Friday

It was so rainy on Thursday that Annie and I did not go out into the field. It practically poured all day long and the day ended with a thunderstorm. That meant that today was are first real day of fieldwork. We started at Branchinella Lake, where there is a large population of T. austinensis and we collected plants of all ages for any developmental study I might do. It was a bit overcast and fairly cool. Branchinella is a beautiful site because it is several hundred meters off the main road via a track and then a 500 m hike or so from the track to the lake. The bush is comprised mostly of Xanthorrhoea (tree grass), Cycad (Zamia), and Melalueca trees, as well as tons of herbaceous plants. It is quite secluded and last year I often saw parrots and emu, as well as lots of kangaroo tracks. Today there were few animals out and about, however. We did see a kangaroo and a Western Brush wallaby from the road. As long as they don't hop right out in front of the car, I love seeing them.

After working at BL, we went over to Kulunilup Swamp, which is where I did almost all my work last year. This year it is a nightmare. The water is almost all gone, and that that isn't is covered with algae and Ruppia. I can't find any submerged plants which throws out practically all my plans and I am scrambling to make new ones. We did cover some plants which appeared to be closed buds for pollinations, but we'll have to see what they are doing tomorrow.

Annie and practically got attacked by flies at KS. They are horrible and swarm all over your face and head. Annie is going to try to sew us up some netted hats. I'll have to put up some pictures of that!