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GeckPhotographer

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Lake Macquarie NSW
So not so long ago I was over in WA for a bit more than two weeks. The trip was with my family celebrating my finishing school and was primarily with the aim of finding as many geckos as possible.

We started off in Perth where I got to see a couple new species for me, both little brown skinks. Unfortunately I didn't get very good pictures of them, just enough for ID.

After resting up at a friends in Perth we headed off the next day towards Cervantes. The drive wasn't very interesting for reptiles although we saw a V.tristis that bolted a long way ahead. We stopped for lunch near Cervantes and I got my first real photos of the trip.

Pogona minor by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Pogona minor by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr



Ctenophorus adelaidensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus adelaidensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus adelaidensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus adelaidensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

After heading into Cervantes and setting up at the local caravan park we headed back out a way to a place we had been told was good for spotlighting. We did a bit of poking around waiting for dark and I turned up a pede shown in another thread. Once it was dark we were able to slowly drive the roads looking for interesting things. As it happened we found some.
First find of the night was a fat carpet crossing the road obviously just having eaten. Not wanting to disturb it we headed on letting it continue cruising, luckily not much later we found a nice slightly smaller carpet that was good for photographs.

Morelia spilota imbricata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Morelia spilota imbricata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Morelia spilota imbricata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Morelia spilota imbricata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
and got my favourite shot of the trip.....

Morelia spilota by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Poking around some rocks and bushes found us some of the Gecko beasties we were after.
6535795301_770b528da1.jpg



Christinus marmoratus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
and some very pretty geckos of a new species for me. :D (Don't you love their eyes)

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


The next day we packed up camp and spent a few hours driving with few results till we arrived at a destination chosen by my sister East of Geraldton. It turns out I should let my sister choose the campsite more often as it was a great place for photographing Long Nosed Dragons and Spotlighting yielded good results.

Amphibolurus longirostris by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Amphibolurus longirostris by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Amphibolurus longirostris by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Amphibolurus longirostris by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Amphibolurus longirostris by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Tiliqua occipitalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Tiliqua rugosa by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Spotlighting that night.

Antaresia stimsoni by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Antaresia stimsoni by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Antaresia stimsoni by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Antaresia stimsoni by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Brachyurophis semifasciata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Brachyurophis semifasciata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Brachyurophis semifasciata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heleioporus eyrei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heleioporus eyrei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


While there were plenty of herps here our main aim geckos didn't end up working so well so with that in mind we decided to speed up a bit and head straight up to Kalbarri with its many interesting gecko species.
Most of the herping we did around Kalbarri was at night time and we managed to find a fair bunch of nice geckos not all of which will be posted here due to better shots later in the trip.

Heteronotia binoei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


This was very exciting for me as I absolutely love these geckos.

Nephrurus levis ocidentalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus levis ocidentalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus levis ocidentalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr



Heleioporus albopunctatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


We spent a couple days poking around Kalbarri before heading off to Shark Bay. On the way we found some interesting things.

Ctenophorus nuchalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus nuchalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus nuchalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus nuchalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr



Varanus caudolineatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Varanus caudolineatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Varanus caudolineatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Shark Bay was absolutely amazing. Tons of geckos and other interesting reptiles.

Lucasium alboguttatum by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Lucasium alboguttatum by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


(I never tired of taking pics of this species)

Nephrurus levis ocidentalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus levis ocidentalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus levis ocidentalis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr



Heteronotia binoei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heteronotia binoei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heteronotia binoei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Gehyra variegata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus michaelseni by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus michaelseni by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Neelaps bimaculatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Neelaps bimaculatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Diplodactylus ornatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Pygopus nigriceps by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Pygopus nigriceps by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus strophurus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus strophurus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus spinigerus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Poking around in the day found some nice dragons, skinks and monitors.

Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus maculatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus maculatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus maculatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus reticulatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus reticulatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus reticulatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus reticulatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus reticulatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr



Varanus eremius (1) by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Varanus gouldii (4) by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Our mission of geckoing shark bay complete (despite dissapointment that we didn't find Pletholax gracilis) we headed inland to check out some of the Murchison.
The Murchison was good to us and our list of geckos quickly hiked.

Lucasium squarrosum by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Lucasium squarrosum by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Lucasium squarrosum by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Lucasium squarrosum by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus vertebralis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus vertebralis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus vertebralis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Nephrurus vertebralis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Gehyra punctata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Gehyra punctata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Gehyra punctata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Gehyra punctata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus wellingtonae by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus wellingtonae by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus wellingtonae by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Oedura marmorata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Diplodactylus granariensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Diplodactylus granariensis rex by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Diplodactylus granariensis rex by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Diplodactylus granariensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Rhyncoedura ornata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


We also managed to track down some desert frogs in a waterhole in a creek.

Platyplectrum spenceri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Litoria rubella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Litoria rubella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Despite being a gecko person I did do some day herping in the Murchison and came up with some pics of these nice dragons.

Ctenophorus caudicinctus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus caudicinctus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus caudicinctus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus caudicinctus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus caudicinctus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Ctenophorus caudicinctus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


The trip was winding down, but we still had 2 more Southwest Strophurus to see. This situation was clearly unacceptable so we rang a friend and figured out a location we could definitely see both of them. Luck was on our side and we quickly and easily found one.

Strophurus assimilis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus assimilis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus assimilis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


The other I had been told was almost never ever sited off spinifex, so I spent hours walking around scanning spinifex hoping for a glint of eyeshine. Eventually I found the gecko... in the middle of the road. She was missing her tail so I won't post full body shots they look weird.

Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


We saw a couple other interesting reptiles here too.

Lucasium maini by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Lucasium maini by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Liopholis inornata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Liopholis inornata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


There was only one thing left to do on this trip. That was to go back to Perth and put in some feeble effort to see a couple more things. Unfortunately it rained when we got back and reptiles weren't great but we did manage to track down some nice frogs and a gecko I had seen before.

Oedura reticulata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heleioporus psammophilus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heleioporus psammophilus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Heleioporus psammophilus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr

Myobatrachus gouldii by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr


Please let me know if you see any typos in htis. I'll probably be editing it a few times just to fix this and that up.
 
Last edited:
Dang bro! That is a rippin set of pics! I still can't find geckos, great pictures as always mate.
 
That is the best thread that I have seen on APS in a bloody long time mate! Thanks for sharing mate, I loved the caudo pics!
 
Fantasmic Stephen thanks very much for sharing, Can't pin a favourite there's to many great images.
 
Best thread ever and I enjoyed it immensly! The photo's are amazing and I'm burning with envy at the things ou managed to see!
Are you back home now or are you still away?
 
Thanks guys.

Jordan, I've been back from WA for a while but I keep going away to Nth NSW so I haven't been home that much yet.
 
Amazing pics as always Stephen and you found some awesome reptiles!
The maculatus and vertibralis are incredible.
 
Mate do you find the gecks spotlighting or do you have to turn logs over and stuff?

For geckos I use a headtorch and find them mostly by eyeshine. Sometimes sitting on the road. (The levis and spinigerus in this thread were very common on the roads).
That's not to say you can't get them turning stuff over but the pictures of them are better when they are out active and preferably in situ so I don't aim to do that.
 
Thanks.

Camera is a Canon 5D MII, with a 100mm Canon USM F2.8 Macro Lens and Canon Macro Twin Lite Flash.
I assume that's the equipment you mean? I could tell you what torch I use.
 
Awesome pics of some great species well done!
 
Well done Stephen, as you know I am a dragon enthusiast and I just have to say that your shots of these animals are just incredible. Some of the best pictures I have ever seen of most of the species (certainly dragon species) photographed. Great work and terrific thread.
 
Best lot of reptile pics ive seen on APS in several years,really outstanding photographic work. :)
 
Top effort Stephen.
Not hassling the Carpet that had just eaten shows immense respect for the wildlife, and I respect you for that.
And cheers to your family for supporting your passion, should be more of it.
I used to take my kids herping from a very early age. the're now adults with no interest in herps but the respect for nature will always remain.
 
Stunning pictures and absolutely gorgeous herps!

Am I jealous? perhaps just a smidge..
 
10 out of 10.
Great pics and well done on your finds.
 
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