Isotoma “blink and you’ll miss it”; Outshone by the Fauna today

Day 5 29 October 2020

The fauna in Lowlands reserve were such show stoppers today! So I chose a”blink and you’ll miss it” flower for plant of the day as the perfect foil.

Isotoma hypocrateriformis is a short lived annual, with no basal leaves and not at all attention grabbing when not in flower. But for a few sunny days, its blooms on stalks may catch your eye in Lowlands Reserve.

Two bull ants were busy dismembering the corpse of a stigmodera cancellata beetle.

And this little guy, the Lowlands earless skink, was just chilling on the track

Over 30 black cockatoos were calling arr arr , I think this is the breeding call of the male black cockatoos. They are happily feeding on the monoculture masses of geranium, Pelargonium capitatum, on private land adjoining the Reserve, even though there is a wealth of biodiversity including Banksia grandis in flower just over the fence. Black cockatoos are an important totem for Noongar people

Close up of Isotoma hypocrateriformis is that a teeny badger head in the centre ?

Badger? not in the reserve, unless you count its likeness in the centre of the isotoma

Follow me on instagram and twitter @lowlandsbeach . https://www.instagram.com/lowlandsbeach/

https://twitter.com/lowlandsbeach

Lowlands Reserve is on Minang Boodja — country. I celebrate the resilience, culture and capacity of the traditional owners, the Minang Noongar people of the Wagyl Kaip region

Post Script 9 November 2020. If you venture to the eastern edge of Lowlands Reserve there are lots more Isotoma in flower

Lowlands Reserve 9 November 2020, with jewel beetle Castiarina species

From eastern edge of Lowlands Reserve near the disused lime quarry 6 November 2020