# Season start - Brigalow Belt QLD



## Australis (Sep 21, 2008)

Seeing as i moaned and complained at the lack of a field forum
here on this website - i should at least contribute something to it.

*Season start - Brigalow Belt QLD*

After a bitterly cold winter here in the Brigalow Belt with many sub-zero nights
the warmer weather has been a long time coming, a much appreciated change.

Heres some of what ive come across in my travels and managed to photograph.

First few runs turned up very little with night time temperatures still on the chilly
side i only encountered the odd gecko and frog but no shortage of mammals and
the most common the humble Echidna, its always a comical sight seeing one at a
full speed waddle crossing the road.






Two gecko species that are often out and about even on cool windy nights.

G.dubia





Bynoes Gecko





Ornate Burrowing frogs are also a common sight and due to how highly variable
they are in colour and pattern its always worth taking a closer look.










I think this was actually the first Persons Tree frog ive seen in QLD 
(although they're certainly not uncommon) 





This was the first (live) Carpet ive seen since moving inland from the coast, it was a long
and slender individual, it was also missing an eye (not shown in photograph).





With the warmer nights geckos were increasingly active and the number of species active
increased with most of these roaming males (not necessarily those pictured).
For this season i had wanted to see a few of the species of terrestrial geckos that call
this region home..i mainly wanted to see Thick Tailed geckos and Stone geckos, but 
ended up seeing a few more.

Box Patterned Geckos:










Fat-tailed Gecko:





Thick-tailed Geckos:










Stone Gecko:





N.asper:





Also the stunning Golden Tailed Gecko:










A relative of the Gecko - Burton's are always commonly encountered at night
on the road and occasionally encountered before the sun goes down, although
ive seen heaps of them, a first for me was seeing one mimic a snake (i assume)
and flicker its tongue as it raised its head as i approached, would of been worth
videoing.

Burton's:










DOR - V.tristis orientalis:





Brown Tree Snake:









Small Elapids made up the majority of snakes encountered.
Suta suta:





Dwyer's snake:





Small eyed snake:





Carpenteria snake:





Lastly a couple of photos of the habitat and flora.

















Please don't post asking locality info, as refusal may offend - 
Matt.


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## nathancl (Sep 21, 2008)

love them


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## Rocky (Sep 21, 2008)

Excellent photos. That was a great read.


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## method (Sep 22, 2008)

Great stuff Australis, some excellent looking specimens you've found.


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## Australis (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks.

I love them to Nath - in fact im about to run out the door 
now to see some again hopefully - 

Matt


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## Clairebear (Sep 22, 2008)

Very nice! Nothing better than seeing reptiles in the wild.


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## Hetty (Sep 22, 2008)

Nice photos Matt 

The Brown Tree Snake looked happy to see you


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## zulu (Sep 22, 2008)

*re Season*

Some great pics there Matt!


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## dragozz (Sep 22, 2008)

Great photos, must have been great to see them in their natural habitat.


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## melgalea (Sep 22, 2008)

WOW MATT
you really are very lucky to see all that. i wish we had the privlidge of having all of those species in and around brisbane. ... well if they are around, i have never seen them. lol
stunning photos and finds.


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## mysnakesau (Sep 22, 2008)

wow, wish I could find that much when I go out. They are a lovely collection of photos Matt.

I've seen 3 echidna's so far this spring.

oops posted this is wrong thread. Sorry


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## callith (Sep 22, 2008)

WOW, awesome pictures


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## SCam (Sep 22, 2008)

wow great pics mate


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## cement (Sep 27, 2008)

Thats a nice looking spot with nice inhabitants there Matt. 
Will check out the nirvana soon and keep you posted. Cheers


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## jaih (Sep 27, 2008)

Nice pics.I haven't seen an echidna for a while.


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## BenReyn (Sep 27, 2008)

Great stuff Australis


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## iceman (Oct 23, 2008)

great pic's Australis.


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## Colin (Oct 23, 2008)

whats the easiest way to tell the difference between a Small Eyed Snake and a Carpentaria Snake without having to rifle through ID books?


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## Australis (Oct 23, 2008)

Colin said:


> whats the easiest way to tell the difference between a Small Eyed Snake and a Carpentaria Snake without having to rifle through ID books?



I guess for me its the head shape mostly - but after you see a few of each you "just know"
not sure how else to explain that, im not really the greatest at ID'ing things half the time.


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## Colin (Oct 24, 2008)

Australis said:


> I guess for me its the head shape mostly - but after you see a few of each you "just know"
> not sure how else to explain that, im not really the greatest at ID'ing things half the time.



ok thanks for that Australis. Great pics by the way.


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## insectovor (Oct 24, 2008)

That goanna seems like Varanus scalaris to me. Nice photos

Cheers


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## junglepython2 (Oct 24, 2008)

Nice thread Aust.


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## sigridshurte (Oct 24, 2008)

you have been very busy by the looks of it. thanks for sharing .very nice


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## Australis (Oct 25, 2008)

insectovor said:


> That goanna seems like Varanus scalaris to me. Nice photos
> 
> Cheers



Its definitely a Varanus tristis (ssp). 
It was also hundreds of K's outside of scalaris's range.


Matt.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 25, 2008)

nice pics matt, you been out any more since you posted the thread? the monitor looks like tristis orrientalis to me aswell


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## LullabyLizard (Oct 25, 2008)

Wow you found a heap of animals!


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## AUSGECKO (Oct 25, 2008)

Awesome pics Australis!!


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## Australis (Oct 25, 2008)

ryanharvey1993 said:


> nice pics matt, you been out any more since you posted the thread? the monitor looks like tristis orrientalis to me aswell



Hi Ryan,
Ive been out a lot since posting this thread,all these photos 
were from just two quick runs.
Its been really cold the last few nights as most east coasters
would know, so not much about.
Last night just Burtons, G.dubia and a single dwyers snake
aswell as a couple of random marsupials.
Hopefully have more luck over the next few days.

How about yourself, seeing many critters?

Matt.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 25, 2008)

Australis said:


> Hi Ryan,
> Ive been out a lot since posting this thread,all these photos
> were from just two quick runs.
> Its been really cold the last few nights as most east coasters
> ...


 
nah been cold here aswell. only seen a few skinks and dragons. I am gonna try go again tomorrow and I am gonna see if my mum will take me for a night drive at smiths lake


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