moloch05
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A huge thunderstorm hit the Windorah area on the afternoon as we approached from the south. Flash floods cut the road for awhile in the afternoon until the water levels dropped once again. We arrived late so we weren't delayed but we could see debris on the road. There were pools on the sides of the roads and these pools attracted many frogs. These were quite exciting to us since they were mostly frogs from the centre that we had not previously encountered. Most are burrowing species that only emerge after heavy rains.
Within a couple of days, these pools also attracted many water birds. Most of the birds in this pic are Pink-eared Ducks (shoverler-like bill) with a few Grey Teal. We also saw flocks of Glossy Ibis, Yellow-billed Spoonbills, White-headed Herons, Black-tailed Native Hens, Black-winged Stilts, Red-kneed Plovers and others.
Brolga even turned up one day.
One of the loudest calls was made by Knife-footed Frogs (Cyclorana cultripes). This species is one of the smaller inland burrowing frogs. They looked quite comical when they were so inflated.
... some were so muddy that they looked like they had just emerged.
... others
Two nights later, we re-visited this pool and there were hardly any frogs remaining at all. The frenzy must have only lasted one or two nights.
The big New Holland Frogs (Cyclorana novaehollandiae) were also in the pools. Their loud call ("wonk") was often heard.
We also heard what I think were Water-holding Frogs (Cyclorana platycephala) but we could never locate the calling frogs. This one was so pale that I thought at first that it might be a Cyclorana platycephala but I think that it was probably a lightly marked C. novaehollandiae.
Broad-palmed Frogs (Litoria latopalmata) were very local. We found many but only at one pond in brushy habitat. The frogs tended to call from depressions so were not easy to find.
Desert Tree Frogs (Litoria rubella) were common. They were also hard to spot since they called from the base of grass thickets near the water.
Green Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea) are a wide-ranging species found over much of Australia. It seemed odd to see these frogs at Windorah after seeing many in the wet tropical forests of far-north Queensland earlier this year.
Desert Froglets (Crinia deserticola) were tiny frogs that were easy to hear but not so easy to spot.
I am not certain but I think these odd looking creatures are Trilling Frogs (Neobatrachis centralis). We saw large numbers of them but only on ponds with lots of fine silt. The frogs would float near the surface with only their eyes or sometimes the top of their heads protruding above the surface. It was an eerie sight to scan to water with a spotlight and see lots of eyes but nothing else. Most of these frogs were pale but some were more strongly marked (I assume they are all the same species but I could be wrong).
... strongly marked form:
... pale form:
The frog that we enjoyed the most was this Desert Spadefoot Toad (Notaden nichollsi), a relative of the beautiful Southern Cross Frog. We only saw this single animal in an area of red sand near Windorah.
One afternoon, we drove back to the pools to see what else might be around. We found and followed this huge Yellow-spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes) for awhile. It seemed to be hunting around the edge of the water. We saw it stop and sniff at the ground but never actually saw it catch anything.
The monitor allowed us to closely approach it. It looked a little annoyed but did not appear frightened at all. I suppose that it knew that it could rip us to shreds with its claws if necessary.
We visited Cooper's Creek a few times.
... Australian Pelicans, Royal Spoonbills, Little Black Cormorants:
Water in this creek is permanent and there were many turtles although they were almost impossible to photograph. This was the only shot that I could take, a dead Cooper's Creek Turtle (Emydura macquarii emmotti).
Regards,
David
Within a couple of days, these pools also attracted many water birds. Most of the birds in this pic are Pink-eared Ducks (shoverler-like bill) with a few Grey Teal. We also saw flocks of Glossy Ibis, Yellow-billed Spoonbills, White-headed Herons, Black-tailed Native Hens, Black-winged Stilts, Red-kneed Plovers and others.
Brolga even turned up one day.
One of the loudest calls was made by Knife-footed Frogs (Cyclorana cultripes). This species is one of the smaller inland burrowing frogs. They looked quite comical when they were so inflated.
... some were so muddy that they looked like they had just emerged.
... others
Two nights later, we re-visited this pool and there were hardly any frogs remaining at all. The frenzy must have only lasted one or two nights.
The big New Holland Frogs (Cyclorana novaehollandiae) were also in the pools. Their loud call ("wonk") was often heard.
We also heard what I think were Water-holding Frogs (Cyclorana platycephala) but we could never locate the calling frogs. This one was so pale that I thought at first that it might be a Cyclorana platycephala but I think that it was probably a lightly marked C. novaehollandiae.
Broad-palmed Frogs (Litoria latopalmata) were very local. We found many but only at one pond in brushy habitat. The frogs tended to call from depressions so were not easy to find.
Desert Tree Frogs (Litoria rubella) were common. They were also hard to spot since they called from the base of grass thickets near the water.
Green Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea) are a wide-ranging species found over much of Australia. It seemed odd to see these frogs at Windorah after seeing many in the wet tropical forests of far-north Queensland earlier this year.
Desert Froglets (Crinia deserticola) were tiny frogs that were easy to hear but not so easy to spot.
I am not certain but I think these odd looking creatures are Trilling Frogs (Neobatrachis centralis). We saw large numbers of them but only on ponds with lots of fine silt. The frogs would float near the surface with only their eyes or sometimes the top of their heads protruding above the surface. It was an eerie sight to scan to water with a spotlight and see lots of eyes but nothing else. Most of these frogs were pale but some were more strongly marked (I assume they are all the same species but I could be wrong).
... strongly marked form:
... pale form:
The frog that we enjoyed the most was this Desert Spadefoot Toad (Notaden nichollsi), a relative of the beautiful Southern Cross Frog. We only saw this single animal in an area of red sand near Windorah.
One afternoon, we drove back to the pools to see what else might be around. We found and followed this huge Yellow-spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes) for awhile. It seemed to be hunting around the edge of the water. We saw it stop and sniff at the ground but never actually saw it catch anything.
The monitor allowed us to closely approach it. It looked a little annoyed but did not appear frightened at all. I suppose that it knew that it could rip us to shreds with its claws if necessary.
We visited Cooper's Creek a few times.
... Australian Pelicans, Royal Spoonbills, Little Black Cormorants:
Water in this creek is permanent and there were many turtles although they were almost impossible to photograph. This was the only shot that I could take, a dead Cooper's Creek Turtle (Emydura macquarii emmotti).
Regards,
David
