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A Saint Andrew's cross spider, Argiope keyserlingi, seen from below in her web. The next photo shows more of the web and how beautifully constructed it is. For more information about this spider see: here.
Thank you for visiting. I appreciate the faves and kind comments very much.
The web of a Saint Andrew's cross spider, Argiope keyserlingi. These spiders are quite common in my garden but I have not previously seen such a beautifully constructed web The spider gets its name from web decorations known as stabilimenta that usually form the four arms of a cross. In this web, there are only two stabilimenta. For more information about this spider see: here.
Thank you for visiting. I appreciate the faves and kind comments very much.
If you look closely at this shot you can see the large Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) lounging around in the sun all over various parts of this rocky islet. You could certainly hear them in the sea breeze as they seemed to be barking at each other. Various sea bird species, notably cormorants, short-tailed shearwaters and white-faced storm-petrels flew around and played in the water.
australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/australian-fur-seal/
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Grey-headed Flying-fox
Scientific Name: Pteropus poliocephalus
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is one of the largest bats in Australia with a wingspan of over 1 m.
Identification: The Grey-headed Flying-fox is mostly dark brown, except for a grey head and orange-red mantle encircling the neck.
Habitat: The Grey-headed Flying-fox urban areas, forests and woodlands, intertidal mangroves.
Distribution: The Grey-headed Flying-fox is found in eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
Feeding and diet: At night the Grey-headed Flying-fox searches for food and may travel 50 km to its feeding areas. It eats fruit from a range of native and introduced species, particularly figs, and for this reason it is sometimes called 'Fruit Bat'. It also feeds on nectar and pollen from native trees, especially gum trees.
Other behaviours and adaptations: The Grey-headed Flying-fox spends much of its time hanging from the branches of trees in forests or mangroves. Groups known as 'camps' can be made up of many thousands of animals.
Life history cycle: The young Grey-headed Flying-foxs are usually born in September to October and are carried by the mother for the first three weeks, clinging to her teat with their special curved milk teeth and gripping her fur with their strong claws. As they grow larger and become too heavy to carry on feeding expeditions, they are left behind in special 'creches' in the maternity camp. After about three months the young are able to fly and by five to six months of age they begin to feed independently.
(SOURCE: australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/bats/grey-headed-fl...)
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© Chris Burns 2020
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Caper White Butterfly
Scientific name: Belenois java
Size Range: 5.5 cm
Introduction
The Caper White butterfly lives mainly west of the Great Dividing Range, where it feeds on caper shrubs, but is sometimes blown towards Sydney while on its northward migration in about November.
Identification
Adult Caper White Butterflies are mostly white with black margins to their upper wings and yellow-orange, black and white underwings. The caterpillars are dark brown to olive green with white and yellow dots.
Habitat
Caper White Butterflies live in urban areas, forests and woodlands.
Distribution
Caper White Butterfly caterpillars are associated with caper plants that grow in the northern parts of inland New South Wales and in Queensland.
In spring many Caper White Butterflies migrate to where caper shrubs and creepers are more common. They usually fly inland, west of the Great Dividing Range, but a westerly wind may blow them off course and they may then be seen by people living along the coast. They maintain a rapid flight about 2 m - 3 m above the ground during the day, resting on shrubs and trees at night.
Migrations in New South Wales have been observed moving in a southerly direction during November and December. However, in the Australia Capital Territory, north-easterly flights have been observed, and both northerly and southerly flights have be reported near Sydney.
Numbers in migrations can be very large. In some cases, the adult butterflies can clog car radiators, causing overheating.
An interesting feature of this species is that it regularly migrates to areas where there are no food plants for its caterpillars. It is not understood why this behaviour has evolved.
Feeding and diet
The caterpillars of the Caper White Butterfly eat only plants belonging to the caper family (Capparis spp). These include native capers and warrior bushes. In fact, the caterpillars often occur in such large numbers on their food plants that they completely strip them of edible leaves. However the plants normally recover from this seemingly destructive behaviour.
Predators
Predators feed on Caper Whites at various stages of their life cycle. Many invertebrates feed on the eggs and emerging larvae, wasps and flies eat the caterpillars, and birds eat the emerging butterflies.
(Source: australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/caper-white-butte...)
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© Chris Burns 2025
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Very fortunate to have seen a couple of Orange-bellied Parrots at the Western Treat Plant yesterday. The ObP is a critically endangered bird. It is thought that there are less than 60 birds left in the wild. There are various breeding programs being undertaken to try and save the species. They breed in Tasmania over Summer and migrate to coastal Eastern Australia for Winter. You can read more about them here australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/birds/orange-bellie...
'Spiny Leaf Insects
One interesting Australian phasmid is the Spiny Leaf Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum), also called Macleay's Spectre Stick Insect. The females of this species have very large bodies but very short wings and are unable to fly. The males are long and slim with fully developed wings. Spiny Leaf Insects are popular pets in Australia and also overseas.
Female Spiny Leaf Insects are not only larger than the males, but also live longer, surviving for up to 18 months. They lay thousands of eggs during their adult life, flicking them onto the ground below their perch. The eggs have a knob, called a capitulum, which is attractive to ants. Ants carry the eggs back to their underground nests, eat only the knob, and leave the rest of the egg in the nest, protected from other animals that might eat it. The young phasmids (or nymphs) hatch after one to three years underground and look and behave like red-headed black ants. They emerge from the ant nest and climb rapidly upwards, looking for soft green leaves. In a tree, they moult into a green or brown, slow-moving leaf mimic. The females live for about 18 months, while the males are only short-lived, surviving for around 6-8 months.'
australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/insects/leaf-and-st...
I wasn't sure about the difference between grasshoppers and katydids. Can someone with knowledge about this confirm that katydids have longer antannae than their bodies whereas grasshoppers have shorter antannae?
Also, some interesting info from the Australian Museum:
"Grasshoppers and locusts have a row of pegs like a comb on their back legs. They scrape these pegs against the hard edges of the front wings to make sounds. Crickets and katydids produce sounds by rubbing their wings together. In order to hear these sounds, orthopterans have a tympanum (ear) on each front leg, just below the knee."
australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/grasshoppers-cric...
The Wanderer or Monarch Butterfly is well-known in North America for its massive and wide-ranging migrations. In Australia, the species also makes limited migratory movements in cooler areas. It has only been present in Australia since about 1871.
In summer, Wanderers are found throughout their range along the east coast of Australia from Queensland to South Australia, and in south-west Western Australia. They have also been found in isolated parts of the Northern Territory. They are strong fliers and can cover long distances during their adult life, which is about a month to six weeks in summer. During this time they can move to unoccupied areas to find new plants on which to lay eggs. They take nectar from flowers to maintain their energy levels as they go.
As winter approaches, the butterflies leave the inland areas as temperatures drop and migrate towards the coast. For Wanderers near the coast north of the Richmond River in New South Wales, breeding can continue for most of the year with one generation following another. Further south, adults that develop in autumn do not breed immediately. They remain in a non-breeding state throughout winter, some of them staying in the same district for several months.
australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/insects/wanderer-bu...
A pair of Eastern Yellow Robins
australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/eastern-yellow-robi... have moved into the garden recently, and what better subject to test a new lens on? Very obliging little things, pulling a variety of poses and making sure I got their best side.
Wide open, uncropped.
Your comments and faves are greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Common Brown Butterfly
Scientific name: Heteronympha merope
Alternative name/s:
Western Brown Butterfly
The Common Brown Butterfly is active in spring and summer when there is sunshine and plenty of flowers to feed on.
Habitat: The Common Brown Butterfly lives in urban areas, forests and woodlands.
Distribution: The Common Brown Butterfly is found in south-eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, and Tasmania.
Seasonality: The Common Brown Butterfly is active in spring and summer when there is sunshine and plenty of flowers to feed on.
Life history cycle: Mating in the Common Brown Butterfly occurs during October or November and the males die shortly after. Females live for three months or more, waiting for the heat of summer to pass and the grass to grow before laying their eggs in early March. They lay their eggs directly onto several introduced and native grass species to ensure an immediate food supply when the larvae emerge.
(Source: australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/common-brown-butt...}
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© Chris Burns 2026
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Capertree, New South Wales, Australia
DID YOU KNOW: Like the Platypus, the Short-beaked Echidna is an egg-laying mammal or monotreme and lays one egg at a time. The eggs hatch after about 10 days and the young, emerge blind and hairless. Clinging to hairs inside the mother's pouch, the young echidna suckles for two or three months. Once it develops spines and becomes too prickly, the mother removes it from her pouch and builds a burrow for it. It continues to suckle for the next six months. (australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/short-beaked-echi...)
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Diamond Python
Scientific name: Morelia spilota
Size Range: 2 m - 3 m
Introduction: A Diamond Python in your roof will not cause any damage but will help control rats and possums.
Habitat: The Diamond Python is found in large bushland areas and national parks of Sydney, but often goes undetected because of its nocturnal, slow-moving habits.
Distribution: The Diamond Python is found in coastal areas of New South Wales and Queensland.
Feeding and diet: Like all pythons, the Diamond Python kills its prey by wrapping itself around its victim (in this case, small mammals and lizards) and suffocating it.
Other behaviours and adaptations: During the day, the Diamond Python may be seen basking in trees and occasionally it is found in roofs and rafters.
Life history cycle: The female Diamond Python lays eggs and coils around them to protect them and keep them warm. This maternal care, which is uncommon in snakes, ceases once the offspring hatch.
Danger to humans: Pythons are non-venomous but can inflict a painful bite. Teeth can break off and remain embedded in the victim.
(Source: australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/reptiles/diamond-py...)
© Chris Burns 2019
__________________________________________
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
This is a community of the common Australian silver gull (Larus novaehollandiae). In mature birds the bill, legs and eye-ring are bright orange-red. They have a body length up to 45cms with a maximum wingspan of 95cms. They produce up to two broods a year and as you can see here there are as many young ones as mature birds.
Please view Large
This tawny frogmouth and its mate are currently regular visitors to a jacaranda tree within our retirement village. Some days we can watch both, some days only one and some days they clearly spend somewhere else :)
They seem to be quite relaxed about the human interest by us residents going for our exercise walks but this one kept a close eye on me as I moved to the back of the tree for a different POV.
From the Australian Museum website: With their nocturnal habit and owl-like appearance, Tawny Frogmouths are often confused with owls, but are actually more closely related to the nightjars. Their feet are weak however, and lack the curved talons of owls.
~~~ Thank you all for viewing, kind comments, favs and awards - much appreciated! ~~~
I hate putting up a half baked shot but I had to grab the camera without time to quickly adjust the settings this afternoon when this Pheasant Coucal dropped into the yard.
It is much darker round the head and neck than last time we saw one, so possibly gone dark because it does so during breeding season. Sorry that movement has partly spoiled the shot but it was worth uploading just to show the amazing plumage.
It quickly moved through the Tibouchina Tree, dived down under a Bleeding Heart vine then up into the Orange Tree where it smashed around, by the obnoxious smell getting a Citrus Shield Bug in the process (good)! At the same time, we were supervising one of the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos which was rather ambivalent to its close passing and Zippy the female Galah who came late and was filling her ever hollow legs with sunflower seeds (everyone else, Galahs that is, had left 30 minutes before and we were actually cleaning up).
The Pheasant Coucal eventually left by running down the side fence where it probably gave our neighbour a fright. Later while watching the TV news, we saw it return the other way along the fence!
So sorry once again, sometimes you just get caught out!
Here's the background - they are a native Cuckoo with some fascinating habits.
Thanks to my brother-in-law Mark W for this shot of an iconic Christmas beetle which has almost died out in Australian suburbs. He has recently moved to a rural property in the Brisbane (River) Valley north-east of the city and has reported seeing many of the beetles, thankfully! We haven't seen any in years and we miss the classic smell that heralded the oncoming Christmas season and their special look and little sounds.
Here is a snippet from Google AI that sums the disappearance up followed by a link to an item from the Australian Museum with background to this little special creature and more info on human's impact on its existence.
"Yes, Christmas beetles are widely reported as disappearing or declining, especially in urban areas, with scientists citing habitat loss (eucalypt trees), climate change (droughts), urban sprawl, and insecticides as likely causes, though formal long-term data is lacking, making citizen science projects crucial for tracking them. While some regions still see them, their numbers are significantly lower than in past decades, affecting Australia's iconic native insects".
Why They're Disappearing
Habitat Loss & Urbanisation: The biggest factor is the clearing of native eucalypt forests and woodlands for housing, removing the beetles' food (leaves) and breeding grounds (soil near trees).
Climate Change: Droughts and drier springs can stress eucalypts and affect beetle emergence.
Insecticides: Pesticides used in gardens harm the beetle larvae (curl grubs) in the soil and the adults.
Light Pollution: Bright city lights can disorient and attract them, leading to death.
How We Know (and Don't Know)
Anecdotal Evidence: Many Australians report seeing far fewer beetles than in the past.
Citizen Science: Projects like the CSIRO's Christmas Beetle Count and the iNaturalist app collect sightings to build data.
Lack of Formal Data: No long-term government monitoring exists, making community efforts vital to understand the true extent of the decline.
How to Help
Plant Eucalypts: Plant native trees in your garden.
Avoid Sprays: Don't use chemical sprays on your lawn or plants.
Report Sightings: Use apps like iNaturalist to log any Christmas beetles you see.
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
One of a large colony in Torquay, Hervey Bay.
Grey-headed Flying-fox
Scientific Name: Pteropus poliocephalus
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is one of the largest bats in Australia with a wingspan of over 1 m.
Identification: The Grey-headed Flying-fox is mostly dark brown, except for a grey head and orange-red mantle encircling the neck.
Habitat: The Grey-headed Flying-fox urban areas, forests and woodlands, intertidal mangroves.
Distribution: The Grey-headed Flying-fox is found in eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
Feeding and diet: At night the Grey-headed Flying-fox searches for food and may travel 50 km to its feeding areas. It eats fruit from a range of native and introduced species, particularly figs, and for this reason it is sometimes called 'Fruit Bat'. It also feeds on nectar and pollen from native trees, especially gum trees.
Other behaviours and adaptations: The Grey-headed Flying-fox spends much of its time hanging from the branches of trees in forests or mangroves. Groups known as 'camps' can be made up of many thousands of animals.
Life history cycle: The young Grey-headed Flying-foxs are usually born in September to October and are carried by the mother for the first three weeks, clinging to her teat with their special curved milk teeth and gripping her fur with their strong claws. As they grow larger and become too heavy to carry on feeding expeditions, they are left behind in special 'creches' in the maternity camp. After about three months the young are able to fly and by five to six months of age they begin to feed independently.
(SOURCE: australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/bats/grey-headed-fl...)
__________________________________________
© Chris Burns 2020
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
The Emu is Australia's tallest native bird. (1.6-1.9 metres)
I found this fact from the Australian Museum fascinating:
"The female dominates the male during pair formation but once incubation begins, the male becomes aggressive to other Emus, including his mate. The female wanders away and leaves the male to perform all the incubation. Sometimes she will find another mate and breed again. The male incubates the eggs without drinking, feeding, defecating or leaving the nest. During this time, eggs often roll out of the nest and are pulled back in by the male."
australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/emu/
There are so many wild emus in this area. We stopped in a field to observe the emus. They were in the next field along, separated by a fence. They are such big birds!
I respect Indigenous culture and found this Dreamtime story very interesting (about how the present day emus came to live in Gariwerd / the Grampians).
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
White-throated Honeyeater
Scientific Name: Melithreptus albogularis
The Yellow-throated Honeyeater can be quite aggressive towards other honeyeaters, as well as other species such as pardalotes, Golden Whistlers and Grey Shrike-thrushes, chasing them away in both breeding and non-breeding seasons.
Identification: The Yellow-throated Honeyeater is a medium to large slim-bodied honeyeater with a relatively long tail and a distinctive bright yellow chin and throat. It is a bright olive green above, with a silver-grey head, neck and underbody, and the yellow throat is bordered by a narrow black band. There is a small yellow ear-patch and the underbody is washed yellow, with the wing feathers also outlined with yellow. The bill is black and the eye is red-brown. Females are smaller than males. Young birds are very similar to adults, but duller overall. This Tasmanian species is usually seen singly or in pairs, often foraging on the trunks or foliage of large trees. It has also been called the Green Cherry-picker, Green Dick or Green Linnet.
Habitat: The Yellow-throated Honeyeater is found in a range of habitats, including wet and dry forests, woodlands, sub-alpine forests, temperate rainforest, wet scrubs and coastal heathlands. It is also often found in parks, gardens and reserves in urban areas. It is also found in orchards.
Distribution: The Yellow-throated Honeyeater is endemic to Tasmania, being widespread, and is found on some offshore islands. It is also found on King Island and on islands of the Furneaux Group.
Seasonality: Sedentary with some local movements. Females move into male territories during breeding season, then disperse along with young when breeding finished.
Feeding and diet: The Yellow-throated Honeyeater feeds mainly on insects and nectar, and occasionally on fruit and seeds. It feeds at all levels of the canopy, foraging on foliage, bark and flowers for insects and nectar. It will visit orchards to feed on insects and fruit, especially pears.
Communication: Loud 'tonk' calls, also 'pick-em-up' or 'get-a-whip'; aggressive churring and bill-snapping when chasing other birds.
Breeding behaviours: Male Yellow-throated Honeyeaters hold territories year-round, aggressively defending them against others of their own species as well as other birds and particularly, other honeyeaters. The female builds the small, cup-shaped nest close to the ground in dense shrubs such as tea-tree, Lomandra and wattles or in grass tussocks or new growth from a burnt stump. The nest is made from closely woven grass, bark and spider-web, and is lined with mammal fur or hair. Like a mainland Lichenostomusspecies, the White-eared Honeyeater, this species is known for its habit of collecting hair from live animals such as horses and dogs and even humans. The female incubates the eggs and feeds the young. She will leave the nestlings to be fed by the male if she is starting a second nest and brood, however the males will drive off the fledglings when they are old enough to disperse (usually for about three weeks, but often till the end of the season) and he will eventually drive the female away as well, once all the young have fledged. This species is parasitised by both Pallid Cuckoos and Fan-tailed Cuckoos.
Breeding Season: August to December.
Economic impacts: The Yellow-throated Honeyeater prefers older stands of dry sclerophyll forests and may be adversely affected by fire. It was formerly considered to be a pest of orchards, but there are no recent claims that it damages crops. It is well-known for its habit of landing on people's heads to collect hair for its nests.
(Source: australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/birds/yellow-throat...)
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© Chris Burns 2023
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Koala at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre on Brisbane's south side. This is an educational centre on koalas (which it does well) surrounded by bushland set aside as a suburban koala habitat. It's not a place to go to in order to see a lot of koalas live, there are other places around the south east including extensive areas of natural bushland for that.
Nevertheless, they do believe in the Koala Santa and given they are highly vulnerable as a species they certainly need him. Wherever you are this Christmas, enjoy, stay safe and also drive carefully and be on the watch for Australia's beautiful and unique wildlife.
I heard an Australian journalist recently refer to them as bears which they are NOT. They are marsupials which raise young in a pouch. Read about them here
australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/koala/
or
The extensive gardens at Roraima featured quite a few of these Leaf Curling Spiders with webs stretching from one plant to another. Only a few seemed to have the spider ensconced within but you can see the legs sticking out again. I came across one that was backing into the leaf but didn't get a good shot of that one. roraimanursery.com.au/.
For more about the spider : australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/leaf-curling-spider/
A belated Happy New Year everyone!
This was probably the biggest goanna I've ever seen. We both startled each other, (I didn't see it until I heard a crashing in the undergrowth), and it promptly climbed up a tree.
If you really zoom in to just underneath the shoulder area on the torso, it looks like it might have some kind of engorged tick on it.
This is a really interesting paragraph from the Australian Museum... A 6 metre goanna would have been a sight to see!
"Goannas evolved in the northern hemisphere in the Upper Cretaceous Period about 90 million years ago. However, in the Miocene Epoch, about 15 million years ago, goannas moved south into Africa and Australia. In Africa, only a few species evolved, but in Australia, goannas evolved into roughly 28 species of which at least one is extinct (Varanus priscus, a giant species which grew to more than 6 m in length)"
Source: australian.museum/learn/animals/reptiles/australian-goann...
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW