A few photographs from the past six weeks.

 I've been a bit slack with the blog and I apologise for that. Motivation to write has been low. I have been on the odd night drive and weekend bushwalk but nothing very exciting so you haven't missed much anyway. I have also joined a local frog survey group recently which is itself a good reason to get out and I have met some very nice people in the process which has been a real bonus. 

Below are a few photo's which basically sum up the extent of my interactions with nature so far in 2015. The first couple are fungi which after our substantial rain events of the past month or so is prevalent in the right locations. The first is a plain old bracket fungi and the second I have no idea of the name but I reckon it is the most spectacular fungi that I can recall seeing for a very long time. The colour was vibrant and it covered quite a large area, probably fifty centimetres in length at least. The smaller format photo really doesn't do it justice though.

                                   

The Logrunner below was busily turning over litter in search of food late in the day in a small patch of sub tropical forest not far from home.

The nest was in another patch of vine forest on private land and was a real feat of engineering and no more than a metre from the ground. The photo doesn't highlight the intricacies of the design or construction.

                                     

Some of the frogs from the past six weeks.

A large female Stoney Creek frog out and about during the day. She was hiding in the grass only a few metres from where a large Red-bellied Black Snake had been observed basking just the day before.

 

A Cane Toad viewed from a slightly different angle to normal. I can't get over the stunning eyes, shame they are introduced and such a pest.

 

A copper-backed Brood frog. A stunning little critter as well and often very difficult to locate even when calling. Shame I didn't notice the grass stem on its back.

 

The next three photos are Dusky Gungans which are also extremely difficult to locate at any time. they are also one of the most variable small frogs in terms of colour and pattern, although these were all fairly similar in appearance.

 

A Dwarf or Eastern Sedge Frog. Cute and noisy little critters. This one was competing with a couple of other males in the pot plants outside my back door.

 

A dark Giant Barred Frog. One of a number recorded on one of the frog surveys recently. Good to see them around in reasonable numbers on the coast.

 

A sub adult Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk. Another beautiful species which can be quite variable in colour and pattern.

 

The lizards have been hard to find although I have seen quite a few small skinks which have been way too fast and not keen to hang around for photos.

A Southern Angle Headed Dragon from the same patch of rainforest as the Logrunner and the fungi.

 

A couple of Murray's Skinks. There were quite a few of these out and about very late in the day and I took far too many photos of them but I'll only bore you with a couple.

 

The turtles. Some of the best shots (in terms of identification shots for the book) I have of three local species which was pretty exciting. The first is an adult Saw-shelled turtle.

 

 A Macquarie Turtle. 

 

  

And finally a Krefft's turtle. A beautiful shot in a classic pose taken from a considerable distance by my wife Deb. I wish that my hand was steady enough to get shots like this with the zoom. I could have taken the time to set up a tripod but would have missed the shot if I did.

 

Finally the snakes. Not many and not much of a variety but you can't expect too much when you don't try hard enough.

 

A carpet python around 1.2 metres in length that flatly refused to sit still for a photo.

 

Brown Tree Snake. Pretty typical specimen for the area.

 

 Red-naped Snake. Not a great shot unfortunately. I think he had been clipped by a car as his behaviour was erratic with unusual spasmodic movements.

 

A Small-eyed Snake that was cruising around on my back veranda after a long nights driving with very little result. Probably should have stayed home and gone for a walk instead.

 

And finally a stunning dark almost black sub adult Eastern Brown Snake.

Another relocation animal.
 

That's it for now. I will make a concerted effort not to leave it so long between posts in future and hopefully be back with some more photos soon.
Still really keen for some feedback from anyone if you're out there.

Thanks,

Mike.

Christmas Critters

 

I haven't posted for a while and I apologise for that, I have been busy putting all of my energy and spare time into my book. I still need to get out and about in the real world though because I can't finish it without the photographs that I need.

I have been out on a few short local trips just to keep me sane, some of the photos from which are attached below.

 

A Murray's Skink, common in suitable rainforest habitat which unfortunately is not very common at all in South East Queensland.

 

 

A magnificent female Southern Angle Headed Dragon. Another species totally reliant on dwindling sub tropical rainforest pockets.

 

A couple of Eastern Crevice Skinks, the first resplendent in his breeding finery.

 



 

A Southern Spotted Velvet gecko, one of our most beautiful geckos and one that I am privileged enough to have as a co-habitant of my own home. This guy was hiding behind a towel in my bathroom this morning.

 

 

An Eastern Ranges Rock Skink.

 

 

Photos of four different Stoney Creek frogs. A pretty amazing array of variation for a single species all photographed within a few hundred metres of one another. The smaller yellowish frogs are male and the larger brown frogs are female.

 

 

This Yellow Faced Whip Snake was by far the most exciting animal that I have had the pleasure of photographing in the past few weeks. It was picked up on a snake call by a mate of mine and is very special. I have never in my fifty odd years of looking at and loving reptiles and amphibians seen one of these without the black stripe on the snout and black and lighter comma shaped markings around the eye. The greenish dorsal colouration is not that unusual but the blue tinge around the edge of the belly is pretty cool. Nice critter.



 

A by product of searching for reptiles is finding and photographing some magnificent scenery and also some pretty trippy creatures that aren't necessarily the target species. This King Cricket will never win a prize in natures beauty contest but is certainly very interesting and definitely worth a look.

 

 

Well that's it for another year, they go way too quick these days.

Compliments of the season to all and have a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

See you next year.

 

Mike.

Rain glorious rain, and a hot photographic session on the Sunshine Coast.

 

These guys were absolutely everywhere. Eastern Water Dragons in a bewildering range of colours and sizes.

 

 

 

 

The turtles were pretty accommodating as well. Maquarie Turtles.

 

 

And a moss covered Kreftt's Turtle.

  

 

A dream come true. A reddish Brown Common Death Adder.

 

 

A very large Eastern Bearded Dragon.

 

 

Would you believe a Coastal Taipan. Unbelievable! The photo clearly highlights the keeled scales typical of this species.

 

 

I went too far that time didn't I? Alright you got me. All of these pics were taken on the Sunshine Coast no bull, however there is a small catch. I forgot to mention that I might have popped into Australia Zoo at Beerwah on Saturday and well you know I just couldn't help myself. I would really love to be able to say that Taipans and Death Adders are common on the Coast but unfortunately that's not the case. I remember a story from an old time coast resident, the great Mr Stan Tutt who once told me that a Death Adder had made its way into his families Kenilworth kitchen when he was young and that whilst the family ate the dog brought the danger that was lying under the table to their attention. All those sets of probably bare feet  especially in the children's case within striking distance and no one was viciously attacked and bitten says something for the snake I believe. Despite the stories and myths surrounding snakes and their despicable actions and attitude towards us human beings, never once in nearly fifty years of studying and spending time with these creatures have I encountered anything that would correlate any of these stories. In fact I have many stories of my own that clearly indicate that even when directly threatened a snake will seek to disappear rather than confront a person. It's such a terrible shame that the reverse scenario isn't true also.

 

Please enjoy some of the other critters showcased at the zoo.

 

 

I did volunteer work there about ten years ago and I remember really looking forward to cleaning the Rhinoceros Iguanas enclosure. One in particular was a real character. Wonder if it's the same one?

 

The layout of the zoo has changed dramatically in ten years - good job everyone.

 

 

Two species of Dragon that you wouldn't normally see sharing the same perch.

 

 

I can't take a decent bird picture for the life of me, even captive birds won't co-operate.

 

 

You lookin at me?

 

 

It's a sad state of affairs when we can't even ensure that the future of magnificent creatures like the Rhino's and the Sumatran Tiger is safe. What chance do the less impressive critters have?

 

 

The Aldabran (?spelling?) Tortoises were another of my favourites all those years ago as was Harriet the Galapagos Tortoise who unfortunately passed away a few years back. I fondly remember being lucky enough to be able to share some quality time with her and shedding a tear when I heard of her passing.

 

 

Check out the amazing patterning of the shell.

 

 If anyone tries to tell you that Eastern Brown Snakes won't climb, don't believe them.

 

 

I splurged and purchased an annual pass so you may have to put up with a few more photos from the zoo down the track. Hopefully though I will be able to bring some more photos of critters in their natural habitat to the table in the meantime.

 

 

Cheers.

 

Mike.