5 orchid day and a yellow vs purple flower day in KNP : November 6 2025

A very disturbed set of dreams - not keen to get moving but did. Plan for the day was to drive and walk looking for a specific orchid. My book review last night suggested it might be a bit early in the season. Go to plan B on North Turramurra side of Ku-ring Gai Chase NP - mission - 6 orchids

First orchid is up the tree where I normally park my bike. No flowers yet. Walk up the Sphinx Trail for a bit to check one spot and then double back into the rocks

Purple fan flower on the way - summer is on its way

This scribbly gum has four plants in different spots - well above ground

Even higher - there is a huge rock level with the lower third of the tree - climb up there

Growing in an old branch cavity. Keep working around to the edge of the rock and maybe capture the two flowers - there was a vertigo moment

First orchid found - cymbidium suave - snake orchid. Now to keep working up the rocks to look for hyacinth orchids seen in prior years

Flannel flower - close watchers will find the weevill. No luck on the hyacinth orchids - not a spike. The one here does flower earlier than the others. One out of two. Headed back past the car and walked up the road - normally driving or cycling

Slower pace helps - growing just off the road wall is orchid two

Tongue orchid - cryptostylis subulata - first for this season and in a new spot

Made my way up to Bobbin Head Trail - next orchid is a known spot - below head height and one tree dien from where zi normally park my bike. Nice cluster of flowers on 8 spikes

Closer in - note the brown colouring in the centre of the flower - also cymbidium suave

Note the classic form - 3 sepals on the outside and 3 petals one of which is modified as the labellum and the column standing above

Now for the long walk. The edges of the fire trail do offer spots for sun orchids, bearded orchids and midge orchids. The track work has set those back a season. Did see a few seeded. Grey spider grevillea does show the extent of the track work

Narrow-leafed hemigenia brings up the purple flower count to two

Interesting fruit forming on this eucalyptus with lovely colours

This tongue orchid is struggling tough in the newly worked track edges - looks a bit dried out

White kunzea and track view - do love track view photos

Under the powerlines - the lines cross the fire trail a few times

One solitary leptospermum flower on this plant - normally a lot of flowers open

New signage installed since my last visit here a few weeks back

A flash of purple in the undergrowth - first purple fringe lily for the season. Dedicated to my friend Landie - she loves purple and fringes.

A threesome - like all threesomes - ine wants to be the focus - one is.

Zoomed into the one - a softer colour than the first one seen

Pink kunzea - maybe more purple than pink. Makes it a purple day - so far

Pink spider grevillea

Yellow time - hibbertia

Pea flower in yellow - with the snake orchid in yellow that makes a tie with purple

The goodenia tips the scale just a little - it is little

Could not find the leek orchid I have seen before on that side. Long section to the next target - a known spot for the next orchid - one budding. The burgundy back to the leaf tells you it is a bonnet orchid

This was the planned turning point. This orchid always flowers before the ones higher up. First bonnet orchid of the season and orchid 3 found

Location probably explains why it flowers early - close to the rock which soaks in the morning sun and radiates warmth all afternoon

Side on photo explains the name - bonnet orchid. Plant stands tall - Latin name cryptostylis erecta. Make the turn and start the ling walk back - two more orchids to find

This required going off track under the powerlines just as the track drops away off the escarpment - one solo flying duck orchid

Had not noticed the spider web and spider at photo time. This shot a little more from the front - caleana major.

This plant had two more buds above the flower and there was one more plant nearby. Only two plants where in prior years there were 5 or 6 - orchid four found.

The other spike is in here - see if you can find it - it has a green half moon shaped bud standing about 8 inches off the ground

Back to yellow - found the yellow leek orchid in a known spot. Just one plant - last year two

Prasophyllum flavum is its Latin name - flowers give off a strong scent

Tough photo work as flowers are small and narrow - a side on shot. Sure rolls over the purples into a yellow day

Just like last night at this time uploads start to fail - different ISP server location. Maybe it is a file size or post size problem

Will save the post and add the last few photos in another post. Key one is a new cymbidium flower that does not have the brown centre I commented on

The net-net is I got 5 out of the 6 orchids I was aiming for and 2 were new season finds. Makes a good day

Did shop after the walk and did cook dinner

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Daily Activity, House Chores, Photowalking, Shopping

Height 183.0 cm		Weight 90.0 kg		Body Fat %
Waist cm		Thighs cm		Chest cm