moloch05
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There is a paved road that extends west from Windorah for about 120kms before finally giving away to gravel on the Birdsville and Diamantina Tracks. This road is a great place for night driving since there is very little traffic on it at night. It also passes through a variety of habitats that alternate between red dunes, gibber flats and clay pans. Gibber flats are barren places that are covered with small stones. All of these habitats support mulga trees, especially along drainages. Mulgas, like spinifex, are one of the characteristic plants of the Aussie outback.
About 85km west of Windorah, the road descends a small escarpment into the Eyrean Basin. The habitats in the basin are particularly dry and mostly consists of gibber flats with cracking clay in places. Cracking clay is the home of the Fierce Snake as well as other species such as Speckled Brown Snakes and Mulga Snakes (a.k.a., King Brown Snake).
Here are a few pics of these varying habitats along the road to the west of Windorah.
Clay pans, red dunes and mulga forest in the distance.
Our first day at Windorah was hot (~40C) with a searing wind and dust storm
Eyrean Basin (85km+ west of Windorah)
Gibber flats with mulga trees
Cracking Clay. This bleak, hostile environment is the home of the Fierce Snake. Unfortunately, we could not find it on this visit and in fact, saw hardly anything here even at night. I think that the snake is probably more reliable earlier in the year when the temperatures are cooler and it must sun-bake for longer periods of time.
One morning, Nick decided to walk around on the flats to try and spot a Fierce Snake. He saw only a few dragons.
We have seen Grey Falcons before on these desolate plains but this year, could only manage the much more common Brown Falcon.
Brown Falcon (imm)
This is the escarpment at the edge of the Eyrean Basin.
Ring-tailed Dragons (Ctenophorus nuchalis) were common on rocks along the upper cliffs of this escarpment. They can be wary and difficult to approach but on this trip, I could walk right up to them for photos. This species, like the Central Military Dragon, is widespread in Australia. Some of the races look very different to these from Windorah.
Male #1
Male #2
Females were quite drab.
This Ctenotus septenarius was found along the edge of the escarpment.
Nick found this mummified Black-headed Python (Aspidites melanocephalus) . It did not show signs of external injury so I don’t know what caused its death. It just appeared to have died as it crawled between a couple of trunks of a mulga in a gully.
While in the basin, I saw a couple of Emus that were not far from the road. I was able to hide in a mulga thicket and then began to whistle and squeak. Emus are curious birds and it did not take long before they began to approach to try and find the source of the racket.
When I stepped out from cover, they raced away.
Clay pans were the preferred habitat of earless dragons (Tympanocryptis tetraporiphora). They usually were seen perched on small rocks near the road.
The lizard with the yellow face was a gravid.
The lizards often stood on top of rocks.
Sometimes when it was hot, the lizards would stand upright on their hind legs with their breasts facing the sun.
This lizard was asleep on the road one night.
Central Netted Dragons (Ctenophorus nuchalis) also lived here but they were more abundant on red sands where they were often seen on top of termite mounds.
Male in breeding colours
Another male:
Female:
Tessellated Geckos (Diplodactylus tessellatus) were the most common species of gecko on clay pans and gibber flats. They vary a little in colour and pattern. Here are a number of photos that illustrate this variability.
I found two Fat-tailed Geckos (Diplodactylus conspicillatus) that looked very different to those that I have seen in Western Australia. It is hard to believe that they are the same species.
This one had a regenerated tail:
… and this one had its original tail.
Mulga trees provided cover for Northern Spiny-tailed Geckos (Strophurus ciliaris), Marbled Velvet Geckos (Oedura marmorata) and Gehyra variegata.
Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus ciliaris)
Marbled Velvet Gecko (Oedura marmorata)
Gehyra variegata were also arboreal geckos. They were easy to find at night on mulga trees.
This Red-naped Snake (Furina ornata) was one of the few snakes that I found on the trip. These little elapids are considered harmless due to their tiny size and reluctance to bite. They do put on quite a nice threat display.
Fuel is quite pricey in the outback. To keep costs down, I always try and hire for these little Hyundai. These are quick, fuel efficient and perfectly comfortable for one or two people.
Regards,
David
About 85km west of Windorah, the road descends a small escarpment into the Eyrean Basin. The habitats in the basin are particularly dry and mostly consists of gibber flats with cracking clay in places. Cracking clay is the home of the Fierce Snake as well as other species such as Speckled Brown Snakes and Mulga Snakes (a.k.a., King Brown Snake).
Here are a few pics of these varying habitats along the road to the west of Windorah.
Clay pans, red dunes and mulga forest in the distance.
Our first day at Windorah was hot (~40C) with a searing wind and dust storm
Eyrean Basin (85km+ west of Windorah)
Gibber flats with mulga trees
Cracking Clay. This bleak, hostile environment is the home of the Fierce Snake. Unfortunately, we could not find it on this visit and in fact, saw hardly anything here even at night. I think that the snake is probably more reliable earlier in the year when the temperatures are cooler and it must sun-bake for longer periods of time.
One morning, Nick decided to walk around on the flats to try and spot a Fierce Snake. He saw only a few dragons.
We have seen Grey Falcons before on these desolate plains but this year, could only manage the much more common Brown Falcon.
Brown Falcon (imm)
This is the escarpment at the edge of the Eyrean Basin.
Ring-tailed Dragons (Ctenophorus nuchalis) were common on rocks along the upper cliffs of this escarpment. They can be wary and difficult to approach but on this trip, I could walk right up to them for photos. This species, like the Central Military Dragon, is widespread in Australia. Some of the races look very different to these from Windorah.
Male #1
Male #2
Females were quite drab.
This Ctenotus septenarius was found along the edge of the escarpment.
Nick found this mummified Black-headed Python (Aspidites melanocephalus) . It did not show signs of external injury so I don’t know what caused its death. It just appeared to have died as it crawled between a couple of trunks of a mulga in a gully.
While in the basin, I saw a couple of Emus that were not far from the road. I was able to hide in a mulga thicket and then began to whistle and squeak. Emus are curious birds and it did not take long before they began to approach to try and find the source of the racket.
When I stepped out from cover, they raced away.
Clay pans were the preferred habitat of earless dragons (Tympanocryptis tetraporiphora). They usually were seen perched on small rocks near the road.
The lizard with the yellow face was a gravid.
The lizards often stood on top of rocks.
Sometimes when it was hot, the lizards would stand upright on their hind legs with their breasts facing the sun.
This lizard was asleep on the road one night.
Central Netted Dragons (Ctenophorus nuchalis) also lived here but they were more abundant on red sands where they were often seen on top of termite mounds.
Male in breeding colours
Another male:
Female:
Tessellated Geckos (Diplodactylus tessellatus) were the most common species of gecko on clay pans and gibber flats. They vary a little in colour and pattern. Here are a number of photos that illustrate this variability.
I found two Fat-tailed Geckos (Diplodactylus conspicillatus) that looked very different to those that I have seen in Western Australia. It is hard to believe that they are the same species.
This one had a regenerated tail:
… and this one had its original tail.
Mulga trees provided cover for Northern Spiny-tailed Geckos (Strophurus ciliaris), Marbled Velvet Geckos (Oedura marmorata) and Gehyra variegata.
Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus ciliaris)
Marbled Velvet Gecko (Oedura marmorata)
Gehyra variegata were also arboreal geckos. They were easy to find at night on mulga trees.
This Red-naped Snake (Furina ornata) was one of the few snakes that I found on the trip. These little elapids are considered harmless due to their tiny size and reluctance to bite. They do put on quite a nice threat display.
Fuel is quite pricey in the outback. To keep costs down, I always try and hire for these little Hyundai. These are quick, fuel efficient and perfectly comfortable for one or two people.
Regards,
David
