I'm the only stick with eyeballs!
Mar. 31st, 2005 08:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyreHehe, just saw two massive phasmids (stick insects) near the shadehouse. Seems like the whole cast and crew of Bug's Life lives at Broome Bird Observatory.
And on that note I think I'll describe some of my favourite critters around the place.
Green tree frog - There is currently one sitting right behind the keyboard. Ever since the air-con was removed frogs have been coming in through the hole in the wall. Only problem is they shit everywhere. They do eat bugs, which gives them points. They also pile into a small corner in the shadehouse roofing and have a penchant for making homes in toilet bowls and cisterns. So they require turfing every so often, peeing on a frog just feels bad, especially if the frog jumps...
Grey-crowned Babbler - The birdies are absolutely hillarious. They always travel in groups making babbling sounds (hence the name), these sounds resemble cats mewing and dog toys squeaking among other things. They bounce around on the ground and in the tree tops and are just a delight to watch. And if you net one, you net multiples because they are never alone. And when you remove them from the bag to band they pipe up and before you know it every other babbler in the neighbourhood is bouncing around you calling in moral support to their captured comrade.
Variegated Fairy-wren - Over the last few days these tiny birds have been hanging around the often and calling loudly with thier delicate, high pitched tinkling whistle. Most of them are females and I've had some really good looks at them. They seem as keen to check me out as I am to investigate them.
Mistletoebird - Because the male is an absolute stunner of a bird. Tiny thing, with dark navy, almost black on the back, a bright red throat and vent and a white belly with a dark blue streak down the middle.
Stimpson's Python - I WILL get a photo of the guy who lives in the shadehouse. Whenever he's sitting there I don't have my camera. This is also the snake that has the honour of being "The reptile that I have almost stepped on the most times." They always seem to be crossing the path right in front of me.
Black Kite - Common as nuts, they call them Kimberly Seagulls because of their abundance (indeed, there are more of these than silver gulls). These guys are quite beautiful in their own right (and they aren't black, they're brown), and they are also smart. They've learned that hanging around people fishing usually results in a meal. And they have also learned hanging around cannon netting sites also has potential for good meals, causing endless frustration for us wanting to release the banded waders.
White-Bellied Sea Eagle - Because they're just a bloody stunning bird. Imagine the grace and majesty of a wedge-tailed eagle. Now colour it white with grey wings and put it by the sea. Amazing.
Terek Sandpiper - These guys are great to watch while they're feeding. They cruise around the mudflats at great speed, occaisionaly grabbing a crab or other suitable prey, before tearing off again. They put their tails up and heads down and vroooom!
Generic shadehouse gecko - Various species of these guys. They also score the points for eating bugs. I'm just amazed how they catch said bugs so easily. They just sit and if a bug gets too close, wham! I've seen these guys tackle moths larger than their heads and succeed!
Mud-dauber wasp - These guys fly too close to me, and buzz around, and build nests everywhere you don't want them. But they are fascinating in the way they build those nests then cram them full of caterpillars.
Cuckoo wasp - Parasite of mud-dauber wasp nests. This guy gets a mention because of his stunning metallic green colour.
Humungous centipede - Because it is fucking humungous. I've seen these guys a couple of times in the shadehouse now. They are about 20cm long and look like small snakes until you see the legs and the segmentation. A bug haters worst nightmare.
Blue-spotted mudskipper - What could be more funky than a fish that breathes air and flops about on the mud? I know, one that fiercly defends it's territory by displaying a huge, brightly spotted dorsal fin and occaisionally hurling itself into the air - humpback whale breach style.
Flame-fiddler crab - A crab that has a black body and flourescent red legs, including a huge claw. It reminds me that He-Man character Clawful.
Hermit crab - Because I have been enamoured ever since I first saw them at 7 years old. I still love watching and playing with them now at 25. They sometimes come all the way up to the shadehouse and congregate in huge masses under trees by the beach.
Greenshank #A2 - This particular individual (identified by his engraved flag - A2) is often in the nearby mudflats during migration watch. He deserves a mention because more often than not he is there at the same time of day.
Whimbrel - For it's habit of a getting in a tizz at the slightest provocation. "Oh my God the Black Kite is 100 metres away! PEEP!! PEEP!! PEEP!!" and it's crab catching style. Here you have a whimbrel standing still on a sandbar, looking completely disterinterested. A crab thinks, "Aw hell, he won't notice me if I pop out of my hole now... crap, now I'm in a Whimbrel's beak getting the crap shaken out of me until my claws fall off."
Little Egret - I assume it's the same individual which often alights in the tidal lagoon near the sandbar and proceeds to dance and fish. The dance consits of flapping his wings and flying short distances as well as the odd foot waggle. This in turn scares the fish into just the right place to be speared for dinner.
7am start tomorrow, my day off too! *sulks* Oh well, at least I get a chance to visit all 3 wetlands on the plains. Here's hoping I add a few birdies to my list tomorrow!
And on that note I think I'll describe some of my favourite critters around the place.
Green tree frog - There is currently one sitting right behind the keyboard. Ever since the air-con was removed frogs have been coming in through the hole in the wall. Only problem is they shit everywhere. They do eat bugs, which gives them points. They also pile into a small corner in the shadehouse roofing and have a penchant for making homes in toilet bowls and cisterns. So they require turfing every so often, peeing on a frog just feels bad, especially if the frog jumps...
Grey-crowned Babbler - The birdies are absolutely hillarious. They always travel in groups making babbling sounds (hence the name), these sounds resemble cats mewing and dog toys squeaking among other things. They bounce around on the ground and in the tree tops and are just a delight to watch. And if you net one, you net multiples because they are never alone. And when you remove them from the bag to band they pipe up and before you know it every other babbler in the neighbourhood is bouncing around you calling in moral support to their captured comrade.
Variegated Fairy-wren - Over the last few days these tiny birds have been hanging around the often and calling loudly with thier delicate, high pitched tinkling whistle. Most of them are females and I've had some really good looks at them. They seem as keen to check me out as I am to investigate them.
Mistletoebird - Because the male is an absolute stunner of a bird. Tiny thing, with dark navy, almost black on the back, a bright red throat and vent and a white belly with a dark blue streak down the middle.
Stimpson's Python - I WILL get a photo of the guy who lives in the shadehouse. Whenever he's sitting there I don't have my camera. This is also the snake that has the honour of being "The reptile that I have almost stepped on the most times." They always seem to be crossing the path right in front of me.
Black Kite - Common as nuts, they call them Kimberly Seagulls because of their abundance (indeed, there are more of these than silver gulls). These guys are quite beautiful in their own right (and they aren't black, they're brown), and they are also smart. They've learned that hanging around people fishing usually results in a meal. And they have also learned hanging around cannon netting sites also has potential for good meals, causing endless frustration for us wanting to release the banded waders.
White-Bellied Sea Eagle - Because they're just a bloody stunning bird. Imagine the grace and majesty of a wedge-tailed eagle. Now colour it white with grey wings and put it by the sea. Amazing.
Terek Sandpiper - These guys are great to watch while they're feeding. They cruise around the mudflats at great speed, occaisionaly grabbing a crab or other suitable prey, before tearing off again. They put their tails up and heads down and vroooom!
Generic shadehouse gecko - Various species of these guys. They also score the points for eating bugs. I'm just amazed how they catch said bugs so easily. They just sit and if a bug gets too close, wham! I've seen these guys tackle moths larger than their heads and succeed!
Mud-dauber wasp - These guys fly too close to me, and buzz around, and build nests everywhere you don't want them. But they are fascinating in the way they build those nests then cram them full of caterpillars.
Cuckoo wasp - Parasite of mud-dauber wasp nests. This guy gets a mention because of his stunning metallic green colour.
Humungous centipede - Because it is fucking humungous. I've seen these guys a couple of times in the shadehouse now. They are about 20cm long and look like small snakes until you see the legs and the segmentation. A bug haters worst nightmare.
Blue-spotted mudskipper - What could be more funky than a fish that breathes air and flops about on the mud? I know, one that fiercly defends it's territory by displaying a huge, brightly spotted dorsal fin and occaisionally hurling itself into the air - humpback whale breach style.
Flame-fiddler crab - A crab that has a black body and flourescent red legs, including a huge claw. It reminds me that He-Man character Clawful.
Hermit crab - Because I have been enamoured ever since I first saw them at 7 years old. I still love watching and playing with them now at 25. They sometimes come all the way up to the shadehouse and congregate in huge masses under trees by the beach.
Greenshank #A2 - This particular individual (identified by his engraved flag - A2) is often in the nearby mudflats during migration watch. He deserves a mention because more often than not he is there at the same time of day.
Whimbrel - For it's habit of a getting in a tizz at the slightest provocation. "Oh my God the Black Kite is 100 metres away! PEEP!! PEEP!! PEEP!!" and it's crab catching style. Here you have a whimbrel standing still on a sandbar, looking completely disterinterested. A crab thinks, "Aw hell, he won't notice me if I pop out of my hole now... crap, now I'm in a Whimbrel's beak getting the crap shaken out of me until my claws fall off."
Little Egret - I assume it's the same individual which often alights in the tidal lagoon near the sandbar and proceeds to dance and fish. The dance consits of flapping his wings and flying short distances as well as the odd foot waggle. This in turn scares the fish into just the right place to be speared for dinner.
7am start tomorrow, my day off too! *sulks* Oh well, at least I get a chance to visit all 3 wetlands on the plains. Here's hoping I add a few birdies to my list tomorrow!
