Slightly Western Wildlife

On 29 December I, guided by our friend Gary, went exploring areas somewhat West of Mallacoota looking for an uncommon bird and an even less common orchid.  While I dipped on both (Gary saw the bird very briefly) there was a lot of other 'stuff' of interest and I was exposed to several very interesting areas I hadn't previously visited.

A first stop was at a patch of (mainly) unburnt Allocasuarinas where Gary has seem Glossy Black-Cockatoos in the past.   Sure enough soon after stopping we heard them chuntering away as they fed and after a small amount of flailing around in the bush found them right on the roadside!  (In case you think the following photo is sponsored by CrapBirdPhotography.com you should see the ones I deleted.)

After searching for the uncommon bird we headed back towards the highway, pausing briefly to allow a rather long (~1.8m) Eastern Brown Snake to get off the road.  Heading further West we then explored a few grasstree plains (also known as swamps).  They were mainly very damp - not surprising considering recent rain.  What I have realised was surprising was the absence of mosquitoes: perhaps the cool weather has restricted their breeding?

On the way in to the first area a Sacred Kingfisher attempted to hide from my camera. 

A rather lurid fungus was lurking in the lowest level of the 'vegetation'.

Several specimens of Hakea decurrens were evident.

Being a swamp lots of Fairie's Aprons (Urtricularia dichotoma) were evident.

Although the hoped for orchid was not found (possibly because the site was oozing water, rather than merely damp) we found a good-sized colony of Large Tongue Orchids (Cryptostylis subulata).

A common site in any swampy area has been a yellow pea flower growing on very thin stems.  This time I took photos, and looked it up on Flora of Victoria.  It turns out to be listed under "Golden Spray" Viminaria juncea.

As we got back to the car our attention was grabbed by a ruckus at the top of a dead tree.  This was a Pallid Cuckoo  ....

.. being mobbed by a pair of Jacky Winters.  I couldn't get an attack sequence!

A view over one of the grasstree plains.

A newly split-out species of Onion Orchid Microtis benthami.  

Most of the Callistemon citrinus were past their use-by date but some were still doing the lurid thing.  

We heard the distinctive weep, weep call of a Beautiful Firetail but couldn't get it to reveal itself.  The habitat was absolutely correct for the species.

On the way back in to Karbeethong we stopped to look for other orchids finding several Cryptostylis leptochila (Small Tongue Orchid) 

Coastal events- natural and otherwise

 This post will stretch the wildlife element a little, but the weather near Mallacoota is important to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.  The disaster of 1998 was focused offshore from here with the Mallacoota Airport used as a base for the rescue effort.   The Bunker Museum has a collection of accounts by rescuers describing their efforts in saving people which is well worth study.  So it was interesting to look at the position of the fleet on the morning of 28 December to realise they were just off shore.

Closer to our house I gt a couple of good (by my standards) photos of a New Holland Honeyeater enjoying a Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia sp,)

Our expedition for the day was to do the Shipwreck Creek to Seal Creek walk. It was a good day for it according to the weather forecast: sunny but not too hot,  The road down was still in fair condition - better than expected after the amount of rain earlier in the month.  A few potholes are beginning to appear but it has been a lot worse.  The campground was reasonably well occupied, including some antisocial git playing loud music.  We left rapidly and got down to the beach where the creek was easily forded without getting our feet wet.

Frances spotted a large Goanna (~1.5m) at the Heath end of the beach.

Looking out to sea one of the competing boats was visible.

According to my Marine Traffic app it was Highly Sprung!

At the far end of the beach it was good to find that Parks have finally opened up the track.  Until now it has been a matter of bushbashing through about 20m of 2m high scrub.

They have also mown along the path through the heath.  This makes it easier walking (and gives a better chance of spotting any leg-challenged reptiles) but has trashed a few orchids.

Getting into the forest and down to a creek crossing there were some spectacular specimens of Bursaria spinosa (Blackthorn).  Surprisingly there were no insects on them (except some honeybees).  In fact there were few insects all day - and I can't find it in myself to complain about the lack of mosquitoes and blowies.

Getting close to Seal Creek Frances spotted another reptile which I think is Egernia saxatilis (Black Rock Skink).   This one looks to be gravid.

The final bit of track has been cleared and graded, but is still steep and slippery.  We both made it down without face-planting.

The waterway was interesting with the carved edge on the beach.

Frances' favourite rocks!

Hoodie SL is still occupying the beach, together with its unflagged partner.

So was this grasshopper.  Identified on iNaturalist as Cirphula pyrrhocnemis.

On the way back more yachts were still passing.  I suspect these were competing, not just recreational cruisers.

As we neared the end of the heath a flower was visible on one of the Banksia serata (Old Man Banksia).  Good to see them recovering from the fire (after 2 years).

Natural History around Christmas 2021

 This is sort of a miscellany of things, mainly natural, seen at Mallacoota in lateish December 2021.

The first few images are of birds seen on a ride from home to Bucklands on 24 January,  First is a Common Bronzewing.

Then an immature White-headed Pigeon.

A Wonga Pigeon (one of two wandering around on the floor of Mullet Creek).

A Eastern Yellow Robin.

The next two images are from the Casuarina Track.  I knew this was a Golden Whistler, but being backlit the 'Golden' doesn't show up too well.

A bit of work with Photoshop Express solves that!

On the ride I went over Stingray Point and found a couple of Hyacinth Orchids.

On the Casuarina Track there was quite a lot of Bursaria spinosa (Blackthorn)  ..

.. and Dianella berries.

A beetle of some sort.

A Yellow Admiral with the head, if nothing else, in focus.

A rather large caterpillar.

A rather used footbridge.  The tree was at least 40 m high before adopting a more horizontal growth form. See 3rd image below.

House Sparrows are still nesting at home.

Our main business on Christmas Day was an expedition up the Inlet in friend's new boat.  Here it is at the South-West Arm Picnic Area jetty.

This is entering Double Creek, with Captains Creek off to the left

One of our objectives was to search the banks of Captains Creek for possible Striated Herons.  This was not successful but did prove the concept! 

A huge nest, probably Sea Eagle, on Double Creek Arm;

We walked the track at South West Arm  and found this attractive mix of old Banksia cone and moss.

Common Brown butterfly I think.  

A fungus: will ID later.

On the morning of 28th I got a couple of OK shots of a New Holland Honeyeater in our garden.

Also onthe 28th I took this snip of Marine Traffic, showing the Sydney - Hobart flweet coming down the coast.