Adrian is currently the lead citizen scientist contributor to the WOW project, having submitted 97 orchid observations via the WOW app. Thanks for your contribution Adrian (and family) and for being our orchid spotter of the month! What is your favourite Australian orchid and why? At the moment I particularly like the Black Fire Orchid, Pyrorchis nigricans. It's a spectacular flower and I have been following the progress of a few plants over the winter, watching the buds slowly form, and now finally one has flowered. What originally drew you to orchid spotting? Orchids have such a large diversity of flowers and I think their complex relationships with their environment are fascinating. The challenge of finding these little jewels in the bush definitely appeals to me and it's very rewarding when I find a new species or a spectacular patch of them! Why did you start using the WOW app? I have been keen to increase my knowledge of orchids since I moved to the Adelaide Hills last year. A friend recommended the app to me and it has given me a good platform to record my sightings while also supporting a great citizen science project. I am also enjoying the opportunity of getting some excellent advice from the leading orchid experts in Adelaide on my orchid identifications. What is your favourite conservation park or reserve for orchid spotting? I live very near Morialta Conservation Park and it is spectacular for orchids especially at this time of year. I visit it regularly with my wife Amy who also helps find the orchids, and my baby son George. Once he's walking I'll train him up to be my chief orchid spotter! Any advice for people who are thinking about using the WOW app? Get started! It's a great project and gives a fun focus to any walk in the Australian bush.
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