WA WAnderings

[JohnM]

That evening, I contemplated continuing NE to Cue as the lure of a superb Cue Burger and a bottle of Far Cue () red, previously documented several times, was in my mind.

However, on reflection, I opted against that for a few reasons: the wildflowers further N were past their peak, I had been to, around and through Cue several times in the last few years and the bush flies were in extreme abundance and a very aggressive nuisance (that, in itself, is a good biological indicator that the season was 'turning'.)

Instead, I opted to head SE from Yalgoo to Paynes Find and then into the N part of the wheatbelt agricultural region to overnight before the run home.

First stop, not far SE of Yalgoo was Jokers Tunnel, a bit of a gold-mining legend in the area (Jokers Tunnel, an outback gold mining mystery). Reputedly originating as a rich gold strike, it's 100m long and cuts through a hill, but its alleged richness didn't live up to spruikers' claims.

 

[JohnM]

Continuing on through a sea of wildflowers, to camp at Billiburning Rock.

 

[9171]

Awesome photos! Amazing flora! Are there many bugs on the windscreen? Have read many things online saying how insects are dying out Are the remote areas still ok??

 

[JohnM]

Awesome photos! Amazing flora! Are there many bugs on the windscreen? Have read many things online saying how insects are dying out Are the remote areas still ok??

Plenty of insects on the windscreen, and - as I mentioned - the bush flies were in great abundance and with particularly persistent nuisance behaviour. It is, incidentally, an insect the biology and ecology of which I happen to know a great deal about.

I see no overt difference now after c. 50 years travelling around rural and remote WA professionally as an agricultural research scientist specialising in entomology and as a tourer.

But of course that doesn't mean some narrower specific measurements may support what you have read.

 

[9171]

Plenty of insects on the windscreen, and - as I mentioned - the bush flies were in great abundance and with particularly persistent nuisance behaviour. It is, incidentally, an insect the biology and ecology of which I happen to know a great deal about.

I see no overt difference now after c. 50 years travelling around rural and remote WA professionally as an agricultural research scientist specialising in entomology and as a tourer.

But of course that doesn't mean some narrower specific measurements may support what you have read.

That is very reassuring, I feel sometimes I have witnessed the reduction, but perhaps that is just my own new cosmopolitan surrounds that skew my observations. My own entomological focus is on glow beetles, specifically the dual-glow variety that are present in northern Colombia. Beautiful things.

 

[JohnM]

That is very reassuring, I feel sometimes I have witnessed the reduction, but perhaps that is just my own new cosmopolitan surrounds that skew my observations. My own entomological focus is on glow beetles, specifically the dual-glow variety that are present in northern Colombia. Beautiful things.

Tell me more by PM, if you wish.

 

[JohnM]

The latest WAnder was a trip to Eyre Bird Observatory at the old Eyre Telegraph Station over the last few days. I had previously gone there solo for a brief visit last year (posts 95-104), but this time PJM and I were staying for three nights.

The first day’s drive was Perth-Esperance, the next day Esperance-EBO. Return was EBO-Kalgoorlie to overnight, then Kalgoorlie-Perth. Total distance travelled was just over 2600 clicks; each leg being in the 600-700 km range.



PJM trying to see the other end of Australia’s longest straight road.



Comfy place to stay. It’s run by Birdlife Australia, with volunteer caretakers doing three-month stints. It’s also a BOM met station and starling incursion monitoring site, which the caretakers are responsible for readings and checks.

It operates on a full board basis; all that needs to be taken is linen and towels owing to restricted water supplies for laundry, and liquor.





It was cold when we arrived, but the next day was a scorcher by the afternoon as a N wind grew stronger as the day progressed. We went walking to the beach (1km) in the morning but chilled in the afternoon before heading out onto the sand dunes for sunset. The strong, hot northerly swept in a massive abundance of bush flies. Fly nets became the order of the day and many photos had flies either on the lens or just in front of it.

A cool change gradually came through the next day and the steady rain that began overnight on our last night was to accompany us all the way to Kalgoorlie.

Quandong, Santalum acuminatum. The wood is not fragrant like its sandalwood relative, Santalum spicatum. The fruit is edible.





Other signs of spring.









Lovely legless lizard.