Sandstone Escarpments And Escarpment River Gorges

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As the rainfall has tapered off its now possible to walk on the creeks flowing through the sandstone escarpment table-tops because the water levels have subsided. The same is true for the sandstone monsoon forests down in the escarpment gorges, except the rivers are still pretty fast moving and the adjacient soil is just starting to dry out.
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It was very exciting because I managed to see a few flowers I have been interested in locating for some time now. The Hoya plant which clings to the side of gorge walls is starting to flower and I managed to billygoat into position to get the long awaited photo snaps. An Acacia plant with round flowers and very small leaves has been the motivation for many an extended walk up into the escarpment country. I finally located a very happy community sitting next to a tabletop creek. Finally, I spent a day walking in a Kakadu escarpment monsoon rainforest two weeks ago looking for a purple moth. The moth is plant specific. I have found many plants flower at different times of the year, depending on where they are located in the Northern Territory. Therefore, I am very surprised that this moth's lifecycle seems to be the identical even though separated by over 400km.
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There is no doubt that all that rain means an abundance of life is on its way again.
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Litchfield Escarpment Stone Country
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Escarpment Table-top Creek
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Acacia nuperrima
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A bit slow to shoot but I was surprised he took the high road.
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Antilopine Wallaroo Macropus antilopinus
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Cajanus acutifolius
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Cartonema spicatum
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Crab’s-eye Vine Abrus precatorius
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Crotalaria novae-hollandiaea
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Golden Orb-weavbing Spider Nephila ornata female
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Goniaeoidea sp.
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Hibbertia cistifolia
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Hoya australis
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Hoya australis
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Four O'Clock Moth Dysphania numana
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Oak-leaf Fern Drynaria quercifolia ephiphyte
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Painted Grasshawk Neurothemis stigmatizans
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Spotted Opal Nesolycaena urumelia
Restricted to specific plants
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Sundew Mitrasacme nudicaulis
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Waltheria indica
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Wandering Pennant Macrodiplax cora
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Escarpment Small Flora

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Nestled amongst the sandstone escarpment many flowers are blooming after the initial wet season rains. Often they are vines but occasionally I found shrubs full of flowers. Interestingly, most of these blooms were not attracting huge numbers of insects and were not very aromatic.
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Escarpment
Rocky Sandy Environment
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Comesperma aphyllum
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Lilly Crinum-uniflorum
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Gymnanthera oblonga
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Ludwigia octovalvis
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Native Ginger Curcuma australasica
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Sedge Schoenus falcatus
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Stemodia lythrifolia
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Tephrosia rosea

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What A Colourful World

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What would the world be without colour? No wonder artists wanted to learn how to mix colour and record what they experienced in the world they roamed in. We are so lucky to have the eyes and a soul and the ability to see with each.
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Water Lily Nymphaea violacea
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Red-collared Lorikeet Trichoglossus rubritorquis
feeding on
Swamp Bloodwood Eucalyptus ptychocarpa
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Canis lupus dingo Like Any Other Canine

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One of the greatest pleasures I have in the bush is observing wild animals going about their ordinary daily activities unconcerned with my presence. From my own experiences with canine pets, it was so easy to recognize the candour and exuberance this dingo showed as he marked his territory and carried out secret men’s business.
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Canis lupus dingo
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We were both being watched from close range by a second dingo
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Kakadu Escarpment Outliers

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Walking lots, I came across many Pityroidia shrubs. What I sensed was that this plant likes the escarpment outliers islands situated in sandy river overflow plains so it doesn’t perish up in smoke because of the high incidence of agriculture by fire burn-offs. Two species of Pityroidia were in full bloom and I was amazed at the significant number of insects that were interested in this source. Insect eating birds were nowhere to be seen, perhaps because of the chemicals this plant imparts to those who choose to dine on its leaves and flowers. Several four hour walks, at various times of the day gave some insight into the diversity in just one escarpment valley for just one week of the year.
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Leichhardt's Grasshopper Petasida ephippigera White
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Acacia torulosa
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Alyxia ruscifolia
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Bush Katydid Unidentified Caedicia sp. Kakadu
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Charcoal-winged Percher Diplacodes nebulosa
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Cockroach Polyzosteria sp. Kakadu
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Commelina ensifolia
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Haemodorum coccineum
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Hypanthus aurantiacus
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Lined ground Cricket Unidentified Salmonites Kakadu
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Meadow Katydid Conocephalus sp. Kakadu
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Melaleuca cornucopae
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Chrysomelidae Nisotra sp.
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Northern Rosella Platycercus venustus
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Rainbow Pita Pitta iris
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Sandstone Friarbird Philemon buceroides Race ammitophila
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Skink Carlia longipes
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Schoenus falcatus

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Sundew Drosera petiolaris

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Swamp Tiger Danaus affinis
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Galactia sp.
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Treehopper Derbidae sp. Kakadu
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Vertically Refined Wheel-Web Spider Eriophora sp. Kakadu
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Yellow Lynx Spider Oxyopes variabilis
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