Wildlife Seen on Your Last Walk?

[corvus]

Echidna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Breeding season begins in late June and extends through September. Males will form lines up to ten individuals long thatEchidnas and the platypus are the only egg-laying mammals, known as monotremes. The female lays a single soft-shelled, leathery egg 22 days after mating, and deposits it directly into her pouch. Hatching takes place after 10 days; the young echidna then sucks milk from the pores of the two milk patches (monotremes have no nipples) and remains in the pouch for 45 to 55 days,[6] at which time it starts to develop spines. The mother digs a nursery burrow and deposits the young, returning every five days to suckle it until it is weaned at seven months.
The neocortex makes up half of the echidna's brain,[7] compared to 80% of a human brain.[8][9] Due to their low metabolism and accompanying stress resistance, echidnas are long-lived for their size; the longest recorded lifespan for a captive echidna is 50 years, with anecdotal accounts of wild individuals reaching 45 years.[10] Contrary to previous research, the echidna does enter REM sleep, but only when the ambient temperature is around 25°C (77°F). At temperatures of 15°C (59°F) and 28°C (~82°F), REM sleep is suppressed.[11]
Male echidnas have non-venomous spurs on the hind feet.[12] follow the female and attempt to mate. Two weeks after mating, a single fertilized egg is implanted in a rear-facing pouch ... The young echidna, called a puggle, is then held in the pouch for two to three ...
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[Zone-5]

Black Cockatoos and Echidnas in hills walking tracks above Adelaide.

[GPSGuided]

Cicadas have been going crazy on my two recent walks just north of Sydney. Deafening in sections along with lots of larvae shells on trees and rocks.

[Shorty]

I agree with GPSGuided, the Cicadas are deafeningly loud lately, they were absolutely rife in Myall Lakes. Other than that, being a new bushwalker I was pretty happy to see a wonderfully blue Kingfisher in Myall Lakes swiping a Goanna whenever it started sniffing around a particular tree - I assume to protect a nest.

[Clusterpod]

At the Koetong Creek trail this morning, they are almost unbearably loud. My ears are actually ringing!

[Giddy_up]

Gee that brings back my childhood, summer spent chasing and catching cicadas. I would have said its a "brown baker". Other variations in colour would be the "green grocer" which is green or the "black prince" which is obviously black. There was also a small version, less than half the size of the above and very elusive which we called a "squeaker".

Thanks for the share....and a great pic.

[ofuros]

My ears are actually ringing!

Just before dusk last night @ Spicers Peak, when the cicadas symphony was in full song, my ears were resonating so much it hurt.
Had to dampen the effect with a couple of wads of toilet paper in my ears.

Nice shot by the way, clusterpod.

[Clusterpod]

Thanks Its been really interesting contrasting the various species as we move across the country. I've built up a huge library of invertebrate photos, and we are only half way through our trip!

This cicada was at Joker's Rest campsite, on Big River, north of Omeo. Nice spot to overnight, free campsite on the river.

[headwerkn]

We only had to walk to the back door to see this guy (eventually plucked out from our bathroom)...

1521732_10152522444852542_569267240_n.jpg (119.07 KiB) Viewed 176076 times

Girlfriend was not impressed. Damaged dog door has since been replaced.

Gotta love living in the country in the middle of summer...

Cheers, Ben.

[corvus]

Healthy looking beast there heard on the Radio today that leaving shallow dishes of water away from your yard will help to keep them at yards length .
The Copperhead we had in our suburban back yard last summer had access to a pond in my neighbors yard so did not need water just feeding on Skinks which we have plenty of.
corvus

[headwerkn]

Yes, in excellent condition - very light coloration too. We often see snakes on the property - well away from the house though, usually - and they've always been really black.

You definitely need to be mindful of where you leave water around the house. We have - or rather, had - a small kiddy pool set up on the deck for our dogs to keep cool in during the recent hot weather.... it appears that it has attracted this guy up to the house, who then decided to slip inside to get out of the heat.

Fortunately my girlfriend spotted him before our dogs - two very aged Jack Russells - saw him and could lock them away. Both are mad-keen hunters when it comes to our garden's skink population and they wouldn't have been able to help themselves. I doubt either have the speed to get the better of a snake either - doesn't bear thinking about.

The snake itself was pretty lucky as he managed to hang around our spare fridge, freezer and vacuum cleaners - had he not been around expensive things, my better half would have dealt with him in, um, shall we say more "country-esque" ways.

Cheers, Ben.

[photohiker]

Did my usual walk this morning dragging one of the family with me.

Walking up a north facing rocky path on the hills face when a good sized brown snake shot off from the path above us disappearing into some bushes off to one side. Would have been a metre in front of me when it decided to part company. eek.

I'm guessing it was a brown. Very light and even coloured beige-light green. I didn't notice it's eyes which are usually prominent in brown snakes but I'm not going back to check!

[WarrenH]

I guess this qualifies as a walk? I scooted on my treadly down to the 'bidgee yesterday ... and then carried m'bike (back) up hill ... at Woodstock Nature Reserve in the NW of the ACT.

Roos in the foreground ... when scooting down,




... finding a Green Budgee' sunning on the washed river sands of the 'bidgee was a treat that I didn't expect. Yellow with smokey grey feathers = a Green Budgee' on the 'bidgeee.




Fading light in the Valley of the Murrumbidgee River ... from above Woodstock.




Warren.

[WarrenH]

This little bloke, tried to stare-down my Anthem's bar end. My beautiful girl didn't flinch, not once ... on the new Centenary Trail in the NW of the ACT.



Again, on the Centenary Trail, between Hall and Mulligans Flat ... I moved several Shingle-backed Blue Tongues, off the trail.




... and Roos, on the Bicentennial National Trail at Hogans Flat beside Mares Forest in the Southern Blue Mountains.




It was very cool camping at Hogans Flat ... in fact it was freezing, -10°C.






Warren.

[Mark F]

On Thursday, descending from Mt Townsend towards Abbott Peak we watched a small hawk bring down a smaller bird in flight only 10 metres in front of us.

[north-north-west]

Not exactly a walk, but I had a seal during this morning's paddle. Just floating there in the low swell and light chop, flippers raised, not a care in the world . . .

Lot of snakes this summer. Had a tiger on every walk, mostly big, dark buggers - though none of them feeling at all obstreperous. Pademelons, echidnas, heaps of skinks, but the highlight was the walk before last when the biggest, fattest quoll I've ever seen sauntered across the track no more than 50 m from the carpark. Scarpered as soon as I reached for the camera, of course, but still such a thrill. They're fascinating critters. )

[Graham51]

I was at Lake Sydney (Tas) the other day and got up early to take some pictures. I heard a wallaby hopping about in the bushes and then he came out into the open for a few seconds. Soon after that a large quoll which seemed to be in pursuit. I had always assumed quolls eat carrion but now I'm not so sure. What are other people's experiences or what do you know about this?

[whynotwalk]

Interesting find Graham, and yes, quolls, both spotted-tailed and eastern, will hunt live prey. All the larger dasyurids (that includes Tassie devils) hunt as well as scavenge. I guess the key as to whether "your" quoll was hunting - or just spooking - that wallaby, comes down to size. It's pretty unlikely a quoll would run down and overpower a healthy Bennetts wallaby. An unwary pademelon or potoroo might be another matter.

And (keep it quiet!) ... isn't Lake Sydney an amazing place!

cheers

Peter

[north-north-west]

Oh, and I forgot the small mob of Swift Parrots down on the Tasman Coast Track a few days back. First sighting for me . . . )

[north-north-west]

Do insects count? On one of my recent new summits I had half a dozen Macleay's Swallowtails doing a mating dance around me. Magical.

[norts]

This little fellow was at Lion Rock camp ground, he liked 7 day old jocks and a thermal top.
Roger

[Onestepmore]

On Friday I walked along Little River through the blue gums in the Nattai NP. Cicadas were deafening.
Not much wildlife about - too hot I think, I cut my walk short as it was just baking on the fire trail in the sunny sections - it was 37 deg when i got back to the car.
Saw only one red bellied black snake, a couple of goannas (I heard some smaller lizards but didn't see them), an echidna and some fantastic yellow tailed black cockatoos.

I think all the wildlife is just holed up, waiting for some cooler weather. The previous Saturday night when hubby and I camped near Thirlmere Lakes we only heard one possum and some foxes yipping (as well as cicadas and frogs). Didn't see any wildlife on our short walk, nor all the evening or the next morning.

I went for a kayak on Sunday morning on the Nepan (was 38 that day when I got home). Only a few lizards, but on the far side of a swimming hole, near the bank, I saw a huge bright gold koi carp lazily swimming around. 40 - 50 cm long is my estimate. I know he's introduced, but he was beautiful.

[north-north-west]

And coming back from the beach this morning there was a Potoroo out and about, which ducked into the shrubbery when it saw me. Thought at first it was a Bandicoot, but this thing definitely hopped with the front paws up. Yet they're supposed to be nocturnal . . .

[whynotwalk]

I saw this little guy last Saturday in a creek just 2km out of the centre of Hobart He was there again this morning, in plain sight, thrilling a young mum and her boy (and me, again!) The creek - officially a rivulet - runs beside a frequently used pedestrian/cycle track that leads to the city. Minutes before we had seen a strangely-coloured tiger snake beside the track. It's amazing what's out there when you start looking.

I've written more about it in my blog here http://www.naturescribe.com/2014/03/the-urban-platypus.html

cheers

Peter

[Clusterpod]

I'm new to Hobart and live just a few blocks away from the start of that track. Such a nice "inner city" escape.

Haven't managed to see the platypus yet!

[north-north-west]

And coming back from the beach this morning there was a Potoroo out and about, which ducked into the shrubbery when it saw me. Thought at first it was a Bandicoot, but this thing definitely hopped with the front paws up. Yet they're supposed to be nocturnal . . .

Again on Monday, 10:30 on a bright sunny morning, a Potoroo quietly meandering through the grass on the side of the road. I think that 'nocturnal' thing needs a bit of re-investigation . . .

[Nuts]

Saw this Raven:

Iv'e noticed they often work in pairs, a lookout and point. A lone other swept up from Fury Gorge heading east, the point guard dropped the apple core (someone had left) and they both heckled the third over Mt Emmett and beyond.. Meanwhile a fourth came up from the gorge landed on the same post, spied and grabbed the core in a flurry and back down into the gorge- haha.. tricky!

[johnnymacfnq]

Driving into Cairns today saw a big saltie swimming down the Barron river.

[Nuts]

Iv'e not been further north than Airlie, enough things were biting us even by there!

This one's a bit different:

For the friends of Kitchen Hut Quolls, should be happy to know that they were confused for some time, camping out in the rocks surrounding, but they survived!
Now seem to have breached the outer wall (can hear them moving about in there). I don't think they're inside yet judging by the loose food scraps lying around.

[MickyB]

Saw this this lyrebird in it's nest yesterday in Mt Worth State Park. It scared the bejesus out of me when I walked past it. It squawked so loud it sounded like an alarm going off. Not what I was expecting when I was by myself in the middle of nowhere. Sorry about the poor quality photo. I didn't want to disturb the bird anymore than I already had.