I had a day off work today here in Hobart so I hired a car and headed off to Hartz Mountain National Park in the southwest of Tasmania. I have visited this park four times during the summer and early autumn and on each visit, it was cold and often snowing. This visit was not much different and it was bitterly cold and misty in the alpine areas. I had planned to walk to the rocky upper slope of Hartz Mountain to try and find the last of the accessible snow skinks that I have not yet seen here in Tasmania. The Mountain Skink (
Niveoscincus orocryptus) only lives on a few mountains in the southwest of Tasmania. I guess that I will have to try again some other year since autumn is here and most of the lizards will soon disappear.
This part of Tasmania is rugged and scenic. Most of this area is wilderness and accessible only to those who are willing to trek for a few days.
Here are a few pics of the habitats that I saw this morning. Somewhere, beneath this cloud, was Hartz Mountain. The habitat here was mostly heath with small stands of Snow Gums.
... one of my favourite plants, Pandani (
Richea pandanifolia):
Cushion Plants (
Abrotanella sp.) were common in the high country. These are actually colonies of many plants that are growing tightly together.
Mountain Rockets (
Blandfordia punicea) are in family Proteaceae.
Tree Ferns were abundant at the lower elevations:
Strong-billed Honeyeater, a Tassie endemic:
A little before noon, I gave up on hoping for an improvement in the weather so I headed back to Hobart and nearby Mt. Wellington. The sun was shining although it was still cold and windy (<10C).
...Hobart
... summit of Mt. Wellington
The rocky summit of Mt. Wellington is the home of Southern Snow Skinks (
Niveoscincus microlepidotus). I searched for awhile and could not find any of these lizards. I was about to head back to the car when I found a mass of these small skinks all huddled together. There would have been at least 20 or so all laying in a tight mass on this sheltered ledge. Unfortunately, I did not see them until they moved so I only have shots of a few that continued to bask. I have read of this behaviour before but this was the first time that I have actually observed the communal basking.
The rock where this colony lived:
After an hour or so, it became cloudy and misty so I decided to drive to the lower slope of Mt. Wellington where the temperature was warmer (17C) and where it was not so windy. Many lizards were out on the rocks.
These are what I think to be Tasmanian Tree Skinks (
Niveoscincus pretiosus) since they did not appear to have enlarged paravertebral scales.
... a Southern Grass Skink (
Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii).
... this one completely ignored a light shower. It never moved.
... a Southern Grass Skink and what I think to be a Metallic Skink (
Niveoscincus metallicus) basking together:
... what I think to be a Metallic Skink (
Niveoscincus metallicus)
This is one of the largest honeyeaters in Australia and it is a Tassie endemic. I squeaked a little and these Yellow Wattlebirds flew in to see what was making the noise:
and yes have seen hartz mountain before it's absolutely stunning on a clear day
Thanks for sharing all those exellent photos, you obviously know your Flora as well as being able to take a super picture, excellent
