Focus on Nature

Predatory dog fights

2012-01-05T21:41:00.000+11:00

Below are the photos in relation to my Facebook post at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DBS-Young-Photography/206128072740954

I believe the action was between two nesting Whistling Kites and a Sea Eagle.

These series of shots document the fast paced aerial action that accompanied protection of

the Kites young and territory.

Things got wing to wing often and, at one time, the Sea Eagle crash landed on the river bank.

This photo shows all three birds involved.

The Kites had to be quick to avoid the talons of the Eagle.

This close up of one of the birds doing all the protecting is for ID purposes.

I believe it to be a Whistling Kite.

A spectacular display between predators.

A bird with attitude

2011-12-29T08:48:00.000+11:00

You should always have a lookout.

Thats what this Butcher Bird was up to while the scene was unfolding below.

Its mate was sitting with a young bird, on the dogs lead, feeding from the dog bowl.

What is amazing is that the dog was blissfully unaware of the happenings not more that three metres from it.

They even stripped the bone that was left from the Christmas roast.

Butcher Birds are very inquisitive and friendly, one of the adult pair being a bird that was first introduced to us when it was a chick itself.

We have now had four generations of birds introduce their young to us as a good spot for a quick feed.

Luna Eclipse Australia 2011

2011-12-12T10:21:00.000+11:00

Although total Luna eclipses are rather common, it is a little hard

to see two in one year unless you are willing to do a little travel.

Fortunately I was in Germany earlier this year during such an event

and even more fortunate to see one last weekend in Australia.

This weekend's event was nearly marred by cloud cover,

though It cleared enough to get the following shots.

These were taken over an hour as we progressed to full eclipse.

It then clouded over, though I was able to get some nice glimpses as

the moon moved back out of the shadow of the Earth.

The link to the earlier event in Germany is HERE.

SHAME

2011-12-09T13:28:00.001+11:00

A a nature photographer I have nothing more to say.

A picture says a thousand words.

This can speak for itself.

If you dont know what all the fuss is, its about time you found out and made a stand.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3385164.htm

My November Post

2011-11-30T09:57:00.002+11:00

Having been busy on a number of projects lately, I felt a little slack at not having posted more this month.
So, at the twelfth hour, a summing up of the most memorable photographic happenings of November would be the storms we have been getting.
These electrically violent events light up the sky, as you can see below.

Last night was no exception, with this shot one of a number taken from a storm that covered a distance from Bermagui to Bourke, following a low pressure system that crossed the entire state of NSW.

With fire bans in place from tomorrow, we enter into Summer with good spring growth drying that could provide fuel for fires started from storms such as this one- with other areas in Australia having had some bad brushfires recently, the precautionary advertisements have already begun.

Beneath the surface

2011-10-27T17:43:00.001+11:00

A trip to Wollongong afforded a visit to the Botanical Gardens for the kids to feed the ducks.

Though as the ducks chase the pieces of bread on the surface, the long forms of eels move beneath the scene.

Its a wonder more ducks dont disappear, with these guys measuring over 2 metres length.

They were very inquisitive and interested in the camera, showing no fear as they fought for bread around my extended arm.

I managed to get one to raise itself some 300mm above the surface to take a piece of bread from my hand.

All in all more fun feeding the eels.

Montague Island

2011-10-20T14:25:00.002+11:00

Yesterday I had the chance to get a tour of Montague Island and its surrounds.

Many thanks to my mate Grahame from Bermagui Eco Tours for the trip.

( you can contact him on grahame@headhuntercharters.com.au)

Montague Island is an interesting spot consisting of natural and historical heritage areas.

Below is a colony of Arctic Turns.

There are also many Fairy Penguins on the Island.

This one is returning to its nest in the evening.

These Seagulls are announcing the return of the Penguins and swarm the area above the water.

The Island has a large Seal colony, with much of the area surrounding the Island being part of a marine Park.

The Island also has very interesting Basalt and Granite outcropping, with the distribution of the Basalt on the Northern side and Granite to the South, with the Granite used to build a lighthouse in the late 1880's.

The following view is to the North from the lighthouse, with the Southern view unpublished due to the presence of significant Aboriginal heritage sites.

It is possible to stay on the Island - contact Narooma Tourism Association for further details.

Thanks to my mates from National Parks and Wildlife for making the stay so enjoyable.

Blog Action Day 2011

2011-10-16T11:25:00.001+11:00

This Blog Action Day is all about food.

This video was shot in 2007 and demonstrates that while much of the world goes hungry, much food goes to waste to maintain purchasing structures within large supermarket chains.

When the human factor becomes the priority in capitalism, and it is realised that you make more money in a stable world, perhaps this situation will change.

Apologies for the low resolution.

It was important that it loaded quickly, so you would see it entirety.

.......................................

Out on an excursion

2011-10-02T17:15:00.000+11:00

The Duck family was out on an excursion today at our place.
Charlie the Red Cattle Dog watched on as the matriarch of the posse led the group through our yard, showing all the good spots, then out through the fence and back for a swim.

Many water birds have well developed chicks, and are out showing them the ropes as they gain size and confidence.

Good rain this Spring

2011-10-01T00:12:00.000+10:00

Regular cold fronts over NSW have supplied steady rainfall so far this Spring.
This isolated storm system passed through a starry sky last night producing some phenomenal lightning strikes such as the one pictured below.

Early and sustained Spring rains have been responsible for many Summer bushfires, due to the accelerated undergrowth providing fuel that dries out over summer making a hot burn more likely.
These small individual events are highly charged with spectacular displays as they approach the coast ahead of the main front.

Spring has Sprung

2011-09-27T22:04:00.000+10:00

Although some nights are still a little cold, Spring has established itself at last with increased insect life - being a good sign that the trend will continue into summer.
The early arrivals have begun to make themselves more apparent, one of them the Stick Insect.
This specimen was around 30cm long.

It was great to get a good shot of the most unusual mouth structure of this insect - one that works like a pair of sideways angled snips as the creature trims away at the leaves

Tiny Orb Weaver Spiders have begun to appear, as have a variety of caterpillars.

Im looking forward to photographing them with the new equipment purchased this last winter, with the aim to reveal new insights into their construction and behaviour.

Morning Dive

2011-09-22T15:21:00.000+10:00

This morning was great for a dive, so I dragged out the wetsuit and braved the cold water so as to give the camera a run.
First off I came across a huge Octopus.
They are very curious and intelligent animals, and it was all I could do to keep the camera and keep a little distance from a creature that, once it latched on to you, would be very hard to remove.
Octopus have a "beak" much like a parrot and can remove a large chunk of skin when they are as large as this one was.
Amongst the sea grasses and in rock crevasses are, at the moment, Lobsters.
The water is still very cool and soon, as the water warms, they will leave the coast for their long walk to the continental shelf where they will stay till next winter.
This lobster in this footage was unlucky enough to be large enough to keep, and will make a nice dinner.

Hopefully the seas stay flat and I can shoot some more footage soon...hopefully of more Lobsters.

Echidna and Hitch-hiker

2011-08-28T19:00:00.000+10:00

Things have warmed up enough for Echidna to begin getting about.
As this guy made a dash to ground I was able to snap a shot or two, be it with the wide angle lens I had attached at the time - not really up to the task for this sort of work, and noticed a couple of hitch-hikers.

Now you may ask what sort of incredibly game critter would hitch on the back of an Echidna, well a rather small and potentially dangerous one - the Blue Paralysis Tick.

While probably not too much hassle to the Echidna, for humans its a whole different story.
These little-fingernail sized ticks have been known to kill many a domestic pet and cause illness in humans.
Im not sure if anyone has died from these ticks, though I wouldn't doubt it was possible.
Just another sign that Spring is just about here and that the critters are awakening.

White Sea Eagle chicks

2011-08-15T15:58:00.001+10:00

A stand of dead trees with a view has been the hangout of a couple of White Sea Eagle chicks from last breeding season.

Still covered in their brown plumage, these adolescent birds have been combing the area for small rodents in the surrounding fields.

With nesting already begun this year for adult birds, the numbers of these great hunters have increased in this area due to a plentiful food supply ranging from small rodents to full grown Fairy Penguin.

My cheeky friend

2011-08-01T14:36:00.001+10:00

It only takes a little kindness to make a friend.

Sometimes that friend can take things for granted.

Its always ok when your somewhat cheeky friend is a butcher Bird.

While I'm not into feeding masses of birds - its not good practice, for it provides an unstable food source that, if discontinued, can cause all sorts of problems - I make exception for this guy.

The Butcher Bird is a member of the Kingfisher family and will readily make itself part of your family, given enough encouragement which, by the way, is very little.

After returning from fishing with my hard earned catch, this guy promptly tried to snatch a fish more than twice his size as I was cleaning them.

The photo below shows him demonstrating that he can indeed catch his own meal.

A point he made when I was a little slow in providing food for him.

You will notice the colouration of yellows and blues under his wings and on his body.

This is not readily evident, though can be seen with correct lighting (and luck).

Yes, a not exactly patient, though worthwhile, friend to make..

Are Koalas the issue?

2011-07-18T11:34:00.007+10:00

South Eastern forests have been subject to logging and their fair share of protesters over the last few weeks.

This is nothing new, due to the nice stands of spotted gum located in state forest areas down this way.

The protesters main thrust against this logging is that habitat for koala is being lost.

Forestry workers I talked to today stated that they had done extensive surveying of the area and have found none, though protesters state that these areas are, in the least, safe areas for migration during times of drought, fire or other environmental factors that would drive them from established, and universally recognised, areas of habitation.

Now, here's the real spanner in the works..both groups are missing the big picture. yep.

At another time the logging was on, in a slightly different area,
I was able to observe what actually happens in there.

Yes, someone removed some signs on a track...you know, the ones that say things similar to :
" do not enter under pain of death".

I wish they hadn't. I don't like to be where I'm not supposed to be,
also I had real difficulty getting out in my 4X4.

So, what did I see that Im not supposed to?

Well, the track was churned up to over 300mm of fine dust, as was the surrounding "forest"
and, at points, was much worse than that.

No plant was to be seen at ground level and the few trees left were scarred by machinery,
weak and small and very well spaced apart.

Ok, so now we get to the main reason, in my mind, why this action should halt.

It has nothing to do with the senseless rape of the forest, or furry koalas going hungry...its about erosion.

Its about cubic tonnes of topsoil running into creeks that lead to lakes...many with protected areas of habitat.

Last time this logging went on we had large amounts of rain soon after,
and soon after that I went fishing in Wallaga Lake.

I didn't catch any fish...probably because of the extensive amount of fine particulate saturating the water that, strangely enough, was the same colour as the soil I'd seen on that unplanned drive through devastation some weeks earlier. I suppose the floating grass and plant debris was the clincher.

Here's the latest "Pain of death" sign.

Yep, When advised of course I'll stay out :)

And here is where its going on at the moment, upstream from Wallaga Lake.

This picture ,below, is a protected habitat and an upper arm of Wallaga Lake.

It is also downstream of current logging operations.

...and an ok place to be ( at the moment anyway).

Yes, since I have lived in this area Wallaga lake has silted up... quite a bit over the last 4 years .

Koalas or not, the big picture is much bigger than you knew.

The logging IS upstream of Wallaga Lake.

Much more is at risk.
If destruction of environment and protected habitats disturbs you, you can email the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Mr Tony Burke at:
tony.burke@environment.gov.au
If you live in another part of the world, I'm sure Mr Burke would still like to hear from you.
You never know, you might want to visit our still beautiful and diverse part of it one day.

A glimpse of a European summer

2011-07-06T21:53:00.002+10:00

While in Germany this visit, I did not have much opportunity to get a lot of nature shots.

My lens was turned towards architecture and landscape this time.

You can see the results of that endeavour on my Facebook site.

(There is a link on the left hand side of this post)

I did glimpse a moment or two, such as these pictured below.

Firstly, a large land snail laying its eggs.

At just under 50mm across the shell, its eggs were just under pea sized objects.

Then there was this strange critter.

I am yet to identify it, though I saw empty shells left behind once it had metamorphosed.

Into what, I'm yet to determine also.

This was a little easier to ID.

It is, of course, a hedgehog.

Sadly I wasn't able to photograph a family, which makes a rather cute photo I'm told.

I was able to capture this Hover Fly laying eggs though.

As well as these snails in the act of hermaphroditic reproduction

I was amazed at the number and range of small insects I had never encountered before.

So much so, I would like to thank Bridget and Ralph for he identification book they gave me.

Still looking for this one.

This is definitely an ant.

I was not aware that Hover Flies eat pollen, though they do.

Some things are constant though, such as the beetle attacks experienced over the summer months.

Just before dark, for about half an hour, masses of small beetles crowd the air.

They gather in ever growing clusters until the mass of the group is too much and they fall to the ground, only to resume this behaviour again.

Soon they are gone for the night, around the time bats come out and begin the hunt for them.

A most interesting spectacle indeed.

Luna Eclipse from Germany

2011-06-21T16:22:00.000+10:00

Its been hard to keep posts going while away on holidays, with this being the only one for this month.

Through the clouds I was able to get a few shots of the recent luna eclipse as it was viewed in Germany.

Dubbed as the longest in quite a while (some 2 hours), I was able to get the moon's return as it rose above the horizon.

Within an hour, the moon was back to full

Although shots were hampered by the clouds, the event was spectacular to observe.

Sea Eagle

2011-05-15T17:12:00.001+10:00

Although winter is fast approaching, the plovers are still enforcing air space rights around their designated areas.

This young Sea eagle strayed into one of these no go zones and was promptly buzzed.

Not unduly fussed by the attention, the Eagle still moved from the annoyance to quieter hunting areas.

The surrounding fields are still alive with small rodents giving an abundant food source before winter sets in.

The seals of Narooma

2011-05-07T20:38:00.000+10:00

The Montague Island Marine Reserve has been quite a success.

So much so that the Seal population, also protected, has boomed.

Seals that have been kicked from the Island have made their home in Narooma Harbour entrance and laze within metres of passers bye.

As the following video will show, they are relaxed around humans.

Especially those who fish.

Fisherman complain of whole catches of "heads", the seals extracting the rest of the fish before it can be landed.

It remains to be seen if the eco system is in balance with seal numbers increasing and how much pressure this is placing on the marine reserve in general.

Time-lapse Stream

2011-04-25T11:34:00.007+10:00

As a nature photographer its often difficult to capture a new perspective on something that has been shot a thousand times before.

It is that new perspective that allows new insights.

Such is the video I have posted below.

Although time lapse photography and extended exposures are nothing new, It is the melding of these techniques in new ways that allow the of viewing nature in a whole new way.

This, I believe, I have accomplished here for the first time for the classic waterfall shot.

I hope you enjoy this piece of footage and the new perspective it affords.

Colony

2011-04-20T18:12:00.000+10:00

I was able to photograph an insect exodus, as a number of winged queen ants and their followers made for new territory the other day.

Sporting a new macro attachment, I took the following shots of these insanely small subjects.

Notice the winged worker, behind the queen, in the above shot.

Strangely enough there were very few, though I saw four winged queen ants.

The whole process of the departure was quite insistent, as the non winged ants coaxed those leaving with mandibles gently nipping .

The whole nest seemed to be out for the occasion, the ground alive with these small black ants.

Trip to Mimosa Rocks

2011-04-18T14:21:00.004+10:00

A quick trip to Mimosa Rocks today was very rewarding, with a couple of great shots and the meeting of some very interesting people - from archivists and German tourists to lighting specialists.

I have included the following shot for my Lighting specialist friend :)
Following our discussion on Germany it is, of course, Berlin Hauptbahnhof.
I've included a link here for those who would like to know a little more about this fascinating building.

It seems that there has been some strange raising of the stones at Mimosa.

This I was able to capture, as seen below.

Yes, a little arty and mystical in black and white.

There were rings of such standing stones and constructions reminiscent of Easter Island statues gazing out to sea..be it all miniature in comparison to the aforementioned.

With all the excitement, I was still able to get a nice little shot of some wildlife as well.

I believe them to be Scrub Wrens, the male in the foreground.

All in all a most interesting morning.

High speed action

2011-04-17T22:32:00.042+10:00

At breakneck speed the Welcome Swallows are collecting the last of the insects available before the oncoming cool weather.

Shooting at 1/6400 of a second at an ISO of 6400 is barely fast enough to catch the action as they dive from power lines towards a nearby dam to skim the surface.

Aerobatics a jet fighter pilot would envy, I found photographing the Welcome Swallow in action is quite a challenge.

Autumn Harvest

2011-04-16T11:33:00.000+10:00

With the onset of colder weather bird life of all sorts has been taking advantage of the still plentiful insect population.

When cutting the lawn the other day I was amazed how many wolf and grass spiders I disturbed.

This little guy was a little nervous of my macro.

Out in the surrounding fields the spider population is such that these Heron were catching a spider a minute in the long grass .

Mice are also plentiful and keep us busy blocking the ingress points they keep finding; my snake "mittens" driven insane by the scent trails that are painfully obvious to him in his pre winter feed mode.

Its all part of living in an area laden with wildlife though.

I'm looking forward to catching up again with naturalist Denis Wilson over the next week to study the local forest and should have some interesting posts on that distinctive environment to follow soon.

Extreme Sea Foam

2011-03-28T09:38:00.000+11:00

The East coast of Australia has had some severe storms of late.
This video shows the extent of the sea foam washed ashore.
Its maximum depth was a little over 2 meters and was positioned over sand on the beach above the waterline.

Its a strange sensation being encased in a sea of windblown foam, with an idea of what it would be like pictured below. Keep in mind that we are standing on dry beach. :)

Fellow nature lovers

2011-03-07T11:06:00.002+11:00

I would like to thank Jasmine Hall from onlineclasses.org for sending me some great links under the heading " 12 coolest TED talks for nature lovers".

The talks are well worth viewing and so I have decided to include them for your enjoyment.

Below is a sample of what the link has to offer.

The following video is from a talk on Bees by Dennis vanEngelsdorp and makes compelling viewing.

Stick Insect

2011-03-05T20:03:00.000+11:00

Today I was lucky enough to photograph a reasonably large Stick Insect.

They seemed fairly common when I was younger, not so now.

Perhaps I spent more time looking. :)

It was interesting to note the vertically arranged mouth parts, enabling easy shredding of leaves.

The plant being consumed is a Black Wattle

Having never seen a Stick Insect feeding, this was a great photographic opportunity for me to capture one of natures more interesting and unusual forms in its day to day activities.

Aussie Bull Ant

2011-02-15T13:52:00.000+11:00

Most bushwalking Australians have encountered this ant.

Those who have had previous dealings with it tend keep their distance.

Of the genus Myrmecia, there are over 90 species ( and counting) of this insect.

The sting is painful and is a follow up to being grabbed by legs and those fearsome jaws.

Other than the Water Bug, one of my most cautious macros to date.

More information on bull ants can be found here.

Hidden Munchers

2011-02-13T12:56:00.001+11:00

A wet late Spring and Summer has been perfect for the growing of corn.

While not really practical from a home garden point of view, it gives kids insights that are more valuable than the resultant crop itself.

Our 3m x 2m plot came to fruition recently and so we began harvest, only to find someone had started the harvest without us.

Known by many names, due to the variety of crops on which it feeds, Helicoverpa armigera ( family Noctuidae), is considered a pest worldwide.

Pics of the the adult moth can be found here.

The above specimen is considered adult, in its grub stage, being brown in colour, while the specimen below shows its juvenile status by its green colouration.

Despite being considered a pest, the markings of this creature are exquisite.

Im not sure if these millipedes were responsible for this area of consumption, or whether they took advantage of an opening to construct their home.

Much corn was harvested, with much of it still good.

The amount shared with these insects was negligible and the encounter was quite educational.

Veranda saga continues - The giant water bug

2011-02-04T10:53:00.000+11:00

The list of visitors to my veranda keeps growing.

Last night a water bug was added to the list.

This huge bug, in the truest sense of the word, was around 10cm.

I believe it to be Lethocerus Indicus from the Wikipedia discription.

A quick look at this guy and you can see it is an insect not to be messed with.

Wikipedia states:

"Their bite is considered one of the most painful that can be inflicted by any insect (the Schmidt Sting Pain Index excludes insects other than Hymenoptera); the longer the bug is allowed to inject its saliva, the worse the resulting bite, and as the saliva liquefies muscle tissue"

These macro shots were unnerving at such close proximity.

It was interesting to see parasites infesting the creature (above).

In some species the female lays eggs of the males back, though I believe this to be of a species that cares for its young, inasmuch as hydrating the eggs until they hatch.

With all the insect action going on at the moment, one wonders what next.

A burst of hot weather heats it up

2011-02-02T15:51:00.001+11:00

A burst of hot, dry weather has seen the veranda getting more use in the early evenings as things cool down, though space is limited as more and more insects vie for a place to meet under the glow of electric lights.

This dragon fly stopped by for a visit,

as did this cicada.

Beetles of all shapes and sizes abound in whirring confusion, with the odd Christmas beetle still in attendance as well.

The increased action has not escaped the eyes of predators either.

This huntsman keeps an eye on the proceedings.

Green spotted tree frogs have been around for the last few months and don't miss too many opportunities for a meal as they deftly climb the walls.

Evenings are a busy place on the veranda, with sitting under the lights just not a comfortable option.

The show that is put on each and every twilight makes it an interesting place nonetheless.

Aerobatic Arachnids

2011-01-17T10:12:00.001+11:00

With all the rain we have had over the past few months insect numbers have increased dramatically.

A large swamp that connects to a lake system nearby has been supplying its fair share of mosquitoes and sandflies.

Its no wonder that I have such appreciation of spiders.

This little orb weaver is one of many that has made its residence on my veranda.

As a child I watched with endless fascination as they formed their webs with such precision and balance, even when gusts of wind would blow them on a tangent temporarily.

Hooks on the hindmost legs help place the web as it is drawn from the spinnerets.

One of the most rewarding aspects of nature is that, no matter how often you have seen something, a new insight can be gleaned. Often when you least expect it.

The photo below is a crop of the one above and shows something unusual.

There seems to be a second thread of silk merging with the first to form the strand.

Spiders often have two types of spinnerets.

One is for the web and is fine and strong, the other is for encasing prey and is multi- threaded.

A perfect example is the Saint Andrews Cross.

I was not aware that multiple spinnerets were used for web production, though a number of shots taken indicate two at least.

Some shots of active web spinning spinnerets may prove an enlightening continuation of a study found pleasurable for the past 40 years.

Summer Storms

2010-12-17T09:51:00.001+11:00

With the summer warming rainfall has been at record levels all over the eastern states of Australia.
On Wednesday night at around 8Pm a huge rolling front passed over South Eastern NSW.
Approaching at about 40Km/h, it could be heard when still 5Km away like a jet engine as hail and torrential rain fell at the lip of formation.
The Photo below has no colour adjustment and was taken minutes before its arrival.

Needless to say the cloud was extremely charged and produced a number

of huge lightning strikes and sheets that spanned the sky.

The photo below reminds me of a shot I've seen showing the discharge of electricity

in a charged plastic sheet. Those who have seen such a shot will notice the similarity.

The charge is passing over to another cloud, and not to the ground, balancing with the potential at the seaboard.

The aftermath saw hail at a maximum of around 1 cm, with the shot below

giving an idea of the gusting strength.

The mist is not a dirty lens :) it lay directly behind the front and was heavily charged

also producing continuous flashing in the sky.

All in all one of the most violent storms I have experienced.

Being a bit of a storm chaser, it was nice to bring the work home for a change.

I was made aware recently that storms, worldwide, are becoming more charged as time progresses.

I would not be surprised if this was linked to increased solar output and interactions

of charged with the magnetosphere .

A study on the regularity and intensity of Northern/Southern lights

in relation to lightning activity could be interesting.

This link on the magnetosphere makes an interesting read also.

26.10.10

This link has a interesting study on Solar flares and interactions with the Troposphere.

The rain continues

2010-12-03T15:21:00.001+11:00

A good amount of rain has fallen in our area since late November.

Last night it was accompanied by unusual lightning in the form of "bursts" within the clouds that seemed quite limited in area lit though very charged.

Strong wind gusts accompanied this storm and it was this wind that afforded me the following two shots.

They are of a hive of European Bees that were living within a hollow branch.

Although the weather was still quite cool, there were 100 or so "sentries" keeping a cloud around the immediate area.

I am trying to get the swarm collected by resident apiarists and have yet to get a reply at the time of this post..

The last two weeks have been damp enough to allow the emergence of fungi, some of which I have pictured below.

This lovely yellow bracket type is quite small and was growing from an old wagon wheel.

Immediately above is a type of Puff Ball measuring around 3cm diameter.

The cup like fungi pictured below I have seen in the rain forests of the Southern Highlands, though was a new find for me here on the far south coast.

These small Puff Balls started brownish, though quickly went orange, as in the next shot, deflating as the slightest sunlight and warmth approached.

Dedication to Orchids

2010-11-22T12:04:00.001+11:00

There are mere mortals and then there are those who breed Orchids,

showing Dedication and care for the chance of viable seed and a new variety.

These plants are just a few of the impressive collection once owned by Dr Seaton.

His passion for these exotic plants saw many new varieties emerge.

Sadly, at his passing, many of the names of the varieties he produced have been lost.

Orchids everywhere have had a great flowing season, the plant pictured immediately below having flowered for the first time for its new guardian.

Wishing Denis Wilson, an Orchid Enthusiast, a very Happy Birthday.

Without your introduction to this wonderful plant, they would remain just a flower.

Spring Storms

2010-11-15T12:54:00.000+11:00

The passage of Spring into summer has provided some great electrical storms to photograph this year.

This front passed through last week, with the photo below showing its intensity after a hot day.

This still from a video of the storm shows the ferocity of the electrical discharges.

The storm passed and indicated another clear day tomorrow.

Many I have talked too feel these events to be more like weather patterns observed at this time

of year some 25- 30 years ago.

Reptiles are out of hibernation and the first cicada have been heard.

Whether we get a hot summer or a cool one, a wet or a dry one is still up for grabs.

Either way the garden is loving it and so, sadly, is the lawn.

Stars in their eyes

2010-10-15T10:03:00.003+11:00

Well today is Blog Action Day again.
This year the subject is water and a worthwhile subject indeed.
Scientists have stated that liquid water is one of the vital ingredients for life on other worlds and, one imagines, the continuance of life here.
Yet much of humanity gets little or none, with the few who have it doing lots of squandering and misusing.
The great Artesian Basin is a perfect example of misusing a limited resource.
With open cut Uranium mines planned for WA, SA and NT, more water than ever will be pumped from the basin in an attempt to slow down the radioactive dust that will blow with westerlies over the eastern states.
You can find out more by watching David Bradbury's recent film for the ETU starring Austen Tayshus "When the dust settles".
Though that is another story that you can catch here:
http://www.andrew-melville-smith.com.au/Videos/whenthedustsettl.html

This blog subject looks a little into the past, just before the space race.
After the conclusion of WW2, as things were getting back to normality, the US wanted to bestow a gift on humanity. They had just saved the world (again) and were feeling powerful and benevolent.
Many ideas were proposed and, amongst the many, one shone out as a great humanitarian act.
It was proposed that water should be in good supply for those who had little or none, with the third world squarely in their sights.
Many great projects were conceived that would supply this precious resource to those in need.
Sadly those great works were never carried out, as it was deemed a project that would neither capture the public imagination nor get the sort of worldwide prestige that a working space organisation would.
So, with heads raised and gazing skyward, we moved forward into an age where the haves had more and the have-nots had less and less.
Don't misunderstand me, great things have come from those endeavors with greater things yet to come.
We stand on the brink of something big.
We wont get there until we are united.
This doesn't have to mean a world government. It can be as simple as making sure we all have enough food and water and showing that we are all on one team.
It is doable. It is also necessary so that we might take the next step.
Lets clean up the house before we go out.
Time to get things in order here.
Lets start with good drinking water for all.
Then lets consider the root issue. A sustainable world population.

Stephan Pastis " Pearls Before Swine

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Feeding The Rays

2010-10-09T09:35:00.004+11:00

Its been a long time since I visited Bendalong and was glad to see that over 25 years large black rays are still coming in for a feed.

I last experienced this phenomenon with my Daughter Rhiannon, some 8 years ago,and was happy to see that it has not gone the way various Dolphin and Penguin visitations have.

It remains an encounter.

Having said that, lets try to keep it that way.

It is true to say that encounters with large black Rays are common around many boat ramps along the southern NSW coastline, though I find the greeting at Bendalong the most rewarding.

This Video is of some of that day and I have tied to capture the experience in going face to face with a large and alien being.

I bought some Pilchards to wave in the water so a to attract a few Rays, though it is debatable if the Pilchards played a part at all. I noticed if you stamped your foot in the sand under water they came more readily.

They are brought in by the fishing boats, presumably called by the thump of the engines. Perhaps we are associated with low wave concussive sound-forms, food being a reward to tolerate incessant patting.

The eyes of this creature will survey you from above the waterline, just to get good look, and will spot a floating pilchard go by as you will see.

My mate Marvin bravely went face to face for the vid.

This was of no great risk. Rays are gentle, though potentially dangerous, creatures.

Just as with a horse, you keep distance of the back end.

A fitting post for the 4Th anniversary of this blog.

Thank you again all those who show your interest in my interests.

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Ant Power

2010-09-10T12:48:00.003+10:00

When in Northern Queensland I was able to get shots of some very interesting creatures.

These Green Ants are building a nest.

By using brut strength and numbers they curl the leaves and fix them with excretions.

The resultant nest is waterproof and strong.

Although they have a nasty bite, they are quite tolerant - which is good, as they are found in vast numbers throughout rainforest areas.

A feast of forms

2010-08-28T21:29:00.010+10:00

After traveling over 7000Km up to Cape Tribulation on the Queensland North Coast and back over the last month, I was able to collect a variety of creatures some of which are shown below.

This Star Fish was shot at Arlie beach, surfacing from the sand with the influx of the tide.

These birds inhabit the far north in profusion and nest overnight in the branches overnight.

Unafraid of people, they scour the campsites for morsels without fear.

Salt Water Crocs prowl the waters, this specimen over 3 metres in length and over 70 years old.

This Rino Beetle was quite big and aggressive, having bit my finger whilst I attempted to photograph it.

Preying Mantis were in abundance, and as curious as ever.

This Manta Ray was off the beach at Fraser Island, crusing the shallows for crabs.

Kookaburras provided a loud waking call in the early morning chorus.

A Kadadid hunts at night.

This Jeweled Spider was a long way north of those I photographed years back in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

Honey eaters were many and varied.

The Goanna seen in Queensland were smaller than their southern relatives

This Gecko was out for the hunt one night for moths at Wonga Beach near Daintree Rainforest.

Fraser Island had many species of fish, these captured in shallow waters of the Champagne Pools on Fraser Island.

Dingos also prowl the Island, and are to be walked warily amongst.

This unusual bird was photographed Near Emerald Qld.

A Fascinating Holiday with many shots taken of scenery and wildlife in abundance.

I hope to post more as they are processed.

Is there a doctor in the house?

2010-07-17T22:50:00.005+10:00

I have been fishing with my father since I was 5.

Occasionally we would find what he called "Doctors".

These strange creatures often lived with the gill space of a fish.

I was always led to believe that they were parasitic, though helpful, to their host.

Below is pictured the creature in question.

This specimen was the largest I had ever seen, measuring over 25mm head to tail.

The multitude of appendages makes it most unusual indeed.

It was found within the innards of its host, a Leather-jacket, whilst I was cleaning my catch from a fishing trip.

I would welcome any input on this strange creature.

Goannas of Cuttagee

2010-06-12T21:20:00.002+10:00

In relation to my previous post on Goannas , Here is a short vid of one.

This reptile measured over 2 Metres in length.

Many are to be found in the surrounds of lakes and rivers in the NSW South Coast.

This one would like to eat a dog that belongs to friends of mine, though keeps itself busy around the area foraging for scraps and is welcome for the interest and diversity it affords to the bushland surroundings it shares with its human neighbours.

It was not worried at all by my videoing it and it was obvious that any further encroachment on its space would be challenged.

A good example of one of Australias largest reptiles.

Big storms on the far south coast

2010-05-31T19:18:00.002+10:00

A Picture says a thousand words.

This shot, down the south coast of NSW, gives an idea of the ferocity of the storms of the last few days.

A little further south we had the power off for 2 days, due to fallen trees like this one.

While there was less rain than the storm experienced in February, the wind was much stronger.

A dense low pressure system was responsible for the havoc that saw disruption over more than 200Km of coastal towns.

A Dangerous Dance

2010-04-23T12:40:00.005+10:00

Although the weather has cooled somewhat, there is a mass of insect life around - in sizes ranging from mosquitoes to dragonflies.

This could be partially due to the massive rains recieved earlier.

Welcome Swallows buzz the nearby dam in flocks approaching fifty in mumber, showing that lavae of all sorts are there for the taking.

Our resident spider species have been taking advantage of this fact also, catching masses of small annoying insects before they gain entry to our home.

There has even been a little time for them to do one of the most dangerous dances of all for a spider - the act of mating.

These two are engaged in that dance.

"Palps" of the male spider, the smaller of the two in the foreground, place sperm into openings in the female while, at least with this species, they face to face as though locked in some mortal combat.

The female spider often eats the male after mating, and sometimes during the act, dependant on the species and how quick the male can make a run for it afterwards.

A danerous dance indeed.

Port Jackson Sharks

2010-04-07T00:47:00.007+10:00

This strange form is the egg case from the Port Jackson Shark.

It forms this twisted spiraling shape once dried.

The juvenile shark escapes from the far end, leaving an opening in the top

I found a number of them on Blenheim Beach (Marine Bay), located near Jarvis Bay area within the marine park.

Pictured with the fine white sand as a backdrop below

The area is located just south of Nowra on the south coast of NSW, Australia.

A map of the surrounds, and the area visited shown here.

The beach has a small creek running to it, with temperate coastal rainforest at its fringes.

The Marine Park was established some time ago, as the area was recognized as a significant bio-diverse region warranting protection.

Along with the casings found, a number of sea slugs were found nearby amongst sea weed and a dragonfly nymph located in the fresh water of the creek within 25 meters of the surf.

While we enjoyed the surf, a pod of dolphins cruised close by.

A very pleasant and diverse place indeed.

Adaptation of Design

2010-04-06T00:34:00.001+10:00

Arachnids never cease to amaze me.

I photographed this orb spiders web the other day with a strange adaptation.

The center of the web is inline with the wire, thus giving the spider some cover from the prying eyes of predators.

In case you might feel this has a degree of chance involved, the web is fixed to the wire only at the center point, with the rest of the intersection floating freely so as to catch prey.

This design would offer both protection and stability of the web.

An example of evolution at work through design adaptation.

Kookaburra on the hunt

2010-03-17T14:57:00.005+11:00

It was with some degree of relief that I heard a number of Kookaburra calling last week. Since then they have been making their world famous call each morning and evening.

A bird that I remember well from my youth ( I cared for one once while its wing healed), it has been sadly lacking in numbers over the years following.

Many bird species are on the decline due to a number of factors and I recall a recent report stating that the beloved Kookaburra was on that list.

A few posts ago I photographed a young Red Bellied Black snake in my backyard. This is not the only one I have seen. It seems that this years breeding season was a good one for snakes. Hot and dry.

It also seems that the Kookaburra, who are fond of snake for dinner, are aware of the fact.

A shot of a Black Snake being swallowed whole is on my wish list.

Next time you see an inoffensive snake on its way, remember that a bird song we associate with all things Australian depends largely on snake populations.

Fun time for Fungi

2010-03-15T14:38:00.001+11:00

All the rain we have had over the last month has seen an explosion in the number of fungi of late.

Fields that were inundated have seen a number of forms sprout forth.

While the variation is nothing like the profusion I have seen at places like the Robertson Reserve, with many species per metre squared, I feel it worth documenting nonetheless.

The local bushland may have further groups to photograph as cooler, damper and darker conditions lead us into Autumn.

Visits after the rain

2010-02-23T22:49:00.005+11:00

Massive rain of late has been a boon for amphibians.

Local swampland has been alive with the calls of many species, though one species is visiting in mass. The Emerald Spotted Tree-frog.

Attracted to insects drawn by the light from windows we have had as many as five at a time on one window, curiously studying me I photographed them.

I thought I would include this shot, as the way the legs are positioned make the creature look more alien than it already does, when I noticed something strange.

The frog has two mosquitoes on it and they seem to be feeding.

The shots are a little rough, though show the little mozzies seemingly feeding on an amphibian. Perhaps someone may say it happens all the time, though it was news to me.

Mozzies are an unwelcome visitor to many, it seems.

Here is another.

Looking cute and alert, this years baby Red Bellied Black Snake was checking if the rains had finished.

Driven from the spot where it lived in our yard by rising water, it found shelter in the shed.

It proceeded to the garden where I watched it catch some small skinks for lunch.

Many animals have had to relocate with the rains.

Meetings, both welcome and unwelcome, with we humans are at a high.

In Australia, as in any other place we are graced by the natural world, its a matter of learning how to coexist and share our space.

No, the Red Belly cant come inside.

The shed will have to do.

Cloud Formation in an Inversion

2010-02-12T09:19:00.003+11:00

I was able to capture, in time lapse, this interesting atmospheric condition.
It seems that a layer of cooler air had trapped moist, warm, air beneath it.
This is called an "inversion".
This was all happening at the base of a small mountain range with the cooler breeze racing overhead.
As the warm air gained enough momentum upwards, shown by the clouds boiling beneath, it eventually broke through the layer above to disperse clouds in the breeze.
A most interesting phenomenon, and one I hope you enjoy viewing.

Drought breaking rains for NSW

2010-02-10T13:20:00.010+11:00

The storms across NSW last week were spectacular to say the least.
With Bermagui getting around 200mm in 24 hours, it wasn't the heaviest of the falls.
It was enough though to free blocked estuary systems to the ocean and flush them out.

The following video is of the storm on Fri morning 05.02.10 around 5am, with footage of a few kangaroos playing in the rain and the Cuttagee system breaking to the ocean later that day.

The baragoot system broke on its own that night, with Wallaga lake needing a large excavator to help it along the next day as water levels rose nearly 2 meters.
Local council took the initiative to see all lake and river systems in need got a digging out at the entry point to the ocean as massive rainfall fueled the flows in areas stagnant from drought.
This is how things looked across NSW at around 7am Friday 05.02.10 thanks to the BOM sat image.

Following the rain, with a little help, Wallaga Lake was on the run.

This was Baragoot,

..and Cuttagee.

All areas did well from the rain, allowing clearing of the stagnant waters and facilitating movement of marine creatures to and from the ocean and these estuary systems.
Hopefully the prawning will be better next year. :)

Summer break '10

2010-01-21T09:59:00.004+11:00

Firstly, a belated Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all :)
Things have been very busy of late, and its taken some time to get a post up.

The end of last year saw some big seas, with the following shot taken at the Blue Pool, Bermagui.

This was accompanied by some very high tides that reshaped beaches and brought much weed from offshore reefs to shore.
The tides were, in part, due to the double full moon experienced during December, with a "Blue Moon" on December 31st bringing in the New Year.

Many birds have completed their nesting.
Some have had a second breeding period over the early summer months.
I have always had a fascination with unusual nest shapes, and the work in their creation.
This shot below is a good example of a "conic" nest construction.

Rain was forecast by the Black Cockies, and it eventually came last week.

With massive thunderstorms and good rain, the sky was left prismatic in a saturated atmosphere.

With many shots still to process, and some interesting vids as well, this years summer break has been rich in interesting wildlife that I will post soon.

Cicada are back

2009-12-09T11:34:00.005+11:00

One of the rights of passage through childhood for many boys ( and quite a few girls) in Australia is the catching of Cicada during the summertime.
These amazing creatures, after spending seven years or more underground, emerge to rejoice in the heatwave and produce a sound I have always associated with this time of year.

These coastal grasslands are home to one of the smallest of these insects I have seen to date.

Some cicada are easy to catch, some are harder.
These guys have eyes in the back of their heads ( it seems), as they are very small and very quick.
I was, after stalking on hands and knees like someone possessed, able to catch this insect pictured below - though only on film.
It took younger eyes, and quicker reflexes than mine, to help achieve this task.
Good to see that the youth of today still find excitement in the hunt of these elusive creatures.

The lads, who were down from Bateman's Bay for a cricket match in Bermagui, even managed to score a chrysalis from the creatures nymph stage.

I have a previous post, with a couple of pictures of cicada that show the difference in size.
One of my first posts was of a similar cicada, though those pictured above are marginally smaller.

Old man Goanna

2009-11-16T23:36:00.002+11:00

Last weekend I took a drive to see the upper reaches of the Bermagui river.

Not a bad stretch of river at all.

On my return I climbed up into higher ground and a forest of spotted gum.
Crossing the road was this guy.

I approached him quickly enough to get him to climb.
At just under 2 meters, this gargantuan lizard is a fearsome piece of work indeed.

As scavenger hunter it will raid nests for eggs and make short work
of your rubbish bin given half a chance to do so.

These claws are great at climbing the smooth trunks of the Spotted Gum.
They are also make for great defense.
The Goanna is a fairly timid animal and will climb to escape predators.
If one comes running at you, you are best to lay down.
It wont think you are a tree then.
A friend of mine was thought of as a tree, by an animal half the size
of the one pictured here, and sports some great scars on his legs.
Luckily the animal didn't make it to perch on the top of his head.

One wonders how these, and many other creatures, are going during the
spotted gum selective felling going on down Bermagui way at the moment.
The areas where this is happening are entry prohibited, though that does not restrict a careful eye seeing ( from outside the zones) the apparent rip and tear
"selective" harvesting going on in one of the east coasts last great stands of these trees.

Whales playing in Bermagui

2009-11-04T10:38:00.003+11:00

With many of the whales having made their journey down the NSW coastline on their way to Antarctic waters, I thought a little vid of some this years action was worth a post.

This whale, with her calf, are playing in Horseshoe bay, Bermagui.
Two weeks ago we saw a peak in numbers here and the occasional whale can still be seen, though it seems the bulk are south us now.

South Coast Echidna

2009-10-22T20:01:00.003+11:00

With warming weather, many animals have been making an appearance.

One of these is the Echidna.

This egg laying marsupial mammal is classed as a monotreme, the other is the Platypus.

Both are only found in Australia.

The offspring, usually one, is called a "Puggle" and it is carried in its mothers pouch until too spikey. When this happens the mother will dig a shallow hole, place the youngster in it, and return every few days to supply milk.

They can live up to 45 years eating termites and ants.

I saw many of these creatures while in Victoria recently, ranging all the way to Bermagui where I live.

Take care if you are driving through wild habitats at the moment, as Echidna seem to be out in great numbers, along with a variety of reptiles and kangaroos.

Your local area will have wildlife protection organisations that rescue injured animals and it makes sense to program this number into your mobile.

A few baby Pics

2009-10-21T13:40:00.004+11:00

Spring is always a good time to show a few baby pics.

Young Sea Eagles have been cruising the skies, testing their aerobatic skills in dogfights with each other for prey.

This very active Koala posed for the camera in a rare period of daytime wakefulness .

Even the humble Seagull had a shot or two to offer.

This chick allowing a most comical shot.

And, last though by no means least, whales are well into their southern migration down the east coast of Australia.
This calf having playtime with its mum in Horseshoe Bay, Bermagui.

Yes, spring is a time of wonder and interesting photographic possibilities.
I am currently searching for sparring Red Bellied Black Snakes and hope to have some shots soon.

A change in the air

2009-10-15T08:47:00.006+11:00

When I found that this years Blog Action Day was to be on climate change I was a little daunted.
Where do you start?
My life has been, from the time I was a small child, meshed with a conscious realisation that a peel thin atmospheric covering regulates our life on this planet.
From the early days of asthma each time the westerlies blew pollen to me, the trips with my father fishing in a small boat out wide in deep water, to my eventual study in Environmental Science in Wollongong University, it has been an envelope I have been aware of.
For over three decades I have seen the seasons unfold, and have studied ancient patterns in fields as diverse as magnetic field change and carbon dioxide levels recorded in ice.
It is with this long standing interest that I find this subject so daunting.
Ancient records will have us believe that we have been living in an almost unprecedented calm and regular period of climate for over the last 5000 years and, despite the fluctuations such as the "little Iceage" experienced over 500 years ago in Europe, things have been fairly reliable for activities such as growing crops and developing civilization, for it has been over this time that we have developed our modern age. Things haven't always been so regular.
11,000 years ago carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere spiked. Whether they did due to the release of gases from thawing bogs at the end of the last iceage, or whether they caused the end of the last iceage is debatable. Either way, there were no factories and cars that we know of to have caused this at the time.
The sun is known to work cyclically, ranging from sunspot activity to expulsions of gas and the sun is the ultimate climate control device.
In view of the magnitude of the system we live with, is it wise to be so human centric in believing we have such great impact on this world and its climate?
The climate, in my view, is a series of waves. Conditions move back and forth, within the bounds to sustain life, like a sine wave oscillation. Our activities just change the amplitude and wavelength.
The danger is that our changes to that wave may push it too far for human life to be sustained in the way we live now.
If we vary the conditions too much we will not grow our food or get our water.
Civilization would collapse, though humanity will survive having been regulated by this vast interconnected system and made live within its rhythms.
When looking at climate change, don't worry too much about the planet- it can look after itself.
The goal is to see we live within a large system that can, and will, survive quite well without us.
Adaptability and interconnectedness , not control, should be the goals.
We are not the centre of the universe.
I am proud to be part of Blog Action Day again this year. Lets live with our planet, not try to dominate it.

Three Years of Blogging

2009-10-09T10:32:00.001+11:00

I was lucky enough to spend the anniversary for my third year of blogging down in Victoria, viewing the remaining Apostles along the Great Ocean Road.
Quite recently one fell into the sea, due to the fierce elemental action on Australia's southern coast, leaving now only seven of the original twelve.

These shots are testament to wind and wave action on this sandstone plateau which is constantly in a changing state.
I hope you have all enjoyed the last three years, with more yet to come.
Thank you all :)

Chill felt by big and small

2009-09-27T10:37:00.007+10:00

The last week or so has been markedly cooler in the South Eastern states.
Antarctic air flows associated with strong low pressure systems have been lowering temps and producing wind gusts up to 125Km/h.
This has had effects ranging from the vast dust clouds experienced last week to the increase of snowfall in the Alps.
It has also had an effect on many creatures expecting the early warming of spring to continue.

I was working in the garden the other day, planting spring vegetables in an optimistic expectation of nature continuing its seasons in a somewhat normal fashion, when I observed these ants carrying larvae back underground.

Their nest had been disturbed by my pulling a few weeds.
Although rain is not expected, their larvae were positioned very close to the surface.
Perhaps this was to regulate their temperature.
With the last few weeks being cold, larvae positioned just under the surface would be afforded some warmth

The cold weather did not slow their activity, and a few bites were received for my trouble to get these shots.

These common black ants measure up at around 4mm in length.

Paint it Black

2009-09-26T10:22:00.002+10:00

The skies have been otherworldly with the dust storms across NSW of late.
Although red during the day, as afternoon turned to dusk, I was able to capture this image below.

Bereft of colour, the view was a monochromatic display with the sun hanging pale in the sky.
Living far south of Sydney, the amount of dust we received was limited though enough to bring twilight many hours before the sun actually set.

The storms have not stopped the spread of the Black Swans as the weather warms.

While some remain in larger lake systems over winter, they spread to the many smaller systems during spring into summer, their numbers swelling into the thousands as they cross the sky in vast formations.

The warming weather has also seen the return of the Red Bellied Black Snake.
The photo below showing a sight all too common .
These males were in a sparring match that got carried a little to close to the traffic.

Care is required around this time as many reptiles are coming to grief in such a manner.
I was forced to dispatch the snake on the lower right, as its back was broken and was living still.
While repellent or a source of fear to some, their part in Australia's ecosystem makes them worth avoiding if possible. They eat the much more dangerous, and aggressive, Eastern Brown Snake.

Spring thaw at the Australian Alps

2009-09-07T12:01:00.004+10:00

Spring is underway, be it slowly, at the Snowy Mountains.

Like a view springing from the Serengeti, the roof of Australia was under snow as the surrounds basked in warm, dry, Savannah.
I wanted to photograph some of the new spring flowers that pop through the snow in the melt.
After the unseasonal warm weather I thought I may have a chance, though the high country plays by its own rules.

The snow has retreated somewhat, with Perisher having enough of the white stuff to have a happy season for a little while yet.
Below that point the cover is scattered.

Areas of melt produce some amazing scenes, like the ones below.

This temporary pond (below) plays host to alpine frog species that wait for just such times.
The Eco system is incredibly fragile and scenes like this leave me to wonder as to the pressure that lack of snow, through global warming, may have on such tenuous relationships between species and their environmental habitats.
.

At higher altitudes the snow was still thick on the ground.

These alpine gums hang on to the boulders, their forms twisted and stunted by high altitude and the elements.

Winter hasn't given up hold of the high country just yet, with more snow on the way.

My hunt for wildflowers of the Australian Alps with have to wait a few more weeks.

Fires in NSW

2009-08-31T12:52:00.003+10:00

Did we miss winter this year?
Tomorrow is the first day of spring in the southern hemisphere and in Australia it has been heralded by gale force winds, lack of rain, and temps in the mid 20's.
Local farmers lament the lack of rain that promotes healthy pasture for the months ahead with the forests tinder dry.
These conditions were answered by a number of fires across the state last week.
Eurobodalla, our local shire, has three fires going at the moment with the blaze at Dromedary being the largest having burnt some 2874 Ha ( and still going).
This was the scene last Friday afternoon...

Saturday morning, after gale force winds, it looked a little more intense....

Dromedary is under the big pall of smoke.

There was even a small fire upriver of Bermagui.

It was listed on the NSW Rural Fire Service site, though was small by comparison and seems to have been put out.

On Saturday afternoon a change came through with some rain, giving some relief to tireless firefighters. We still need much more though.
My thoughts go out to those in the Tilba area who are on alert as high winds continue from the South West.
With continuing high winds and temps, NSW is a tinderbox.
Consideration of the conditions and the consequences of ignoring them at the forefront of many living in the country as we leave winter today.

Just a theory

2009-08-21T12:25:00.004+10:00

With things being busy of late, I have not had the time to go out there and take shots, let alone post them to this site.
Sure, I have a couple of things that have been floating around for a while I could post, though I thought it was high time to post a theory I have been floating for longer.
It involves life, the universe and everything (we miss you Douglas Adams) and was prompted to the forefront by a program I saw the other day.
The program was on the possibilities of life having existed on Mars.
Seems that the planet had a large moon that orbited with the effect that the core was rotated creating a magnetic field.
This is a good thing, as magnetic fields protect the atmosphere of a planet from erosion caused by solar wind from the sun as illustrated below. ( courtesy of Wikipedia)

Perhaps we owe a little more to the moon than the tides then?
Perhaps we need to look for life on planets with big satellites that churn their cores producing magnetic fields?
Anyway, mars is thought to have had a run in with its satellite- the collision warping the planet's shape- and, once alone in its orbit with the core not rotating, solar winds stripped off the remaining atmosphere giving us the atmosphere thin desert planet we have today.
All good, but what happened to the satellite?
Was it vaporized by the impact?
To churn the core of Mars it must have been fairly large.
Where did it go?
If you know what the plane of the ecliptic is, you would know that we (the planets) sit in a nice flat orbit around the sun (mostly). There is an exception.
Pluto(see article) is not part of that plane, nor is its orbit all that even.
This little "planet" zips around sometimes very distant and, at other times, is well within the orbit of the more regular true planet Neptune.

(Image of Pluto courtesy Wikipedia)

Seems to me that this little object is a johnny come lately to our planetary system.
It also has a satellite(of sorts) to call its own.
Charon (see article)is its name and, strangely enough, it is thought to consist mainly of ice.
Do you know what happens to water in zero gravity? it floats in little balls.

(Image of Charon courtesy Wikipedia)

When that zero gravity is cold enough you get ice.
Am I constructing a picture here? sure.
I propose that the "planet" known as Pluto was the satellite of Mars in some distant time, flung off into the outer solar system by the collision that took place between them.
As it left, its gravitational pull appropriated the water vapour that was generated from the seas of Mars, which condensed and formed Charon, the two destined to orbit oneanother in the far reaches of our system.

"Simulation work published in 2005 by Robin Canup suggested that Charon could have been formed by a giant impact around 4.5 billion years ago, much like the Earth and Moon. In this model a large Kuiper belt object struck Pluto at high velocity, destroying itself and blasting off much of Pluto's outer mantle, and Charon coalesced from the debris. However, such an impact should result in an icier Charon and rockier Pluto than what scientists have found. It is now thought that Pluto and Charon may have been two bodies that collided before going into orbit about each other. The collision would have been violent enough to boil off volatile ices like methane but not violent enough to have destroyed either body." (Wikipedia)

One good thing about a theory is that it cannot be proven or rejected without research.
I shall leave that to another.
I look forward to the results should I be here to see them.

A coastal treck

2009-08-02T22:20:00.005+10:00

It was good to have Denis come down for another visit last week.
It gave me an opportunity to share some of the wilder parts of the territory in which I live.

Hidden coves with mountainous surrounds, riddled with treacherous slippery rocks is where we went.
I'm sure the scenery was worth it :)

These rock pools, with vivid red anemone were a good find.
They show the way in which the creature retracts its tentacles when faced with violent seas and the waterless conditions that it endures.

This Striated ( or Mangrove) Heron was a little shy of the camera.
Possibly due to the fact that he usually seen this far down the NSW coast.

As was this White Faced Heron.

Though, with careful stalking, I was able to get close enough for this shot.

Yes, an eventful trip that saw two weary photographers glad to be home.

We have yet to track down the elusive Death Adders that live down here.
Perhaps that will have to wait for another visit :)

One small step

2009-07-17T09:49:00.005+10:00

Well it has been 40 years since mankind, within the setting of a cold war , set off for the moon.
I remember being woken when the landing took place, being told that history was being made.
Sleepily I watched those first steps and went back to bed. It wasn't through lack of interest, though through lack of age.
It seems that I wasn't the only one( at the time) with a lack of interest in space travel.

"Everything we do ought to really be tied in to getting on to the moon ahead of the Russians [...] otherwise we shouldn't be spending that kind of money, because I'm not interested in space [...] The only justification for [the cost] is because we hope to beat [the USSR] to demonstrate that instead of being behind by a couple of years, by God, we passed them." said John F Kennedy to James E Webb ( head of NASA at the time). source

Many projects were proposed to prove American superiority over the Russians and going to the moon was chosen.
An alternative idea for the funds was to apply massive irrigation projects to the third world.

Dont get me wrong.
Many amazing discoveries and applications we use today have come from that program.
Those programs should be taken to the next step. It's just so expensive.
The costs should be shared, among all nations, along with the benefits.
I propose the time has come for a world space organization.
This, of course, requires a previously unknown degree of international cooperation which may spill over into the environmental field of play on good old mother earth as some big projects, with big scientific/material rewards, are completed.
Rewarded cooperation breeds a more stable future together.

The push into space is, I believe, an intergral piece of the puzzle we need to solve if we are to pull ourselves together as a species so as to maintain a healthy environment here at home.

Are we grown up enough to stop trying to beat each other to the toys in this little blue/green nursery of ours?

Or is this the case?

Birds of Prey

2009-07-11T07:26:00.006+10:00

As winter deepens I have seen more birds of prey keeping an eye open for an easy meal.
While fishing the other day, I saw not less than six White Bellied Sea Eagles in a group (flock?) diving for Salmon off the beach.
Smaller birds, such as this Nankeen Kestrel have been keeping an eye in the surrounding fields for mice.

This Black Shouldered Kite was very tolerant of me, allowing a number of shots to be taken.

Eventually it took flight.
I was a little slower than it, unfortunately, though I have included this shot as I feel it conveys some of the power of these small hunters.

I look forward to further chances to improve this shot soon.
A good site to view details of Australian birds of prey is here

Black Headed Gull

2009-06-17T19:46:00.003+10:00

Although its been a year since my return from Germany, I still have photos to process.
Its easy to push the button on a digital camera when you have over 10 Gigs of cards, though the work of processing still remains.
So, with a little time on my hands today I bit the bullet and sorted some more shots.
I found the following:

These are Black Headed Gulls that I snapped at the North Sea town of Harlesiel in Germany's north.
They are a little bigger than the Sea gulls that are common along the Eastern shores of Australia and also sport this black head.
I found the temperament the same though as I tried to eat some chips by the shore.
I doubtless will find other things to post as I wade through the Gigs of work still to do.

High charge Lows

2009-06-15T09:56:00.004+10:00

Last night a low pressure system, accompanied by a trough, passed over NSW.

I observed what looked like summer lightning, an occurrence that sees the sky lit by sheets of lightning without clouds...discharges atmospheric as charges balance out.

Then the clouds rolled in.

They were slow moving and, initially, undetectable in a starry sky.

The following shot with stars visible...

Then the show got started.

The next shot of cloud that rolled in.

It was multi layered, with many cloud forms present at many levels.

The real dark ones on the RHS foreground were very low and very dense.

Quite ominous in their slow roll across the land.

The next day was sunny to start with, though a smaller second trough passed over around 8am giving some rain and this nice double rainbow.

Blue Ringed Octopus

2009-06-07T09:27:00.003+10:00

Blue Ringed Octopus, I have read, can be found as far south as the Town of Bermagui on the NSW coast.....

Yesterday was family day down by the river.
Everyone was interested to see the soldier crabs marching in their thousands, so down we went.
Harry, a local lad and friend of my son Marvin, was along for the day.
As we were walking along harry said "There's a Blue Ringed Octopus!"

Please keep in mind that he had never seen one before...except in books.
A spectacular find indeed, especially considering we were nearly 1Km from the ocean on a river tidal flat in an area as far south as these creatures have been reported.

With tentacles folded underneath, it was looking like a brownish rock with a few little bright flecks...something, no doubt, that would impel small fish to have a closer look.

Once disturbed, carefully, it began to display its full " leave me alone or else" colouration.
Vivid neon blue rings embedded in a golden body.

It was not an aggressive creature and, once it had a good study of us, was happily on its way.
This last shot showing the shape of the creature under locomotion.

Blue ringed Octopus have a "Beak" under all those legs not unlike that of a parrot.
They can deliver a toxin that shuts down breathing for a time ( not a healthy thing to happen)
and so should be left alone.
Once an octopus has hold of you, even a small one such as this, you may find it hard to put down due to the suckers having such good grip over a wide variety of surface textures.
They are intelligent and inquisitive creatures who can change shape readily.
One that I heard of, on display to the public, was given "toys" to keep it amused and had the habit of pulling the plug on its aquarium.

Rip, Bust and Tear

2009-06-05T13:26:00.006+10:00

The world is a sad place indeed when concession to green groups is feared and denied.
Especially when the content of the concession is not an issue.

I have borrowed this text and following photo from Denis's site to illustrate:

...........................................

"The farmers of NSW who were threatened by coal mining had little choice in going with the Greens - even though they might not be regarded as natural Greens constituents. Many would surely be more naturally regarded as either "old-money Liberals" or Nationals supporters (remember when they were the Country Party?). However, only Lee Rhiannon (the sponsor of this Bill) and the other Greens had shown much interest at all in opposing coal mining under prime agricultural land. When the Greens proposed this Bill, it seemed the farmers' only hope of gaining Legislative support. So, naturally they supported the Bill.

But the Bill was defeated precisely because it was sponsored by The Greens.

UPDATE: Hansard Extract - part of Speech by Rev'd the Hon Fred Nile, MLC:
"That is why I cannot support this bill. It is not because of the content; it is because the bill will give the Greens greater ability to blow their trumpets and claim a great victory in this State, and give them further political oxygen. During my time in this Parliament I have been working hard to deny political oxygen to the Greens." Fred Nile - 4 May 2009.
You may go to the Hansard link above to read the full debate."
(Extract and photo courtesy of Denis Wilson)

...................................................

Do greenies make a dollar from preserving wilderness or farmland from mining giants?
Who benefits from the food grown, or the clean air we breathe?
What is an economy when it ultimately leads, in its present state, to a wasteland of body, soul and mind?
These, and other, questions have been raised in Gaye's and Denis's sites this week.
Both make a thought provoking read.

Soldier Crabs revisited

2009-06-04T14:45:00.003+10:00

The tides were low around lunch time again today, around the time I last saw the soldier crabs on the move, so I headed out to the tidal flats to take another look.
Sure enough they were marching across the sand in vast numbers.

The Ibis paid them no heed though, at my approach, they( the crabs) quickly started to dig themselves in again.
I was intent on observing behavior other than running like hell and digging a hole, so I skirted around them using some mangroves as a screen to get closer.

Dont let anyone tell you that taking nature shots is clean, dry, or in any way pleasant a majority of the time.
Sitting on the wet sand, keeping dead still, I was able to observe them at about 2 meters distance doing their regular thing...foraging, and fighting.

I found the postures they adopted rather comical, though wondered if this was a territory thing or if I was witnessing mating.
No crab came to harm during these encounters, claws held high with legs usually in matched positioning.

Considering the huge groups these strange creatures move around in, this behavior is rather sporadic and not an overly regular event.
I was not able to notice differences in the crabs performing these actions other than a slight variation of colouring on their sides (can be seen in the above shot).
All in all it was an interesting experience to be surrounded by so many of these crabs.
I made sure I didnt sit TOO still though.
They seem very efficient at cleaning up anything that does!
...and those Ibis?
Well, they could be found looking for worms brought to the surface by the recent rains.

Big Bird Dogfights

2009-05-30T19:06:00.004+10:00

The intermittent rain took a break this afternoon and a walk along a local beach to look for sponges sounded like just the thing.
On the way our exploration party took a break for some light refreshments when two Sea Eagles were spotted some distance off.

A fight for prey was going on, the mid air acrobatics a sight to see.

The victor headed to the forest with its prize.

The battle left the partially devoured prey in a bit of a state, so much so that a portion fell to earth as the Eagle flew off.
I was interested to see what had been caught, so approached to where the portion was dropped and discovered this....

...remains of what seem to be a Fairy Penguin.
I was not aware that the Sea Eagle, although a big bird, would take on such large prey.
Perhaps it was scavenged, already dead.
Either way a good meal for a large an majestic hunter.

I was glad to see that the kids were not fazed by the grizzly find, rather accepting the roles played out by hunter and hunted, fascinated by the unusual sight they had witnessed.

Soldier Crabs on the march

2009-05-23T16:16:00.010+10:00

Recently I was able to film these Soldier Crabs (Mictyris longicarpus) working over the low tide sand flats.
Usually not so visible during the day, I was privileged to see over a thousand in three groups on the move.
They quickly buried themselves as I approached, disappearing within a minute.

Coming in from the cold

2009-05-12T11:16:00.004+10:00

Although ocean temps have been high, with bluebottles and coconuts on our local beach, air temps have been steadily falling.
With the first frosts not far away and snow already falling on the Snowy mountains, this coming winter is shaping up to be a cold one.
The Northern Hemisphere is coming back from a particularly cold winter and it looks like our turn to rug up is not far away.
Considering the upcoming chill, I was interested to capture this Orchard Butterfly caterpillar busily munching away at my lemon tree leaves.

The last time I came across one of these guys was in Jan 2008 .
Being surrounded with vast fields we also have a minor plague of field mice at the moment.
This keeps my collection of snakes happy as their response indicates they taste better :)
Other critters have come in from the cold, such as this centipede.

Only a baby, it measured about 25cm.
The presence of a few butterflies showing that not everyone is ready to accept winter is on its way.

Charged Storms

2009-04-06T11:31:00.003+10:00

Last Friday night a huge storm passed overhead.

With a 70% probability prediction it was no surprise when the clouds rolled in.

What was of surprise was the dramatic light show that was put on.

The storm approached from the West producing many discharges of electricity, though only a small percentage earthed to the ground.

The following shots are reproduced from video footage I took, so the quality is a little poor though it gives an idea of the extent of the action that took place.

During the height of the storm lightning activity approached a strike every few seconds.

Little rain fell, though what did fall was quite heavy.

Emerald Spotted Tree Frog catching a moth

2009-03-31T16:56:00.002+11:00

After previous posts regarding the Emerald Spotted Tree Frog, I was able to video this creature successfully hunting moths on my veranda.
The capture has been repeated in slow motion to give a clearer idea how this creature stuffs its mouth with an object so large in comparison to itself.

"The Earth goddess turned it on"

2009-03-30T07:28:00.011+11:00

What can I say about a great statement such as "The Earth Goddess turned it on" coming from naturalist Denis Wilson other than it was good enough to be the title of this post.
I hope you found your visit good fun. We all did here ...even though Petra has to make another batch of rocky road :)
Denis and I, just like old times, hit the road again to look for some of natures wonders.
His post on our travels can be found here.
The variety we saw was amazing, such is the diversity of life on the far south east coast.

Denis out amongst the tall grasses at the verge of a tidal lake while a Swamp Wallaby watches from a safe distance.

Farmers are to be found everywhere, with this ant checking on its Scale Insects.

Another farmer is the Bell minor, pictured below, with the Lerps they farm.

We were at a spot where the Bell birds were thick, and Denis imitated another bird.
To our surprise we were instantly surrounded by about six Bell birds eager to chase us out of their Lerp farm. Seems that they like to eat the casings of the Lerp and move the creatures up to sap producing leaves - protecting them from intruders.

That didn't stop us giving the casings a go, finding them mildly sweet to the taste.
You would need quite a few in your cuppa though :)

Tidal environments can be found way inland sometimes and it was in a little creek that these two crabs were found.

The one with the orange claws I believe to be male and, as the other approached his hole he began to show a defensive posture, though relaxed with her crabby charms.
Seems that some things are universal :)

This Toad fish is evidence proper of the tidal nature of the creek.
An interesting creature that is the bane of any fisherman.

While at the creek this Golden Whistler was lucky to catch a moth for lunch.

This White Throated Tree Creeper also found an insect while using its large clawed feet to navigate the vertical surface of this tree.

This Restless Flycatcher was living up to its name also within this limited, though diverse, area.

Just as tidal creatures can be found way inland, so can inland creatures be found rather close to the sea.
Within splashing distance of high tide I found these mosquito larvae.

Pelicans and Seagulls alike did well from the scraps of the bountiful catch that the sea provided for two fishermen.

The day ended well with a trip to Mimosa Rocks for a little scenery.

Later that night, with all larger predators safely tucked up in their nests and such, another show began.

This large Huntsman presented itself sporting an infestation of Mites.
It allowed Denis and I to photograph it repeatedly without a flinch, giving the impression that it was not in the best of health with its hitchhikers.

Even a Preying Mantis was out and about keeping an eye on the mass of moths that were circling the veranda lights.

All in all a great show for the day, and great to have Denis come down to share the wonders of this varied environment with me.

This last shot was taken some 3 days earlier around some small watercourses near Tathra.

Reptiles are the flavour next time Denis.
I look forward to seeing you then.

More of nature's antics

2009-03-19T16:27:00.002+11:00

Magpies are very interesting creatures to watch.
You never know what they will get up to next.
This inquisitive bird has found a piece of tennis ball.
I imagine that it would make a good nest liner, though nesting is over and it looks like this bird was hatched from this breeding season.
More evidence of play with a purpose perhaps.

Then there was this little frog I found today.
Looking almost black in colour, I thought I had found another species, though it turned out to be a juvenile Emerald spotted tree frog.
This individual had colour coordinated himself to his dark surrounds and can be seen somewhat lighter in the second shot.
It eventually ended up tan in colour over a 5 min period.

Nature is full of surprises with nothing quite what it seems.
Sometimes it takes a second look to make sure.

NSW far south coast panoramas

2009-03-12T09:31:00.006+11:00

With busy weeks recently I have found little time to take photos, let alone upload new material to this site.
I thought a couple of pano's of the area in which I live would be well received by those of you who regularly visit my humble nature blog.

All shots are taken within 30 Km of me.
The area consists of coastal bushland, farms ( mainly dairy) and scattered small towns and villages.
Coastal plains are bounded by small mountain ranges inland, with an abundance of tidal lakes and estuary's.
Soil types vary greatly from eroded metamorphic clays to black soils and basalt.
These differing soils and landscapes produce a variety of ecosystems ranging from temperate rain forest to iron bark stands, spotted gums and marshlands.

As Autumn sets in I am interested to view the changes in these environs for the first time, posting what I find.

these photos are best clicked on to be viewed full size.
They were made via photoshop and have 4-5 photos knitted together to produce the pano.

Australian Bushfire Sunsets

2009-02-25T10:09:00.003+11:00

Living amongst bushland in Australia is one of the most pleasurable places to be as a nature photographer though, as the tragic fires in Victoria have shown, conditions can change quickly.

I live more than 500Km from the areas still under threat and was woken around 4am EST Yesterday to the strong smell of smoke.
Checking the house first, I then surveyed the surrounding bushland for any signs of fire.
As the sun rose, the surrounds thick with smoke haze, visibility was down to under a kilometer.
Later that day I saw the "chopper report" for traffic in Sydney.
Located some 1000Km from the fires, prevailing winds had carried the smoke as far as there, with reduced visibility on the motorways.

These following photos demonstrate, to some degree, the extent of those fires.
This first photo was taken on Sun afternoon before the prevailing winds brought the smoke haze in, though some smoke particles are evident in the "raying" of the light.

This next shot was taken on the Tuesday afternoon showing the redness of the sky, the sun setting through thick haze from those distant fires.

With tomorrow predicted to be a bad day for containment of the fires in Victoria, my thoughts and best wishes go out to all concerned in battling those blazes.
With changes in environmental conditions, bad fire days are expected to become more frequent in the following years and decades.
Investigations into how the toll on life and property could be reduced will follow soon.
Two incredible survival stories that came to light involved the survivors taking refuge in "bunkers" of sorts. One was located alongside a concrete water tank of some size. The water would have acted as a heat buffer I imagine.
With fires as ferocious as the ones we have seen in Victoria, a suitable place of shelter may be a good legislative change when escape is not an option.

Magpie Antics

2009-02-13T11:55:00.004+11:00

Magpies are known for their antics ( and occasional swooping), so I was glad to get these shots the other day.
The post in the picture is a star picket with a plastic tube around it.
Grass is growing through the top.

One magpie stands atop the post, with casual interest to his mate and then seems to keep watch.
The other Magpie flies up and grabs the grass in its beak.
With nothing to hold on to ( the plastic tube is quite slippery) it hangs there by its beak swinging on the grass.
It did this for some time and, if it was attempting to catch a meal, would have found it most unsuccessful with a mouth full of lawn .
It did not attempt to remove any of the grass, nor did it seem to catch anything.

I had the impression it was mucking around.

With young Magpies having flown the coop, I have seen many experimenting with hunting methods.
Perhaps this was play with a purpose.

Environmental Changes afoot

2009-02-05T11:09:00.009+11:00

This post is in reply to a comment made by Denis Wilson recently, which raises the subject of shifting environmental patterns - a subject of interest to me, as I have moved to a new set of climatic conditions of late.

The section of his comment bearing relevance to this post is:

"........Its still dry in Robbo (well, mists, but no rain. Hillsides around Roboo have gone brown, would you believe it?
So too dry for much fungal activity here. You must have caught some local thunderstorm activity. Dry to the south (Victoria) and to the north. Interesting." Denis Wilson

I feel it is very interesting also.
Please look at the map provided below.
It comes from the D.T. Brown seed company (hey,I'm using their image..A free add for their seeds is no problem).

Look at the climatic "interchange" on the NSW / Vict East coast ( purple/blue).

It is my belief that this interchange existed, some 30 years ago, around Wollongong.
I believe it to exist around Batemans Bay at the present time.

This interchange does not rely on geographic situations to manifest itself, it relies on weather patterns involving subtleties including, though not limited to, ice sheet sizes in Antarctica and coastal water temperatures.

One important piece of evidence to support this idea, of a shifted interchange, is the spectacular event known as a "Southerly Buster" - a wave of cloud, moving at incredible speeds from South to North, bringing cool air and relief from high temperatures.
It has been 30 years since I have seen a good one in the Wollongong area...whereas, in my new location south of Batemans bay, I have seen 2 good ones in a 6 month period and a handful of smaller events.
Another event sadly missing north of me is the afternoon thunder storm.
As a child in Wollongong you could expect that a huge, though short lived, thunderstorm would give a cooling end to a hot sunny day...not as regular any more, though still a regular event down south.

Why do I believe this interchange to be situated around Batemans Bay?
Move south of there and early summer can be raging NE winds...not so further north.
Observed cloud patterns on BOM showing interchange events.
Temp differences noticeable North and south of that area.
I would even suggest that rainfall in the Batemans Bay area, on average, has decreased less over the last 30 years in relation to areas further north, keeping in mind that rainfall has been decreasing statewide for many years.

There is a red section on the map (in SA and WA)..this is a different climatic condition again.
I believe it to have spread across southern Victoria providing the hotter, drier conditions experienced there of late.

So, what does it all mean?

Climatic changes and less stability within those climates.
Adapt or perish cry the evolutionists.
Sadly much will perish.
New environments are being created all over the world within lifetimes.
With new climatic conditions must come new solutions.
Oh to live in interesting times.

UPDATE (16.02.09):
Recently Robertson, and surrounding areas got some rain (see Post by Denis Wilson)
I was able to monitor this activity, courtesy of the BOM website located here.
I have included a few shots, taken over nearly a 3 hour period, of the storm.
I found it interesting that the activity was limited to a little north of Batemans Bay and that the storm remained basically stationary during that time.
Also look at the way the storm moved at its South Western end.
It seems that an air flow drove the storm, at that point, to the east while the rest of the storm remained stationary. This looks to me like a classic "eddy" with a flow of air to the south, around Batemans Bay, helping to contain the storm within the area.
I would suggest that a similar situation existed above the storm north of Port Macquarie.
Credit, and thanks, to the BOM for the following shots.

I will monitor this area for the proposed interchange event I have suggested and make additions to this post as material supporting this theory presents itself.

Humid weather sparks fungal growth

2009-02-04T09:34:00.005+11:00

Humid weather following rain has brought forth a variety of fungi this week and, since it has been a while, I thought a couple of posts on these strange and varied lifeforms would not go astray.

These varieties pictured below are particularly fond of the litter at the base of pine trees, so it is no surprise that I saw them amongst pine bark chips today.

Looking quite decayed, these flies thought it a good place to reproduce.

This form has also appeared after the rains.

Seems that the weather is just right for fungi of many types.

A Mega Moth

2009-01-30T09:45:00.004+11:00

As a child I was always getting in trouble for leaving the light on at night.
It wasn't that I was afraid of the dark.
It was that I found if I left the fly screen slightly ajar I could find moths caught there for study in the morning.
Once in a while I would capture a monster of the moth world. The ones with the "eyes" on the wings were particularly fascinating.

The moth photographed below wasn't overly pretty, though it was reasonably large
(around 120mm head to wing end).
Perhaps the largest I have seen in a while.

I have no open wing shots, as it would have required damaging the creature to get them. Never an option.

I have looked on the CSIRO site do deal with all things "mothy", though couldn't get a good ID.
For those of you who share a fascination of these creatures, interesting none the less.

Aliens arrive

2009-01-29T09:58:00.006+11:00

Its official..Aliens have arrived!
These shots of crop circles taken today are proof positive of extraterrestrial intervention.

Well, not exactly :)
These strange shapes in the lawn I believe to be caused by spiders

These "nests" are between 300- 800mm in diameter, and kill the grass within the tangle of web.

In the morning dew I have seen such webs from spiders before, though never to such effect.
I feel that a mass of spiderlings have hatched somewhere in the centre and have spread out.
I am not 100% sure on this...and am open to correction :)

So, no need to call the "men in black", 'cause the aliens are terrestrial after all :)

UPDATE 04.02.09:
I have had a few confirmations, along the lines of the comment by Denis Wilson, that the growth is of a fungal nature.
The "outbreak" occurred after heavy rain and humid conditions.
The circles have not grown any larger since this original post, though the grass has died fully, and green regrowth is spreading from the centre.
Very strange.
I have another yellow fungi that has appeared in the garden that is most unusual, and will try to do a post on it today.

Sea waves, Sand waves and Light waves

2009-01-28T13:53:00.004+11:00

Last year around June the world powerboat circumnavigation record was broken
by the vessel pictured below. Earthrace.

Built from Carbon fibre, it is designed as a wave piercing trimaran.
Cutting through the waves, the windscreen designed to withstand 7M of water above it, it runs on bio diesel, and is extremely enviro friendly ( and an exiting ride).
Arriving as it did on Jan 19Th this year in Bermagui provided for some interesting shots and discussions with the crew.
It has been touring the world, with over 150,000 visitors on board to date, promoting enviro design through development of ideas.

The following waves are quite different.
The Ant lions trap, pictured in the following 3 shots, is constructed at an angle to allow passing insects to be drawn to the bottom of the funnel through the action of sand flicked at the prey by the Ant lion below.

And yet another type of waves.
The light waves returning from this orchid are no doubt registering in the ultra violet to signal potential pollinators.
It is very attractive in the visual spectrum also.

Does any one know the pollinator?

More good rainfall

2009-01-25T07:23:00.003+11:00

Huge storms have kept things green and cool over summer last week.
With not the best lightning shots in hand, I still thought it worth a post due to the great rainfall received.
One storm even dumped a mass of hail in Bermagui that was enough to make it look like snowfall had occurred ( you should ALWAYS carry a camera :P )

With recent trips to Canberra and surrounds, I observed last weeks storms from various areas and noted them all to be small in size though full of potential and numerous.
It was possible to bask in sun and extreme temperatures and watch an electrically charged torrent pass by.
This following picture, though not showing strikes, illustrates well the size of these storms.
As it passes, stars are visible with the clouds lit by the frequent discharges of electricity.

Return from Summer Break

2009-01-09T07:47:00.008+11:00

Well this Summer Break proved to be one of interest with friends and relatives over from Europe.
They were all surprised( including my side of the family) to find out that Petra and I had gone off to " tie the knot " 4 weeks earlier up at Carrington Falls in a small personal ceremony with 2 friends to act as witnesses for our great day....hey call it artistic expression.

Congrats to RayRay on the shots...you didn't do bad at all mate :)

...Anyway, once everything had settled down(lol) it was time for a little Aussie tour.
What better place to start than the roof of Australia....

Insects will live almost everywhere, and the warmer months of this Alpine environment are alive with a variety of forms.

It was cool, although the sun was quite hot.
There was even some scattered snow on the peaks...

Another national park we visited was the first such park in the world.
Royal National Park, just south of Sydney, has recovered well from the 90 percent burn of 2000.
The heath lands have greened remarkably from the ashen state I saw after the fires.
Audley is a good spot for a picnic with a friendly ranger pointing out this little guy...An Eastern Dwarf Tree frog. At around 1cm in length, its aptly named.

The Eastern coast of Australia holds many environments, and species...Including birds such as this King Parrot.

... and these huge orb weavers with circular webs over 2m in diameter

Coastal birds..like these pelican... travel way inland top have their young, only to return in warmer months for the great fishing of the far south coast.

Yep...good fishing down here :)

Hoping all had a good Xmas, and a Happy New Year.
May this year be prosperous and safe.

Amphibian Invasion

2008-12-08T11:35:00.006+11:00

With Summer more than a week old already, insects of all shapes and sizes have been attracted to my veranda light... and the numbers and variety are on the increase.

Large christmas beetles have arrived (25mm) and I must have seen at least 20 types of moth in all shapes and sizes.
It is these moths that have attracted a number of Emerald Spotted Tree Frogs to my doorstep.
The behaviour they exibit in capturing these moths is fasciating.

Firstly they will climb the brick wall....

Then adopt the strike position.....

It is a matter of launching at the next insect that comes within reach, and landing safely on the decking located often 1.5M below to consume their catch.

Im looking forward to getting a vid of this action, and will post it as soon as I do.

Running on honey (2), a Bell Bird, and a storm

2008-12-01T15:58:00.005+11:00

On a walk back home today I got a few more bird shots.

Seems that the profusion of flower species laden with nectar are attracting some attention.

The parrots were a treat with their colourful forms and antics...

..and Finally... a Bell bird.

I have found these guys almost impossible to photograph..

(so if my ID is wrong..let me down easy..ok?) lol

...and just so this blog isn't all about avians (been a few posts lately :) ) ...here's a shot of the storm that covered a good 2/3rds of NSW last week.

This shot was taken a little out of Quaama on the far south coast of NSW as it arrived.

Little Stinker

2008-11-26T14:13:00.006+11:00

Petra and I were on a trip the other day when we stopped, along with a lovely lady from Narooma Sawmill, to rescue some Eastern Long necked Tortoises that were crossing the road.

These ancient reptiles are out finding mates at the moment, and many have run-ins with cars as they cross roads to check out whats happening in the next billabong...you know, the grass is always greener :)

...anyway Petra and I relocated these guys to a safer spot, though not before finding out why they, amongst other more poetic names, are called " Little Stinker".

Seems that, when disturbed, they emit a pungent liquid from glands and groin.

A bloke at a road stop, who was on his way back from NT, supplied some soap. (cheers)

Some tortoises also can carry a thing called "Pentasamids" .. a nasty 5 "legged" microbe linked to the formation of cysts in humans...always good to wash after handling them.

These Tortoises are upside down for the shot with Petra and I ( to capture more clearly the design of the lower shell in relation to the top). It is not recommended to hold them that way for extended periods.

In relation to calling them a "tortoise", the Australian museum has this to say:

"The terms turtle and tortoise are often used interchangeably and can cause some confusion. In the past, all freshwater turtles were called tortoises and marine turtles were called turtles. The more recent convention has been to restrict the term 'tortoise' to the purely land-dwelling species. As such, Australia has no tortoises."

More on the tortoise, and many other creatures, can be found on their site here.

Winged Hunters

2008-11-25T13:45:00.001+11:00

The call of baby magpies wanting food have been frequent and loud around the area, and it was a repeated call the other day that annoyed me enough to grab a camera and see what was all the fuss.

I was able to get the following shots......

Looks like the dinner bell is ringing......

A quick shake to make sure its ready to eat.....

Quite a catch......a mouse!

I was not able to get a shot of the offering taken, as the supplier of that massive meal decided that a worm was a better treat for baby... and kept the catch for itself!

Looking at the size of the offspring I would imagine the message goes:

Its a big world out there...send me a postcard :)

More bird antics

2008-11-19T13:37:00.006+11:00

Here are a few shots to follow up my earlier post "Thinking about Spring"

All this renewal has been partially fueled by a corresponding explosion in insect life...some of which is below..

Many ant nests seen recently have had winged pioneers heading out to start new colonies...

Even the arachnids have been active...with this Wolf Spider only too happy to have his photo taken...

Yes, its been all go this spring.

Summer is almost upon us as the first of the cicada began to call over the last week.

Running on Honey

2008-11-18T12:59:00.001+11:00

Bird life is prolific at the moment and I was able to catch this Honey eater in the act today.

Not happy with a stationary shot, I decided to see what he looked like in motion.

The following shots are at around 1/600 of a second...giving an idea of how quick this guy is.

Seems a diet high in sugars is good for those on the move :)

The light was dimming as I took these, so my shutter speed was limited (I balk at using an ISO over 200).

I will attempt a faster series of shots soon, and may just get him crisp at 1/1600 sec.

Warmer waters, Warmer days

2008-11-07T10:16:00.004+11:00

Despite fluctuations, well worn trends are being followed in regards to the weather.
Warmer ocean currents are heading south, and this can be seen by the arrival of the surfers best friend..the Bluebottle.

The beach, with an onshore wind, was covered with them.
At the shoreline I would estimate at least 20 every meter square...thank goodness the surf was nothing special :)
The sting from these creatures is not too bad, though some are affected worse than others. Considering the numbers present in the water, caution would be a good course of action.

With intermittent sun peeking through the clouds, I was able to capture a shot of one of my favorite small insects..The Hover Fly.

Always a challenge to capture well, due to its quick and erratic movements, It was a pleasure to get this shot...one of 30 taken.

My trip to Twofold Bay was not very successful, with a majority of the Whales having moved on south on their way to Antarctica. I will have to await their return around June.

Whale of a time

2008-10-30T12:46:00.005+11:00

Whale migration has been well underway for some time now.
Yesterday I got down to the headlands to check the action.
In a 2 hour period I must have spotted 20 or more humpback Whales...many with calf.

I saw a couple of Killer Whales also...and one very carefree seal ( pictured below).

With a trip planned to Twofold Bay next weekend perhaps I will have more shots on offer...with a good breach shot on the wish list.