# Western Australa 2 -- Kalbarri part 1



## moloch05 (Nov 11, 2008)

Kalbarri National Park was the second stop on our trip to the west. This park is about a 7 hour drive north of Perth and it is one of my favourite places in Western Australia. The park is in the heart of the wild flower country and it has an incredibly rich flora. I will be posting many flower shots in the second of the Kalbarri posts.

Angie and I spent two nights in the town of Kalbarri. On our one full day in the area, we headed out to the gorge section of Kalbarri National Park for a walk one morning. The walk was not long, only 8 km, and it followed the meandering gorge carved by the Murchison River. The river has exposed rocks that were once the floor of an ancient sea. The walls of the gorge were red from the abundant iron oxides that were deposited over the millennia. The views were stunning and I would highly recommend the walk to anyone who visits this incredible national park. Below are a number of shots from the walk:










































Eucalyptus in the gorge had smooth, white bark. Mulga trees and bottlebrush were also abundant.






The habitat in the gorge was completely different to that in the sand country above the gorge. There were few flowering shrubs but many annuals.






The most common reptile that we encountered was the Long-nosed Dragon (_Amphibolurus longirostre_). These lizards can be wary but on this day, they all allowed me to approach closely. I suppose that this had to do with the mild rather than hot temperatures. These lizards, along with Gilbert's Dragons, are sometimes known as "Ta-ta" lizards due the way that they wave their front legs at an intruder. One male began waving when I approached. Later, it also bobbed its head to try to get me to move away.
... females










... males











This is a lousy photo but it was a new skink to me. This _Morethia butleri_ was sunning on the trunk of a Mulga Tree. It was one of three possible _Morethia _skinks from Kalbarri but it was the only individual of this genus that I encountered. 






Kalbarri is the home of several species of _Ctenotus_ skinks. Members of this genus are often hard to identify but I think by range and pattern that this would be a _C. fallens_, a fairly widespread species in the west.











I was very excited once when I saw a strange brown tail disappear into a crevice. I did not notice the fur and could not think what "lizard" it might be. I sat and waited a few minutes to eventually see this cute little marsupial emerge. I believe that it was a Fat-tailed Dunnart, a small, carnivourous marsupial.






My wife, Angie, at "The Window" near the start/end of the walk. My wife is not interested in birds or reptiles but she loves travel as long as I don't take her too far out into the outback. For some strange reason, she does not find these remote, hot, dusty, fly-infested habitats to be all that interesting even after a great deal of training. I am lucky, though, that she does love walking as long as conditions are not too harsh.






I went night driving on of our nights in Kalbarri. As usual, the nights were cool and windy and it rained on my second night in the park. I found a single snake in two nights of driving, a Southern Shovel-nosed Snake (_Brachyurophis semifasciatus_). This little elapid is a reptile egg specialist so it would not doubt be eating often at the moment since so many geckos were carrying eggs.
















Geckos were numerous. I saw several Western Stone Geckos (_Diplodactylis granariensis_). Most looked like these two:











... but one was different and very nicely marked. I am not certain but I think that it was a Western Stone Gecko rather than the similar Ornate Gecko (_Diplodacytlus ornatus_) 











This was my third trip to Kalbarri National Park but it was the first time that I found Beautiful Geckos (_Diplodactylus pulcher_). 
















I saw a few White-spotted Ground Geckos (_Lucasium alboguttatum_):











Soft Spiny-tailed Geckos (_Strophurus spinigerus_) were abundant, but I failed to find any Western Spiny-tailed Geckos (_Strophurus strophurus_) as I have on earlier visits. _Strophurus_ are certainly photogenic lizards with their incredible eyes.





















I only found a single Smooth Knob-tailed Gecko (_Nephrurus levis occidentalis_):






I also found a Tessallated Gecko (_Heteronotia binoei_) that I was not able to photograph and this Variegated Gecko (_Gehyra variegata_):






It rained while I was driving on my second night at Kalbarri. Most geckos disappeared by I saw a few Soft Spiny-tailed Geckos walking around with water dripping off their backs. Frogs appeared almost as soon as the rains commenced. I saw several species including these plump Western Spotted Frogs (_Heleioporus albopunctatus_):
















I am not certain about the identity of this frog. It looks like a member of _Neobatrachis_ but I did not hear the call which is the best feature for separating the similar species. To me, it most resembles a Kunapalari Frog (_Neobatrachis kunapalari_) but I cannot be certain as to the identity.

















I also saw many of these tiny toadlets. It looks the most like a Western Toadlet (_Pseudophryne occidentalis_) to me but I am not certain of this identification.







Regards,
David


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## shane14 (Nov 11, 2008)

WOW awesome stuff there


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## Chrisreptile (Nov 11, 2008)

As per usual David, they are some spectacular images


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## disasterpiece7.0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Amazing landscape and wildlife.


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## warren63 (Nov 11, 2008)

Great !!!


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## froggyboy86 (Nov 11, 2008)

Great photos David, I like the _H. albopunctatus_. They are one of my favourite frogs. I think you are correct with your _Neobatrachus_ ID, but there are possibly 4 species converging in Kalbarri NP. If it was larger than 4cm it is most likely _N. kunapalari_ because the others don't seem to get this large. Your _Pseudophryne_ looks like a Guenther's Toadlet (_Pseudophryne guentheri_) based on the skin ridges above the shoulder _P. occidentalis_ is usually smooth skinned. Did you find the _Pseudophryne_ walking across open ground?

Aaron


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## mrmikk (Nov 11, 2008)

Beautiful Pics, I love that landscape that has no semblance of human interference. Great pics


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## carpetmuncher (Nov 12, 2008)

you should get out more !!!!!!


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## moloch05 (Nov 12, 2008)

Thanks, everyone.

That was excellent info Aaron. Thanks! Based on the 4cm rule, the frog would have been _N. kunapalari_ size it was farily large. The little _Pseudophryne_ was walking on the road during a light shower. I saw a number of these little frogs that seem to like to run or walk rather than hop.


Regards,
David


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## moosenoose (Nov 12, 2008)

Really fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing


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## froggyboy86 (Nov 12, 2008)

moloch05 said:


> The little _Pseudophryne_ was walking on the road during a light shower. I saw a number of these little frogs that seem to like to run or walk rather than hop.


 
Thats great David, I've never been lucky enough to see a _Pseudophryne_ wandering around in the open - I think they like to see me on my hands and knees looking for them :lol: 

Aaron


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## herpkeeper (Nov 12, 2008)

excellent pics !


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## Reptilian (Nov 12, 2008)

Absolutely awesome, I need to buy me a landcruiser or patrol to go travelling/herping in...I miss the bush...


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## driftr (Nov 12, 2008)

excellent post, the photos are great. thank you
just shows i need to explore our beautiful country alot more


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## lizardman59 (Dec 3, 2010)

great pics mate


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