moloch
New member
It is spring in eastern Australia, my favourite time of the year. Here are a number of photos from Wollongong, Dharawal (20 minutes north of Wollongong) and Jervis Bay (1.25 hours south of Wollongong). The weather is warm and snakes and lizards are all active again. I also enjoy this time of the year because of the beautiful floral display.
I know that many of you enjoy nature in general so I included many non-geckos in this big post. Eastern Australia is a lovely place and so much here looks so different to the fauna/flora from other parts of the globe.
Broad-tailed Gecko (Phyllurus platurus) -- I made a trip up to see “my” leaf-tails that live in a rocky area near Wollongong. The night was mild and I found a number of these geckos.
The gecko in the following photo arched the tail and then moved it from side to side as I photographed it. This gecko has its original tail.
... regenerated tail:
Lesueur's Velvet Geckos (Oedura lesueurii) are dark by day but much paler at night. These are common geckos in the sandstone country.
Anepischtos maccoyi – a common skink that lives in cool, damp areas within the wet eucalyptus forest.
Weasel Skink (Saproscincus mustelinus) – another cool adapted skink. In the summer, I usually only see them out in the early morning or at dusk.
Three-toed Skink (Saiphos equalis) – a common burrowing species that lives in damp, cool locations.
Copper-tailed Skink (Ctenotus taeniolatus) -- a beautiful skink with a nicely coloured tail.
Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii) – a common and beautiful skink.
Golden-crowned Snake (Cacophis squamulosus) – This snake was large for the species and quite heavily built. While I photographed it, I became aware of blood on its face. This is the second time now that I have seen blood appear on a golden-crowned while I photographed the snake. I am beginning to wonder whether they burst blood vessels when stressed. The snake moved freely and otherwise did not show any signs of injury as one would expect if it had been clipped by a car.
This year, I found Mustard-bellied Snake (Drysdalia rhodogaster) for the first time in the Wollongong area. It seems odd to have found two a week apart after several years of searching. They are great little snakes and pose nicely for photos. Their tongue flicks are pronounced but I just could not seem to catch it. Here are pics of today's snake.
Yellow-faced Whipsnake (Demansia psammophis) -- This lives in the hills around Wollongong but this photo was from Dharawal, about a 20 minute drive from Wollongong. I have seen several of these snakes recently.
Eastern Small-eyed Snakes (Cyrtophis nigrescens) is the most common snake in the Wollongong area. They usually are small and placid here but this one was much more responsive then most. Eastern small-eyes in this region are drab and usually lack the red ventrals of those from further north.
I also found a Marsh Snake (Hemiaspis signata):
This big Common Blue-tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides) was out and about.
... a blue-tongue "growl":
Mainland Sheoak Skink (Cyclodomorphus michaeli) -- My first for the year. These are beautiful skinks with lots of attitude. The skink would elevate its head and then sway from side to side while flicking the tongue. It even charged the camera a few times.
Sydney Funnel Web Spider or at least that is what I think this to be due to the elongated spinerets. This is the "Taipan" of the spider world with potent neurotoxic venom. I had to work with this one for awhile before it adopted the defensive stance. Once it reared, it stayed like this and would lunge at small sticks that I passed in front of it. I suppose that these spiders are not rare but I only see them once or twice each year.
... droplets of venom are visible at the tip of the fangs
... possibly a relative of the Flat Spider:
... Wolf Spider?
... tiny species of Crane Fly:
Duck Orchid (Caleana major) -- I only know of one small colony of this bizarre but beautiful orchid.
Spotted Sun Orchid (Thelymitra ixioides) -- another superb flower. These orchids are odd since their flowers close in the late afternoon and reopen once it is bright in the morning. Even their buds are beautiful with petals alternating between blue and white.
Grevillea sp. -- colourful grevillea with "toothbrush" type flower.
Epacris sp. -- these Australian heaths are lovely plants and common in sandy or rocky areas.
a multi-branched Sundew -- these perennials are just now develping their new leaves. A couple of insects have already been caught in the second photo below.
Match-heads (Comesperma ericinum) -- a pretty plant of family Polygalaceae.
Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda) – a colourful twining vine that is numerous near the top of the escarpment west of Wollongong.
Hibbertia
...other
1 -- pea, 2 -- Pattersonia sp., 3 -- pea
456 -- Streaked Rock Orchid (Dockrillia striolata)
7 -- Epacris obtusifolia, 8 -- Dracophyllum secundum, 9 -- Epacris sp.
10 -- bud of Caleana major, 11 -- Caleana major, 12 -- Prostanthera sieberi
Here are more photos of my favourite flower of the area, a Waratah:
... and one of its pollinators, a small wasp:
... a pretty Dampiera:
Sydney Rose (Boronia serrulata) -- one of my favouite plants. This photo was from Dharawal. So far, I have found these plants in a single, sandy area of the reserve. Their flowers are beautiful and the leaves unusual as well.
Crimson Rosella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Black Wallaby, Grey Kangaroo and Echidna
Regards,
David
I know that many of you enjoy nature in general so I included many non-geckos in this big post. Eastern Australia is a lovely place and so much here looks so different to the fauna/flora from other parts of the globe.
Broad-tailed Gecko (Phyllurus platurus) -- I made a trip up to see “my” leaf-tails that live in a rocky area near Wollongong. The night was mild and I found a number of these geckos.
The gecko in the following photo arched the tail and then moved it from side to side as I photographed it. This gecko has its original tail.
... regenerated tail:
Lesueur's Velvet Geckos (Oedura lesueurii) are dark by day but much paler at night. These are common geckos in the sandstone country.
Anepischtos maccoyi – a common skink that lives in cool, damp areas within the wet eucalyptus forest.
Weasel Skink (Saproscincus mustelinus) – another cool adapted skink. In the summer, I usually only see them out in the early morning or at dusk.
Three-toed Skink (Saiphos equalis) – a common burrowing species that lives in damp, cool locations.
Copper-tailed Skink (Ctenotus taeniolatus) -- a beautiful skink with a nicely coloured tail.
Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii) – a common and beautiful skink.
Golden-crowned Snake (Cacophis squamulosus) – This snake was large for the species and quite heavily built. While I photographed it, I became aware of blood on its face. This is the second time now that I have seen blood appear on a golden-crowned while I photographed the snake. I am beginning to wonder whether they burst blood vessels when stressed. The snake moved freely and otherwise did not show any signs of injury as one would expect if it had been clipped by a car.
This year, I found Mustard-bellied Snake (Drysdalia rhodogaster) for the first time in the Wollongong area. It seems odd to have found two a week apart after several years of searching. They are great little snakes and pose nicely for photos. Their tongue flicks are pronounced but I just could not seem to catch it. Here are pics of today's snake.
Yellow-faced Whipsnake (Demansia psammophis) -- This lives in the hills around Wollongong but this photo was from Dharawal, about a 20 minute drive from Wollongong. I have seen several of these snakes recently.
Eastern Small-eyed Snakes (Cyrtophis nigrescens) is the most common snake in the Wollongong area. They usually are small and placid here but this one was much more responsive then most. Eastern small-eyes in this region are drab and usually lack the red ventrals of those from further north.
I also found a Marsh Snake (Hemiaspis signata):
This big Common Blue-tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides) was out and about.
... a blue-tongue "growl":
Mainland Sheoak Skink (Cyclodomorphus michaeli) -- My first for the year. These are beautiful skinks with lots of attitude. The skink would elevate its head and then sway from side to side while flicking the tongue. It even charged the camera a few times.
Sydney Funnel Web Spider or at least that is what I think this to be due to the elongated spinerets. This is the "Taipan" of the spider world with potent neurotoxic venom. I had to work with this one for awhile before it adopted the defensive stance. Once it reared, it stayed like this and would lunge at small sticks that I passed in front of it. I suppose that these spiders are not rare but I only see them once or twice each year.
... droplets of venom are visible at the tip of the fangs
... possibly a relative of the Flat Spider:
... Wolf Spider?
... tiny species of Crane Fly:
Duck Orchid (Caleana major) -- I only know of one small colony of this bizarre but beautiful orchid.
Spotted Sun Orchid (Thelymitra ixioides) -- another superb flower. These orchids are odd since their flowers close in the late afternoon and reopen once it is bright in the morning. Even their buds are beautiful with petals alternating between blue and white.
Grevillea sp. -- colourful grevillea with "toothbrush" type flower.
Epacris sp. -- these Australian heaths are lovely plants and common in sandy or rocky areas.
a multi-branched Sundew -- these perennials are just now develping their new leaves. A couple of insects have already been caught in the second photo below.
Match-heads (Comesperma ericinum) -- a pretty plant of family Polygalaceae.
Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda) – a colourful twining vine that is numerous near the top of the escarpment west of Wollongong.
Hibbertia
...other
1 -- pea, 2 -- Pattersonia sp., 3 -- pea
456 -- Streaked Rock Orchid (Dockrillia striolata)
7 -- Epacris obtusifolia, 8 -- Dracophyllum secundum, 9 -- Epacris sp.
10 -- bud of Caleana major, 11 -- Caleana major, 12 -- Prostanthera sieberi
Here are more photos of my favourite flower of the area, a Waratah:
... and one of its pollinators, a small wasp:
... a pretty Dampiera:
Sydney Rose (Boronia serrulata) -- one of my favouite plants. This photo was from Dharawal. So far, I have found these plants in a single, sandy area of the reserve. Their flowers are beautiful and the leaves unusual as well.
Crimson Rosella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Black Wallaby, Grey Kangaroo and Echidna
Regards,
David
