Litchfield Reveal 02

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Obviously the more you go to a place the more you see. But I wonder if it is because you slow down and look more carefully or if you now see the complexity and changes with a more familiar perspective. Certain changes in the seasonal ebb and flow provide a context and are understood with a clearer experiential perspective. There is still surprise. But rather than the unexpected “what’s around the corner”, its more of a deeper awareness of how each spot you befriended has something new appear or a subtle relationship between flora and fauna now made visible. Its more than just a new set of questions that need to be answered and the lustre never seems to wear off.
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Acacia nuperrima
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Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis
A Time Of Plenty
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Alternanthera nodiflora
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Australasian Slimwing Lathrecista asiatica festa male
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Clerodendrum floribundum
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Commelina ensifolia
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Eumecistes sp.
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Four O’Clock Moth Dysphania numana
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Crab’s-eye Vine Abrus precatorius
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Grevillea deccurrens
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Hoya australis
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Ice Flower
Commelina ensifolia
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Jewel Spider Austracantha minax
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Melastoma malabathricum
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Niphila ornate
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Litchfield Reveal 01

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Rain, thunder and lightening added a soundscape to the
sandstone country and filled the air with ozone.
Many fauna became still and waited until the sudden bursts of rain, wind and flashes rolled through their country. The canyons echoed and streams became swollen. Mosquitoes were replaced by Leeches and flies by dragonflies. The cool moist air was the perfect companion.
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Opisthopsis haddoni tending their flock of

Aphids Monophlebulus spp.

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Orange Ringlet Hypocysta adiante
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Painted Grasshawk Neurothemis stigmatizans stigmatizans female
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Painted Grasshawk Neurothemis stigmatizans stigmatizans male
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Rhaphidophora australasica
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River Pandanus Pandanus aquaticus
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Skipper Moth Cephrenes augiades sperthias
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Slender Skimmer Orthetrum Sabina Male
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Slender Skimmer Orthetrum Sabina Female
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Sowerbaea alliacea
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Thecanthes punicea
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Tower Case Moth Lepidoscia arctiella
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Xypechtia sp.
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Tolmer Falls

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The sandstone country is still in full detox. Walking this weekend was accompanied by full on lightening and thunderous roaring. My little umbrella was up to the task though.
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Sandstone Escarpments And Escarpment River Gorges

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As the rainfall has tapered off its now possible to walk on the creeks flowing through the sandstone escarpment table-tops because the water levels have subsided. The same is true for the sandstone monsoon forests down in the escarpment gorges, except the rivers are still pretty fast moving and the adjacient soil is just starting to dry out.
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It was very exciting because I managed to see a few flowers I have been interested in locating for some time now. The Hoya plant which clings to the side of gorge walls is starting to flower and I managed to billygoat into position to get the long awaited photo snaps. An Acacia plant with round flowers and very small leaves has been the motivation for many an extended walk up into the escarpment country. I finally located a very happy community sitting next to a tabletop creek. Finally, I spent a day walking in a Kakadu escarpment monsoon rainforest two weeks ago looking for a purple moth. The moth is plant specific. I have found many plants flower at different times of the year, depending on where they are located in the Northern Territory. Therefore, I am very surprised that this moth's lifecycle seems to be the identical even though separated by over 400km.
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There is no doubt that all that rain means an abundance of life is on its way again.
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Litchfield Escarpment Stone Country
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Escarpment Table-top Creek
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Acacia nuperrima
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A bit slow to shoot but I was surprised he took the high road.
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Antilopine Wallaroo Macropus antilopinus
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Cajanus acutifolius
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Cartonema spicatum
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Crab’s-eye Vine Abrus precatorius
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Crotalaria novae-hollandiaea
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Golden Orb-weavbing Spider Nephila ornata female
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Goniaeoidea sp.
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Hibbertia cistifolia
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Hoya australis
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Hoya australis
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Four O'Clock Moth Dysphania numana
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Oak-leaf Fern Drynaria quercifolia ephiphyte
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Painted Grasshawk Neurothemis stigmatizans
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Spotted Opal Nesolycaena urumelia
Restricted to specific plants
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Sundew Mitrasacme nudicaulis
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Waltheria indica
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Wandering Pennant Macrodiplax cora
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Escarpment Small Flora

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Nestled amongst the sandstone escarpment many flowers are blooming after the initial wet season rains. Often they are vines but occasionally I found shrubs full of flowers. Interestingly, most of these blooms were not attracting huge numbers of insects and were not very aromatic.
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Escarpment
Rocky Sandy Environment
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Comesperma aphyllum
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Lilly Crinum-uniflorum
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Gymnanthera oblonga
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Ludwigia octovalvis
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Native Ginger Curcuma australasica
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Sedge Schoenus falcatus
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Stemodia lythrifolia
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Tephrosia rosea

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