Yesterday was a beautiful spring day(25 degrees) and I went for a stroll along the Yarra to see if anything was out and about. Spent a couple of hours there between 11am and 1pm. I have put up previous posts of Tigers along the Yarra but continue to go there and will keep adding from time to time. The area along the river is well used by cyclists, walkers and owners with their dogs.
Its not a place where I go looking for things under cover; more just a quiet walk around trying to look in the right sorts of places.
Just a couple of minutes from the carpark I found this Tiger Snake basking on top of some grass tussocks.First snake I have seen this spring, not that I get out much! I didn't see him until I was right next to it but it didn't seem too alarmed and allowed me to back up, unpack my camera and try for a couple of shots...unfortunately too much grass in the way. It sensed I was there and slowly moved toward me tasting the air....once it worked out what I was it gave a flick of its tail and was gone!
After that I kept the camera out all the time...though sometimes it gets a bit much with binoculars as well.
This is the type of habitat I saw it in...around overflow billabongs from the main river. Plenty of frogs calling so seems there was was no shortage of food around. This area also has lots of small wrens which I believe tigers like as well.
Just next to here a couple of dog owners were talking and asked me what I was up too....it does look pretty suss sneaking around the bush with a camera and binoculars! epecially if you are not looking skyward. One of them said he saw his first snake of the season there about a week earlier but during summer he sees them most afternoon on his runs. He keenly pulled back his shirt to reveal a tattoo which he insisted I photograph. He had no particular interest in snakes although had a friend with a Diamond Python. The older bloke he was chatting too told us a few snake stories...fortunately not the usual ones about being chased by tigers.....for a change he said he had come across hundreds of snakes in his trout fishing days and never had a problem with them...they were always keen to move away.
James' tattoo
Further along just off the side of a little bridge I glimpsed a beautiful tiger lying out in the sun. As soon as I saw it it moved quickly off into some tussocks. After waiting around 10 minutes it briefly reappeared on the other side but this was the only shot I could get. Seems to be quite a variety of colours in this place but this would we one of the nicest I have seen.
A little later I ventured back to near where I saw the first animal and saw this one prowling slowly through the grass. It may have been the same snake I saw initially.
I finally got a good look at one out in the sun on a path but it wasn't overly cooperative and I only got a couple of pics.
Apart from the snakes a few small skinks were active but didn't see anything else. Look forward to more warm weekends and strolls amongst the tigers. We are pretty lucky to have wildlife like this within suburbia.
cheers
Greg
Its not a place where I go looking for things under cover; more just a quiet walk around trying to look in the right sorts of places.
Just a couple of minutes from the carpark I found this Tiger Snake basking on top of some grass tussocks.First snake I have seen this spring, not that I get out much! I didn't see him until I was right next to it but it didn't seem too alarmed and allowed me to back up, unpack my camera and try for a couple of shots...unfortunately too much grass in the way. It sensed I was there and slowly moved toward me tasting the air....once it worked out what I was it gave a flick of its tail and was gone!
After that I kept the camera out all the time...though sometimes it gets a bit much with binoculars as well.
This is the type of habitat I saw it in...around overflow billabongs from the main river. Plenty of frogs calling so seems there was was no shortage of food around. This area also has lots of small wrens which I believe tigers like as well.
Just next to here a couple of dog owners were talking and asked me what I was up too....it does look pretty suss sneaking around the bush with a camera and binoculars! epecially if you are not looking skyward. One of them said he saw his first snake of the season there about a week earlier but during summer he sees them most afternoon on his runs. He keenly pulled back his shirt to reveal a tattoo which he insisted I photograph. He had no particular interest in snakes although had a friend with a Diamond Python. The older bloke he was chatting too told us a few snake stories...fortunately not the usual ones about being chased by tigers.....for a change he said he had come across hundreds of snakes in his trout fishing days and never had a problem with them...they were always keen to move away.
James' tattoo
Further along just off the side of a little bridge I glimpsed a beautiful tiger lying out in the sun. As soon as I saw it it moved quickly off into some tussocks. After waiting around 10 minutes it briefly reappeared on the other side but this was the only shot I could get. Seems to be quite a variety of colours in this place but this would we one of the nicest I have seen.
A little later I ventured back to near where I saw the first animal and saw this one prowling slowly through the grass. It may have been the same snake I saw initially.
I finally got a good look at one out in the sun on a path but it wasn't overly cooperative and I only got a couple of pics.
Apart from the snakes a few small skinks were active but didn't see anything else. Look forward to more warm weekends and strolls amongst the tigers. We are pretty lucky to have wildlife like this within suburbia.
cheers
Greg
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