Wildlife Seen on Your Last Walk?

[rcaffin]

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Yet another goanna.
Have to be sorry for the poor guy. There was a sulphur crested cockatoo above his head threatening to rip his head off (very very loud!), and a large brush turkey wandering around the base of the tree eyeing off his tail.
He lived, but the birds do NOT like them. (They raid nests.)

Cheers
Roger

[Heremeahappy1]

Nice Sambar stag heading up the back of Mt Stirling and too many browns and copperheads along the Howqua. Heard there's some ancient marine fossils on Howitt, similar to those found in Antarctica.
Luke

[north-north-west]

At least the snakes are native, which is more than can be said about ferals like deer.

[L_Cham_67]

Went and visited the Abercrombie Caves in NSW the other day, and spotted plenty of wildlife.

[Aushiker]

Does bikepacking count?


Blue-tongue lizard [skink] by Andrew Priest (Aushiker), on Flickr

[rcaffin]

Someone has been dumping garden mulch on our nature strip. Most annoying.
Today we found out who was doing it.

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He is stripping stuff from under our trees and kicking it across the road.

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It ends up here, in our neighbour's garden.

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Same brush turkey as was hassling the goanna (previous posting) I think.

Cheers
Roger

[Heremeahappy1]

At least the snakes are native, which is more than can be said about ferals like deer.

Unsure what this comment adds to the the discussion, I'm certain all members understand deer aren't native. I'm also not native, although not quite as feral.

[stepbystep]

Had a beaut demonstration in aeronautics over the Erskine Range the other day. 2 sea eagles sparring. Also saw platypus on the Crossing and Davey Rivers, wedgies, albatross, OBP's, wombats and 5 seperate Ground Parrot sightings. Awesome Cpl weeks in the SW.

[neilmny]

Not my last walk but following the gliding birds theme.
On Mt Stirling South Peak and saw about 5 Nankeen Kestrels.
It was a magnificent sight. they seemed to be taking insects out of the air in flight.

[north-north-west]

At least the snakes are native, which is more than can be said about ferals like deer.

Unsure what this comment adds to the the discussion, I'm certain all members understand deer aren't native. I'm also not native, although not quite as feral.

It's one of my major bugbears; I really can't stand invasive ferals being referred to as 'wildlife". 'Wildlife' should be limited to native species. IMO.

[Heremeahappy1]

At least the snakes are native, which is more than can be said about ferals like deer.

Unsure what this comment adds to the the discussion, I'm certain all members understand deer aren't native. I'm also not native, although not quite as feral.

It's one of my major bugbears; I really can't stand invasive ferals being referred to as 'wildlife". 'Wildlife' should be limited to native species. IMO.

Fair enough I can respect that opinion NNW. Although I've witnessed much more damage from another invasive, non-native species. Regularly. Sambar are like ghosts, many people have never laid eyes on them. Seeing a stag in the predawn light, overlooking the spectacular Vic alps, for me is amazing. I'll skip my bugbears.

[Luc-Porter]

Christmas Day walk along Cowan Creek.
The Ray was a first for me.

[taswegian]

What's the snake?
Interesting markings.

[Neo]

A young python looking for a feed perhaps?

[ofuros]

Maybe a Diamond Python...

[ofuros]

Denham Falls Reserve, Qld.

Lethargic lounging lizards...
Unusual banded colouring on the 1st pic.
After a little googling, Water Dragons are supposed to be able to change their skin colour to blend in with their surrounds.

[north-north-west]

After a little googling, Water Dragons are supposed to be able to change their skin colour to blend in with their surrounds.

Didn't know reptiles had evolved sufficiently to use the internet.
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

[Tortoise]

No pics, but thrilled with a wedge-tail or two soaring above me on every recent peak.

[ofuros]

After a little googling, Water Dragons are supposed to be able to change their skin colour to blend in with their surrounds.

Didn't know reptiles had evolved sufficiently to use the internet.
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Slightly larger dragon this morning recovering from last nights new years party...
and a cure for a everyones hung over head, a forest full of noisy razor grinder cicadas.

[Aushiker]

A lucky photo (for me) of a Dromaius novaehollandiae (Emu) on the Yaberoo Budjara Heritage Trail. I seem to only see them running across a track or road in front of me; rarely do I see them casually wondering up the trail.

[Lamont]

Are we still mentioning snakes? Stopped above Baw Baw by a beautiful Tiger on Wednesday. Yellow stripes glistening in the sun! Got within a metre and a half had to stop and wait for about 5 minutes while it kept sunning itself on the track.
It crawled off, but and lo and behold it, or it's doppelganger came back 20 minutes later!
Slithered as cooly as you like within a metre (until I saw it!) through a sunny patch while I ate my muesli and worked it's way slowly away over 4-5 minutes.
Never had a more alien breakfast, watching it move off slowly while I ate. Just magestical as Sam Neill would say.

[ofuros]

Longneck...Koreelah NP

[cajun]

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Saw 4 of these today with this one being the most photogenic, along with half a dozen lyre birds and what I am calling an olive python, on a day walk in the RNP.

The snake was about 6' long in the old money but really quite skinny for an animal that size, and didn't have a thickening around the head. It was sunning itself on the side of the track and rapidly made it's way to shelter in a crevasse of an overhang. In fact I saw it's head first and was expecting something no bigger that 3' or smaller. I was very surprised at it's length.

EDIT - further research suggests an Eastern Brown, however, most brown snakes I have seen are much thicker through the body. I haven't seen an olive coloured one although I know they do vary a lot in colouration. Python / Brown - definitely don't want to get them mixed up!



Cheers
Ken

[Hughmac]

Tiger snake hogging the track on Yellow Pup. Needless to say it got right of way.
Goanna 'hiding' on Roots Ridge.
Very relaxed black snake sharing our lunch break on the Nattai. Wasn't two feet from one of my companions, and hardly batted an eyelid.

[Neo]

Nine satin bower birds together! Two satin, one of which was showing off in the bushes, the others ladies or juveniles.
Crosslands Reserve carpark. I wasn't walking but it's along the GNW. They were just hanging out on the grass pecking some afternoon tea.

[ofuros]

1st & probably the last I'll ever see...a Bennett's Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus bennettianus) @ Cedar bay NP.

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[Trundlers]

Spotted pardalote. It had a good look at us before flitting off into the bush. Didn't get a photo.

[Aardvark]

I'm a stick

Checkin us out

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Caught in the act

Mt.Haldon to Rocky Pk, Gatton shire, Southeast Queensland

[peregrinator]

Diamond Python, Croajingolong NP, East Gippsland

Diamond Python, Morelia spilota spilota, October 2018. Approximate length two metres. Moved slowly off the track. I acted too slowly to get a shot of the full body.

According to Coventry & Robertson, The snakes of Victoria (1991), this is a nocturnal snake that locates "small to medium-sized, warm-blooded vertebrates" using "heat-sensory pits on the lips. The prey is then overcome by constriction. Eggs, approximately 10 to 30 per clutch, are laid in a cluster and brooded by the female. This is the only form of direct parental care exhibited by any Victorian snake." This species "is restricted to the coastal heaths of far East Gippsland."

[ofuros]

Lazing in his early morning sunny spot & didn't want to move...crept to within 1.5m & he stayed put.
I circled around & carried on...section-hiking the Gold Coast Hinterland walk.