Blaugust 5, 2016: Pre-Walk Goals

 

Thanks to the rejuvenating powers of SLEEP™, I am back with what I hope will be a much more interesting post than my last couple.

Tomorrow I’m going for a walk with Connell, Pichy, and Kev, and any other blaugers who are inclined to join (Meet at the Clarendon Bakery at 12:00). We will be meandering through the Scott Creek Conservation Park, which is one of the many (most) I haven’t done yet.

I have a bit of an ambition to set foot in all of SA’s Conservation and National Parks. Recreation Parks optional but encouraged. I have also been inspired by my immediate manager, who has been telling me about his trips to Deep Creek to see if he can spot certain rare plant species in the wild (nerd), so I am going into this with some spotting lists.

I downloaded the Scott Creek Conservation Park Management Plan (1999) and went over the rare and threatened flora listed in the appendix, and made a list of plants I want to try to spot tomorrow.

Any Orchids, also:
Ajuga australis*
Blechnum nudum**
Brachycome diversifolia var diversifolia**
Callitris rhomboidea*
Cladium mariscus
Correa decumbens*
Dodonaea viscosa ssp. cuneata*
Eryngium vesiculosum**
Leucopogon lanceolatus**
Lycopus australis*
Mentha dimenica*
Ranunculus spp
Santalum murrayanum**
Viola cleistogamoides
Viola hederacea *

I’m not particularly hopeful for some of them, considering they won’t be in flower and they will likely be tucked in among other things, but I’ll be keeping an eye out just the same. I have stuck an asterisk next to the ones we sell at work that I am keen to get a better understanding of by seeing more in the wild. I have stuck two asterisks next to those that I wish we sold.

I also had a look over the bird list! I’d love to see all of them, quite frankly. Birds make me happy. That said if I manage to see any of these I will be particularly pleased:

Accipiter cirrocephalus                Creepy-eyed Sparrowhawk
Accipiter fasciatus                        Bob Goshawk
Aquila audax                                 Fuck Off I’m an Eagle
Colluricincla harmonica               Dull Pretty-voice
Coturnix pectoralis                       Cutey Puff-butt
Falco berigora                              Brown Shit-car
Falco peregrinus                           Fuck Off I’m Fast
Hieraaetus morphnoides               Insecure Eagle
Melanodryas cucullata                  Executioner Robin
Merops ornatus                              Rainbow Buzzkill
Neochmia temporalis                     Dull Firebutt
Ninox boobook                               Puffy Little Puffball
Petroica boodang                           Scarlet O’hara
Stagonopleura bella                       Stripey Firebutt
Todiramphus sanctus                      Grail-bird
Tyto alba                                         Not Gonna Happen It’s Daytime

Someday I think I would like to have some Cutey Puff-butts as pets.

A while back I prepared a list of parks, organised by rough travel time from home. Now that I have hours that are pretty set, it is time to get exploring! No more excuses, especially as the days get longer! I think I’ll aim to see at least one each week through Blaugust. Which one should I do next week?