Seeking Out Australian Native Orchids #83 - Werakata State Conservation Area, NSW

I have cycled past Werataka SCA many times but never ventured into look for orchids. Buoyed with the success the day before in Werataka NP today was the day. The plan was to explore a few sections of the area accessible by the sealed roads that go all around the park. Located on the south side of Cessnock in the Hunter Valley, the newly proclaimed State Conservation Area (SCA) was set aside initially in 1999 and finally proclaimed in 2007.

Today's plan was to stop off in a few locations and see if I could find any orchids. I have previously seen Donkey orchids on the boundaries - that is what I was hoping to find. It is the season.

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/werakata-state-conservation-area

First stop was to explore the section to the left of Quorrobolong Road. I love cycling this road as it is traffic free and heads up a nice climb towards the ridgeline in front of the Watagan Mountains. I park up the bike and make my way up the heavily rutted 4 wheel drive track which works its way through the area. The area resembles the Kurri Sands Swamp area I walked yesterday with lots of melaleuca (tea tree) growing on a sandy base in the swampland - no water though as it has been too dry.

There is also a trail bike track which has been well worn through the bush. The picture shows well the type of damage that causes. The good news about the track is it does allow a walker better access into the thick bush but one does need to look well away from the trail edges to find the orchids.

First orchid sighting is a somewhat damaged White Fingers orchid with a nice purply tinge on its labellum.

A small change of body position to remove my shadow makes for a vastly improved photo.

White Fingers - Caladenia catenata

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Caladenia~catenata

Photo work is challenging as the light was quite low in the shaded areas. I was trying to take photos at maximum f-stop but had not changed ISO setting

Taken at 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO-400.

Further on I found one without the purple tinge. Too bad I kept the same settings as light is not great and it is harder to get precise focus in the shade.

Been a bit remiss in not photographing the leaves. Typical configuration is one or two leaves on the ground - two plants in this case (excuse the lack of focus)

I did find some White Fingers growing in the sun - makes for a lot easier photo work. I did adjust the f-stop settings by coming down to f/5.6

I did do the focus bracketing thing but the images are too different to make a really good merge. I cannot hold the camera still enough and the breeze moves the flower.

I will explore how I can carry a small tripod. These plants are close enough to the ground (3 or 4 inches high - 7 to 10 cms) that a small tripod might work.

Taken at 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO-400.

I made my way o the top of the climb and entered the SCA from there. The road runs along the southern boundary for 2 or 3 kms. I cycled most of the way and walked the steepest section. No orchids up here at all. I did come across some trail bike riders who were riding the fire trails. The noticeable thing is that were young and kitted out in the very best trail biking kit - a boy and a girl. There are not a lot of girl trail bikers riders in these parts.

Map shows the route for the session. What the map does not show is there is an underground colliery right in the middle. The whole mine area would have been off limits before proclamation - hence somewhat unspoiled. The map also shows the area I walked the day before where the image of the picnic table is.

Photos taken with Canon Powershot G16 on September 2, 2017.