moloch05
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This post includes photos from a couple of sites that I visited this weekend near Wollongong. Yesterday, I spent the morning at Carrington Falls (40 minute drive) and today, I spent a couple of hours at Dharawal (20 minute drive). Also included are a few shots from last weekend in the hills near Wollongong.
CARRINGTON FALLS AREA
Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) -- I was really excited to find this snake. It is a species that I rarely see on the coast. It was wary but it would re-emerge from its crevice if I remained motionless. The first shot was from a ledge a couple of meters above the snake. The snake's small hood was spread but I don't believe that it had seen me. I think that it had to do with warming up in the early morning sun. It was interesting but an adult Eastern Water Skink sunned only a meter from the snake. The reptiles ignored each other which I thought was surprising. Does anyone know if Tiger Snakes eat lizards?
Eastern Water Skinks (Eulamprus quoyii) -- always beautiful skinks and a pleasure to photograph. Sometimes, they can be very coorperative and don't budge even when the lens is only a few cms away.
... juvenile
I only saw 1 Black Rock Skink (Egernia saxatilis) -- I only saw one and was only able to take this single photo:
There are many interesting flowers out at the moment. My favourite was the well named Large Duck Orchid (Caleana major):
... the plants are small and insignificant so easily overlooked when not flowering:
Family Epacridaceae (Australian Heaths) was well represented. Many members of this family have interesting foliage and large clusters of flowers in the spring.
Dracophyllum secundum with a small scorpion fly:
a nice, pink flowered Epacris:
a perennial sundew (Drosera sp.):
a Grevillea, a member of the protea family:
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo:
WOLLONGONG HILLS
This Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) was sheltering beneath a sheet of tin. I was able to take a couple of quick pics before it shot away.
Eastern Small-eyed Snake (Cryptophis nigrescens) -- this is the most common species of snake near Wollongong. I found most in pairs beneath sheets of tin or planks of wood.
Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko (Phyllurus platurus).
This was the first time that I have seen one of these geckos on a tree rather than sandstone. This one with its original tail was inside a hollow tree that had been burned:
... one with a regenerated tail:
... perfect tail of a juvenile:
... I looked up while I walked along and saw that I was being watched:
... the first baby that I have ever seen. It was tiny:
DHARAWAL AREA
The heath at Dharawal is beautiful at the moment with so many plants in flower. Here are a few shots of the floral display:
Waratah:
Sun Orchid. It looks much like a Spotted Sun Orchid (Thelymitra ixioides) but it did not have spots so I am not certain of the identity.
Various peas:
Large Wedge Pea (Gompholobium grandiflorum) -- very large flowers and a spectacular shrub:
... drumsticks, grevilleas, boronias and others:
I think that these gorgeous flowers are Native Rose (Boronia serrulata):
... I think that the white flowers are Calytrix:
One of two species of sundews that I saw along the creek:
Although it was hot today, I did not find many herps. Here was one of the few that I photographed, a Mountain Heath Dragon (Rankinia diemensis) in its nuptial colours:
Regards,
David
CARRINGTON FALLS AREA
Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) -- I was really excited to find this snake. It is a species that I rarely see on the coast. It was wary but it would re-emerge from its crevice if I remained motionless. The first shot was from a ledge a couple of meters above the snake. The snake's small hood was spread but I don't believe that it had seen me. I think that it had to do with warming up in the early morning sun. It was interesting but an adult Eastern Water Skink sunned only a meter from the snake. The reptiles ignored each other which I thought was surprising. Does anyone know if Tiger Snakes eat lizards?
Eastern Water Skinks (Eulamprus quoyii) -- always beautiful skinks and a pleasure to photograph. Sometimes, they can be very coorperative and don't budge even when the lens is only a few cms away.
... juvenile
I only saw 1 Black Rock Skink (Egernia saxatilis) -- I only saw one and was only able to take this single photo:
There are many interesting flowers out at the moment. My favourite was the well named Large Duck Orchid (Caleana major):
... the plants are small and insignificant so easily overlooked when not flowering:
Family Epacridaceae (Australian Heaths) was well represented. Many members of this family have interesting foliage and large clusters of flowers in the spring.
Dracophyllum secundum with a small scorpion fly:
a nice, pink flowered Epacris:
a perennial sundew (Drosera sp.):
a Grevillea, a member of the protea family:
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo:
WOLLONGONG HILLS
This Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) was sheltering beneath a sheet of tin. I was able to take a couple of quick pics before it shot away.
Eastern Small-eyed Snake (Cryptophis nigrescens) -- this is the most common species of snake near Wollongong. I found most in pairs beneath sheets of tin or planks of wood.
Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko (Phyllurus platurus).
This was the first time that I have seen one of these geckos on a tree rather than sandstone. This one with its original tail was inside a hollow tree that had been burned:
... one with a regenerated tail:
... perfect tail of a juvenile:
... I looked up while I walked along and saw that I was being watched:
... the first baby that I have ever seen. It was tiny:
DHARAWAL AREA
The heath at Dharawal is beautiful at the moment with so many plants in flower. Here are a few shots of the floral display:
Waratah:
Sun Orchid. It looks much like a Spotted Sun Orchid (Thelymitra ixioides) but it did not have spots so I am not certain of the identity.
Various peas:
Large Wedge Pea (Gompholobium grandiflorum) -- very large flowers and a spectacular shrub:
... drumsticks, grevilleas, boronias and others:
I think that these gorgeous flowers are Native Rose (Boronia serrulata):
... I think that the white flowers are Calytrix:
One of two species of sundews that I saw along the creek:
Although it was hot today, I did not find many herps. Here was one of the few that I photographed, a Mountain Heath Dragon (Rankinia diemensis) in its nuptial colours:
Regards,
David
