yellow robin_named_home_june 2018

One afternoon a small flock of Red-browed Firetails came looking for grass seeds in the front garden.
red browed finches_named_home_june 2018

A young Lewins Honeyeater found a great lookout atop a red flowering Eucalypt.
lewins honeyeater_red gum flowers_named_caniaba_june 2018

The Rainbow Lorikeets came for the Eucalypt flowers too.
rainbow lorikeet_named_caniaba_june 2018

A Rufous Whistler singing an early morning song
rufous whistler_named_caniaba_june 2018

It was lovely to have a welcome to the new place with a number of Welcome Swallows who zoom around the verandahs and sit on the fence to do their laundry.
welcome swallow_named_caniaba_june 2018

Another bloke who likes to sit on the fence to survey the lawn for insects is the Restless Flycatcher. They make the most amazing sound. I tried to make a video but it wasn’t the best sound quality.
restless flycatcher_named_caniaba_june 2018

An Eastern Rosella wanted to see what we were doing in the new garden.
eastern rosella_named_caniaba_june 2018

At my place, a number of Noisy Miners were carrying on. They didn’t like the Kookaburra being too close to their nests.
kookaburra_noisey minors_named_home_june 2018

I thought it was going to be a cold night after finding a Kookaburra family cosying up for the night in the late evening.
kookaburras_named_lilydale_june 2018

A Pacific Black Duck showing a flash of turquoise as it paddled on the creek.
pacific black duck_named_caniaba_june 2018

A young Straw-necked Ibis didn’t want me to take its photo as it strolled in a nearby paddock.
Ibis_named_caniaba_june 2018

This bloke didn’t seem to mind though.
straw necked ibis_named_lismore_june 2018

The Sacred Ibis look wonderful as they wheel about in the sky
ibis_flying_named_lismore_june 2018

A Common Tern was fishing down by the estuary. Gliding along and then suddemly plumetting into the water. I didn’t see it catch a fish though.
common tern_flying_named_ballina_june 2018

The Moon and a plane.
plane_moon_day_named_caniaba_june 2018

Well the sun is almost setting. Thanks for joining me in This is June
sunset_named_caniaba_june 2018

Hope to see you next month

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