moloch05
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We went night driving during each of our three nights at the Warrumbungles. The first and third nights were cool and we did not see much. The second night was overcast and remained warmer for longer and was quite productive.
The road in the national park passed through ironbark eucalyptus woodland with scattered cypress pine trees. These areas were good for Ocellated Velvet Geckos (Oedura monilis), Thick-tailed Geckos (Underwoodisaurus milii) and Eastern Spiny-tailed Geckos (Strophurus williamsi).
Near the western boundary of the park, cypress pines became the dominant tree. The soil here was sandy and this is where we found most of the snakes and large numbers of Eastern Spiny-tailed Geckos.
Carpet Python (Morelia spilota): This was the first of the species of python that I have seen at the Warrumbungles.
Dwyer’s Snake (Parasuta dwyeri): This small elapid that initially thrashed about on the road but then it settled and hardly moved.
Red-naped Snake (Furina diadema): This first animal was huge and heavy-bodied for a Red-naped Snake. I think that it might have been gravid. These are placid little elapids and I have never encountered one that attempted to bite.
… this snake was only about 20cm in length. It seemed to be moving constantly so was hard to photograph.
Eastern Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus williamsi): These were the most common species of gecko at the Warrumbungles. They were common on the road even near the campground.
… gravid female:
… these spiny-tails have beautiful eyes like other members of the genus.
Ocellated Velvet Gecko (Oedura monilis): These geckos were the most common in ironbark habitats. We found them on the road but also found them when we examined trees around one of the car parks. I think that the colour phase from the Warrumbungles is the nicest of all the O. monilis that I have observed.
]
… some Ocellated Velvet Geckos were seen on retaining walls and buildings.
… gravid
… flattened bodies for life in crevices or under bark.
Thick-tailed Gecko (Underwoodisauris (or Nephrurus) milii):
… original tails
… regenerated tail
Eastern Stone Gecko (Diplodactylus vittatus): We only found a single stone gecko. These geckos blend well with the leaf litter.
Gehyra dubia: In prior years, I have only seen one of these. This year, there was a small colony on trees and an old building in the forest.
… one on same tree as an Ocellated Velvet Gecko:
Variegated Gecko (Gehyra variegata): These geckos were more common west of the Warrumbungles in the Mulga habitat. These are fast movers and could quickly race off the road and into cover.
Delma inornata: This member of Pygopodidae was a new one to me. It was found on the road in grassy area west of the park.
… members of this family are thought to be close relatives of geckos. Like geckos, they can lick their eyes.
Burton’s Snake-lizard ()Lialis burtonis): Both were found in Mulga/grassland habitat.
… the tail of this one was regenerating.
Eastern Hooded Scaly-foot (Pygopus schraderi). The vestigial legs (flaps) are visible in these two photos. This was another lifer. I have seen many Western Hooded Scaly-foots but Eastern seem to be much harder to find … or, I have not looked in the right areas before.
Ornate Burrowing Frog (Opisthodon ornatus). It was not raining so I only saw a few. On a wet trip three years ago, I saw large numbers of these on the road at night.
… I think that this is a puffed-up Ornate Burrowing Frog. It does not have the usual hour-glass marking on the head and neck but the facial markings resemble those of other ornates that I have seen.
A young Banjo Frog. I am not certain about whether it wa an Eastern (Limnodynastes dumerili) or a Northern Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes terraereginae).
We also saw many Green Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea) and Desert Tree Frogs ( Litoria rubella).
Eastern Grey Kangaroo: These are the abundant macropod in the park.
Regards,
David
The road in the national park passed through ironbark eucalyptus woodland with scattered cypress pine trees. These areas were good for Ocellated Velvet Geckos (Oedura monilis), Thick-tailed Geckos (Underwoodisaurus milii) and Eastern Spiny-tailed Geckos (Strophurus williamsi).
Near the western boundary of the park, cypress pines became the dominant tree. The soil here was sandy and this is where we found most of the snakes and large numbers of Eastern Spiny-tailed Geckos.
Carpet Python (Morelia spilota): This was the first of the species of python that I have seen at the Warrumbungles.
Dwyer’s Snake (Parasuta dwyeri): This small elapid that initially thrashed about on the road but then it settled and hardly moved.
Red-naped Snake (Furina diadema): This first animal was huge and heavy-bodied for a Red-naped Snake. I think that it might have been gravid. These are placid little elapids and I have never encountered one that attempted to bite.
… this snake was only about 20cm in length. It seemed to be moving constantly so was hard to photograph.
Eastern Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus williamsi): These were the most common species of gecko at the Warrumbungles. They were common on the road even near the campground.
… gravid female:
… these spiny-tails have beautiful eyes like other members of the genus.
Ocellated Velvet Gecko (Oedura monilis): These geckos were the most common in ironbark habitats. We found them on the road but also found them when we examined trees around one of the car parks. I think that the colour phase from the Warrumbungles is the nicest of all the O. monilis that I have observed.
… some Ocellated Velvet Geckos were seen on retaining walls and buildings.
… gravid
… flattened bodies for life in crevices or under bark.
Thick-tailed Gecko (Underwoodisauris (or Nephrurus) milii):
… original tails
… regenerated tail
Eastern Stone Gecko (Diplodactylus vittatus): We only found a single stone gecko. These geckos blend well with the leaf litter.
Gehyra dubia: In prior years, I have only seen one of these. This year, there was a small colony on trees and an old building in the forest.
… one on same tree as an Ocellated Velvet Gecko:
Variegated Gecko (Gehyra variegata): These geckos were more common west of the Warrumbungles in the Mulga habitat. These are fast movers and could quickly race off the road and into cover.
Delma inornata: This member of Pygopodidae was a new one to me. It was found on the road in grassy area west of the park.
… members of this family are thought to be close relatives of geckos. Like geckos, they can lick their eyes.
Burton’s Snake-lizard ()Lialis burtonis): Both were found in Mulga/grassland habitat.
… the tail of this one was regenerating.
Eastern Hooded Scaly-foot (Pygopus schraderi). The vestigial legs (flaps) are visible in these two photos. This was another lifer. I have seen many Western Hooded Scaly-foots but Eastern seem to be much harder to find … or, I have not looked in the right areas before.
Ornate Burrowing Frog (Opisthodon ornatus). It was not raining so I only saw a few. On a wet trip three years ago, I saw large numbers of these on the road at night.
… I think that this is a puffed-up Ornate Burrowing Frog. It does not have the usual hour-glass marking on the head and neck but the facial markings resemble those of other ornates that I have seen.
A young Banjo Frog. I am not certain about whether it wa an Eastern (Limnodynastes dumerili) or a Northern Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes terraereginae).
We also saw many Green Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea) and Desert Tree Frogs ( Litoria rubella).
Eastern Grey Kangaroo: These are the abundant macropod in the park.
Regards,
David
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