Vertebrates of February
This post starts with bad news: a wascally wabbit!
We are beginning to get very excessive numbers of these. An excessive number is 1, and more than 3 is very excessive. They seem to be coming out of the Kunzea, thus avoiding my trap and I am not sure if they are dining on the improved oats I have on offer for them. The small dog does her best, but is constrained by being on her lead (most of the time).
Although I despise the Shooters Party with a passion, I really think that landholders should be able to acquire a low powered gun for vermin control on their property with little bulldust. Unfortunately the forces of political correctness will not allow that to happen.
On a happier note this Eastern Water Dragon was checking out some rocks near Whiskers Creek.
Even happier has been the appearance from time to time of a little dragon on the rocks beside the Creek crossing. This must be an indication of a breeding event. The chappie in the snappie is about 40cm long counting the tail . The second shot explains the "water" part of the name.
The highlight in the bird department thus far in the month (6/2) has been an eastern Yellow Robin appearing in our Pistachio tree, right outside my study. While showing that to Frances a juvenile Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo also turned up!
On 8 February I was checking the NW corner of the property and became aware of much noise by a group of 8 Gang-gangs. As I looked up at them I spotted a Tawny Frogmouth trying to camouflage itself in an axil. I don't think that was what was stirring up the Gang-gangs. As it was about 800m from the house I don't think it was one of the usual breeding pair.
The next day (9/2 or, if you're in the US, 2/9 ) the pair turned up back at the house, well snuggled together in what I term their favourite roost. (I prevaricate there as last year it wasn't their favourite roost, unlike the year before.)
On my way back to the house (returning to 8/2) there was a further outbreak of noise. This turned out to be a group of 4 immature Black-faced cuckoo-shrikes. 3 of them fitted briefly into one image.
The fourth one was about 5m further to the left.
On 17 February in the late afternoon I heard the piping call of a Grey Butcherbird close to the house. This is not unusual but I was feeling in a photographic mood so set off for a snap. This was achieved quite easily when a bird perched on a fence post.
It is obviously a young bird - note the brownish tinges. There were at least three young birds foraging for caterpillars etc under some Acacia dealbata. Unfortunately they were obviously independent so not a breeding record: that happens somewhere a bit further up our block. I was interested to see a Pied Currawong swoop one of the smaller birds: they really are disgusting birds.
As it is only 16 February (OK so this is after the GBB on 17th, but it is a thematic blog, not a chronological one) as I write this, it is probably still a bit previous to say we have the overall highlight of the month. It is however going to take a biggie to beat this:
This was taken at about 1715 on a rainy afternoon (thus the rather damp appearance of the wombat). After taking the photo I went outside to get a bit closer and it just ambled off: I didn't think a pic of its gluteal region would add greatly to the ambience of this tasteful blog. The bovine skull was acquired by Frances on an ANPS walk somewhere North of Goulburn and is erected as a brief homage to Georgia O'Keefe.
Having let the marsupials establish a toehold on the lawn we find others exploit it.
The next images revert to a bird, but also feature the skull, and the kitchen lawn so are shown here rather that with the other avian insights. Superb Blue Wrens have made Eastern Spinebills look easy to photograph. So it was really nice to get one posing on the skull for long enough to get at least one half reasonable image.
The second image is simply a close-up extracted from the first, so that folk not familiar with these little beauties can appreciate them. Although I don't use the skull for digging, for some reason the first image reminds me of the British Christmas Card icon of a Robin perching on a spade handle!
Although I despise the Shooters Party with a passion, I really think that landholders should be able to acquire a low powered gun for vermin control on their property with little bulldust. Unfortunately the forces of political correctness will not allow that to happen.
On a happier note this Eastern Water Dragon was checking out some rocks near Whiskers Creek.
The highlight in the bird department thus far in the month (6/2) has been an eastern Yellow Robin appearing in our Pistachio tree, right outside my study. While showing that to Frances a juvenile Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo also turned up!
On 8 February I was checking the NW corner of the property and became aware of much noise by a group of 8 Gang-gangs. As I looked up at them I spotted a Tawny Frogmouth trying to camouflage itself in an axil. I don't think that was what was stirring up the Gang-gangs. As it was about 800m from the house I don't think it was one of the usual breeding pair.
On my way back to the house (returning to 8/2) there was a further outbreak of noise. This turned out to be a group of 4 immature Black-faced cuckoo-shrikes. 3 of them fitted briefly into one image.
On 17 February in the late afternoon I heard the piping call of a Grey Butcherbird close to the house. This is not unusual but I was feeling in a photographic mood so set off for a snap. This was achieved quite easily when a bird perched on a fence post.
As it is only 16 February (OK so this is after the GBB on 17th, but it is a thematic blog, not a chronological one) as I write this, it is probably still a bit previous to say we have the overall highlight of the month. It is however going to take a biggie to beat this:
Having let the marsupials establish a toehold on the lawn we find others exploit it.
Comments
Lovely Water Dragon. Their tails always seem excessively long - virtually goes on for ever.
Maybe helps in swimming?
Denis
I did try a shanghai (cost $45!) but was not a good enough shot (or couldn't get smooth enough stones) to hit them. Then the elastic perished and got fed up. A friend has made one out of an occy strap and I might take a course from him in how to do it.
If it wasn't for concerns about leg-challenged reptiles I'd let the small dog loose on the rabbits. When one gets within range of her teeth it rather resembles Wil E Coyote after meeting an ACME anvil!
Martin