moloch05
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August is the final month of winter in the Wollongong area. By the middle of the month, many plants in the heath habitats have commenced flowering. In another 2 or 3 weeks, the heath will be a blaze of colour. Some of the smaller skinks have begun to emerge when the days are mild and sunny. My son even found a large blue-tongue today that was sunning itself in someone's garden.
Here are a few recent herp and flower shots from the Wollongong area.
Garden Skink (Lampropholis delicata) -- the most abundant reptile in this area during the warmer months.
Anepischtos maccoyi -- I used to think that this skink was scarce near Wollongong. This winter, I have seen more of these little skinks than any other species. I doubt that their densities have really changed so I must just have overlooked them before. Wollongong is the northern distributional limit of this cool adapted skink. They are always found in shaded, damp locations.
... the scales are refractive, a common feature of many small Aussie skinks.
Weasel Skink (Saproscincus mustellinus) -- like A. maccoyi, a skink from damp habitats.
Copper-tailed Skinks (Ctenotus taeniolatus) -- common in well-drained areas with sandstone. They are nicely marked skinks.
... older adult where the tail colour is not so pronounced:
Lesueur's Velvet Gecko (Oedura lesueurii) -- abundant little geckos in the sandstone country.
Here are recent photos of some of the plants that have begun to flower.
Red Spider-flower (Grevillea sp.) -- member of the Proteaceae family.
Grey Spider-flower (Grevillea buxifolia)
Drumstick (Isopogon sp.) -- another Proteaceae.
Banksia -- another Proteaceae
Hakia sp. -- another Proteaceae
Boronia sp.
another Boronia
heaths:
peas are numerous and diverse:
Waxflower (Eriostemon sp.):
Wattles are abundant and varied.
Regards,
David
Here are a few recent herp and flower shots from the Wollongong area.
Garden Skink (Lampropholis delicata) -- the most abundant reptile in this area during the warmer months.
Anepischtos maccoyi -- I used to think that this skink was scarce near Wollongong. This winter, I have seen more of these little skinks than any other species. I doubt that their densities have really changed so I must just have overlooked them before. Wollongong is the northern distributional limit of this cool adapted skink. They are always found in shaded, damp locations.
... the scales are refractive, a common feature of many small Aussie skinks.
Weasel Skink (Saproscincus mustellinus) -- like A. maccoyi, a skink from damp habitats.
Copper-tailed Skinks (Ctenotus taeniolatus) -- common in well-drained areas with sandstone. They are nicely marked skinks.
... older adult where the tail colour is not so pronounced:
Lesueur's Velvet Gecko (Oedura lesueurii) -- abundant little geckos in the sandstone country.
Here are recent photos of some of the plants that have begun to flower.
Red Spider-flower (Grevillea sp.) -- member of the Proteaceae family.
Grey Spider-flower (Grevillea buxifolia)
Drumstick (Isopogon sp.) -- another Proteaceae.
Banksia -- another Proteaceae
Hakia sp. -- another Proteaceae
Boronia sp.
another Boronia
heaths:
peas are numerous and diverse:
Waxflower (Eriostemon sp.):
Wattles are abundant and varied.
Regards,
David
