Because of its shape and the general "poorness" of it (dry and exposed), the ridge it occupies above Aldgate Creek was not considered worth fencing for grazing.
As a direct result, it retains much of the original vegetation.
Here is an aerial view of the entire block.
It is a long, narrow and triangular, bounded on the two long sides by made roads and on the third by a dry stone wall built by the neighbour.North is to the right.
Having lived here for 16 months now, I am beginning to appreciate the enormous variety of plant and animal life - and my unreliable memory.
Those two factors have me determined to learn to record the life on this little patch of scrub as accurately as I can, if not as comprehensively as a biologist might.
It is very much a "learn as I go" project, but anything has to be better than what has happened to date, which has been very much occasional emails to friends accompanied by a photo and statements like, "I think I saw this much earlier last year" or "I think this orchid is new to me" and then, on looking back through photos, finding that I had actually photographed it last Autumn and then forgotten it.
This blog is for me and my education and enjoyment, but if others should find it and enjoy it too, that would be a bonus.
So, to any who drop by, a hearty welcome.
Sounds lovely, I grew up at Mount Osmond and love to take hikes in the Adelaide Hills when possible... I also like to take pictures and try to understand the magic of our native flora and fauna. I look forward to a time when I can live on nature's doorstep again, like you!
ReplyDeleteHi Judy,
ReplyDeleteI'm doing much the same thing on 5 acres in northern NSW. This land was cow paddock when we came, 37 years ago, with only a very few remnant trees. Then I spent 25 years teaching and raising kids and dissolving my marriage, and when I looked around, the forest had mysteriously re-instated itself.
Six years ago I started on a program of adding rare and endangered endemic species. . . and keeping notes!!! Very important, as you point out, as my memory fades. I began with almost no knowledge of the species around me, having grown up in Canada, and here I was suddenly confronted with having to name not just trees, but ferns, fungi, lichen, animals, insects, spiders, butterflies. . . . everything! It's been very daunting, esp with a stroke 18 months ago that wiped a lot of memories. Thank heavens for flickr photos, tags and friends to help. :~)
Good luck with your project. I think we both have plenty to keep us occupied for the rest of our lives! :~)
Cheers, Kathy
I was looking at your photography in Flickr and your photography is AMAZING!!!! wow!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh! What a hopeless blogger I am!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind comments.
First I lost my password and then I found I had to deal with some odd stuff on the blog for the grandkids and then found I could ONLY log into that one.
Your stories are great and I do thank you for taking the trouble to drop by here.
I AM learning as I go, but not enough about blogging, obviously!
Kind regards,
Judith
Darn, now I am back to being NanaJude again grrrrrrrrrrrrr!
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoyed your superb photos. One photo, in particular, was of interest to me. It is of a small black marine snail, Nerita atramentosa, grazing on a rock on Kangaroo Island. I am writing a book on worldwide Neritidae and this is the first such image I have seen where the animal was not grazing on algae, but what looks like diatoms. I would like to use this in my book, with full credit to you. Thank you,
ReplyDeleteTom Eichhorst
4528 Quartz Dr. N.E.
Rio Rancho, N.M. 87124-4908
USA
thomas@nerite.com