# A few from around the 'Gong



## moloch05 (Sep 28, 2008)

This post includes photos from a couple of sites that I visited this weekend near Wollongong. Yesterday, I spent the morning at Carrington Falls (40 minute drive) and today, I spent a couple of hours at Dharawal (20 minute drive). Also included are a few shots from last weekend in the hills near Wollongong.


*CARRINGTON FALLS AREA*
Tiger Snake (_Notechis scutatus_) -- I was really excited to find this snake. It is a species that I rarely see on the coast. It was wary but it would re-emerge from its crevice if I remained motionless. The first shot was from a ledge a couple of meters above the snake. The snake's small hood was spread but I don't believe that it had seen me. I think that it had to do with warming up in the early morning sun. It was interesting but an adult Eastern Water Skink sunned only a meter from the snake. The reptiles ignored each other which I thought was surprising. Does anyone know if Tiger Snakes eat lizards?























Eastern Water Skinks (_Eulamprus quoyii_) -- always beautiful skinks and a pleasure to photograph. Sometimes, they can be very coorperative and don't budge even when the lens is only a few cms away.
















... juvenile







I only saw 1 Black Rock Skink (_Egernia saxatilis_) -- I only saw one and was only able to take this single photo:







There are many interesting flowers out at the moment. My favourite was the well named Large Duck Orchid (_Caleana major_):











... the plants are small and insignificant so easily overlooked when not flowering:






Family Epacridaceae (Australian Heaths) was well represented. Many members of this family have interesting foliage and large clusters of flowers in the spring.
_Dracophyllum secundum_ with a small scorpion fly:











a nice, pink flowered _Epacris_:











a perennial sundew (_Drosera sp_.):






a _Grevillea_, a member of the protea family:






Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo:






_WOLLONGONG HILLS_
This Red-bellied Black Snake (_Pseudechis porphyriacus_) was sheltering beneath a sheet of tin. I was able to take a couple of quick pics before it shot away.











Eastern Small-eyed Snake (_Cryptophis nigrescens_) -- this is the most common species of snake near Wollongong. I found most in pairs beneath sheets of tin or planks of wood.











Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko (_Phyllurus platurus_).
This was the first time that I have seen one of these geckos on a tree rather than sandstone. This one with its original tail was inside a hollow tree that had been burned:






... one with a regenerated tail:











... perfect tail of a juvenile:






... I looked up while I walked along and saw that I was being watched:






... the first baby that I have ever seen. It was tiny:












*DHARAWAL AREA*






The heath at Dharawal is beautiful at the moment with so many plants in flower. Here are a few shots of the floral display:
Waratah:






Sun Orchid. It looks much like a Spotted Sun Orchid (_Thelymitra ixioides_) but it did not have spots so I am not certain of the identity.






Various peas:










Large Wedge Pea (_Gompholobium grandiflorum_) -- very large flowers and a spectacular shrub:





... drumsticks, grevilleas, boronias and others:











I think that these gorgeous flowers are Native Rose (_Boronia serrulata_):






... I think that the white flowers are _Calytrix_:






One of two species of sundews that I saw along the creek:











Although it was hot today, I did not find many herps. Here was one of the few that I photographed, a Mountain Heath Dragon (_Rankinia diemensis_) in its nuptial colours:






Regards,
David


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## dougie210 (Sep 28, 2008)

hey wicked photos moloch, once again you and your feet oh and camera always make good herpings pics and find sweet herps 5+++++++ wicked as!


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## ryanharvey1993 (Sep 28, 2008)

WOW :shock: BRILLIANT SHOTS:shock: that tiger shot is outstanding, you seem to find so much stuff out herping, how do you manage to photograph skinks they always run away from me.​


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## MatE (Sep 28, 2008)

Beautiful pictures,some of the best ive seen.


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## notechistiger (Sep 28, 2008)

Great photos! I love the picture of the gecko that was watching you.


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## 9dizza2 (Sep 28, 2008)

awsome pics


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## bundy_zigg (Sep 28, 2008)

what awsome pic!!!!! I love the redbelly, such a beautiful snake. You take some really nice pics and found some wicked animals!!


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## Fiona74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Absolutely stunning shots. Thanks for sharing.


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## darkangel (Sep 28, 2008)

they are great!!! i love the one of the gecko watching u to lol. the baby gecko was pretty cute to!


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## ClareB (Sep 28, 2008)

Awesome shots, I know this is a herp site but I think the flowers were my fave!


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## itbites (Sep 28, 2008)

Those eastern water skinks are too cute! 
Great pics mate, looks like a lovely area 

K


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Sep 28, 2008)

Beautiful photos David,youve done it again.the tiger is beautiful and the the black rock skink and water skink pics are stunning.
Great stuff.


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## saratoga (Sep 29, 2008)

David

Your posts are always great and the photos terrific......good to see the new camera has made quite a difference as well. Nice to see all those flowers too.

My favorites that really stand out from the others....the Tiger with his head just out of the crevice, and the head on view of the Water skink. These 2 capture something quite different to the normal run of the mill herp shots. Thats not to detract from the other shots but quite a few people take nice herp shots...with these 2 you've really set yourself apart.

Well done...look forward to a big summer of posts!!

cheers

Greg


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## dee4 (Sep 29, 2008)

That tiger is a ripper mate, well done..


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## gelusmuse (Sep 29, 2008)

Beautiful shots lovely fauna and flora. I understand there are a few reptiles in government down that way but not as beautiful as your shot, though still rather venomous.


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## borntobnude (Sep 29, 2008)

hi david , great photos again . The first drosera is binata 'multifidia' the second is peltata ssp auriculata . carnivors are my big collection. rodney


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## salebrosus (Sep 29, 2008)

I have found a new herping buddy! Top Shots!


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## moloch05 (Sep 29, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the kind remarks. I am glad that the photos were enjoyed.


Ryan,
The water skinks are not as shy as some. The early mornings are the best when the skinks first emerge to warm themselves. At that time, it is not hard to approach at all as long as you move slowly.

bundy,
Red-bellies are such beautiful snakes but they are always so shy. I rarely seen them in the open long enough for pics.


Thanks, Greg. I am happy with the new camera. It is much sharper than my old panasonic.


gelusmuse,
"reptiles" abound here ... lots of endemics.


rod,
thanks for the Drosera info. I also saw flowering Fairies Aprons that I think are also carnivorous. I will try to get photos next week.

thanks again,
David


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## jaih (Sep 29, 2008)

Great pics.


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## borntobnude (Sep 29, 2008)

utriularia or bladderworts probably dichotoma purple -pink flower this one has the common name of fairy aprons ,or australis or gibba yellow flower


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