Category Archives: Animals on land

Red-legged pademelon

Posted on Wednesday, 12 April 2017 by

We see red-necked pademelons (Thylogale thetis), usually alone but sometimes two or three together, in our backyard in early morning and twilight. They are very shy and bolt at the slightest disturbance. The joeys are tiny and very cute. Up … Continue reading →

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The peregrinating spider

Posted on Friday, 3 March 2017 by

Prue and I went to Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens, whose trees and shrubs have grown tremendously since I first went there. While sauntering along its mossy paths, a movement caught my eye. It was a very fast-moving, colourful little spider. … Continue reading →

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Tiny treasures: the invertebrates

Posted on Sunday, 18 September 2016 by

Some of the many enjoyable activities on the Hinterland Bush Links course involved the invertebrates of the subtropical rainforest. Our fearless leader was the enthusiastic Michelle Gleeson (of Bugs Ed and author of Miniature Lives).           … Continue reading →

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Lichen larva

Posted on Tuesday, 26 July 2016 by

Here’s another photo from deepest, darkest Ashby, near Maclean. Peter asked me to ID this strange leafy thing (all the photos of the lichen monster below are Peter’s). I initially thought it might be some sort of lichen fruiting body, … Continue reading →

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Blistered grasshopper

Posted on Wednesday, 6 July 2016 by

Field ecologist Liam Bolitho has been walking the Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory and gave me this photo of the stunning blistered grasshopper (Monistria pustulifera), also known as the inland painted grasshopper or blistered pygromorph. It’s gorgeous! The Atlas … Continue reading →

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A jewel of the forest

Posted on Sunday, 3 July 2016 by

We were fortunate to come across a noisy pitta (Pitta versicolor) in the Lennox Head headland littoral rainforest recently. We heard something foraging among the leaves and at first thought the sound was of a brush turkey scratching in the … Continue reading →

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Carpet python eggs

Posted on Sunday, 26 June 2016 by

Friend Peter send me these photos of the eggs of a carpet python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) on his property at Ashby. The mother was wrapped around the bundle until his dog disturbed it. Note how soft the egg surface is. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals on land, Snakes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments