Close to Home Again

FF
Still close to home, and in-between raindrops, I always find it hard to believe that there are so many different types of insects around and yet I hardly ever see them. When I do see them it is difficult to get decent shots as they are quick, agile play hide and seek, and you have to set the focal distance and then move the small of your back to get it focused, very tiring. More flowers are awakening, I guess thats why I am seeing more and more insects.
FF
Flesh Fly Family Sarcophagidae
FF

FF
Fruit Fly Family Tephritidae
FF

FF
Parasitic Braconidae
FF
FF
Large Brown Mantid Archimantis latistyla
FF

FF
Preying Mantis Oryhodera ministralia
FF

FF
Clerodendrum floribundum
FF

FF

Rain Delay

FF
The sun is out this morning and it is beautiful and cool with a blue sky absorbing the humidity. While I was warming my bones in the sun, most of the neighbours were business as usual. I did run into the Tawny Frogmouth party of four again as they still like the summit of the woodland but thought they were safe roosting on the opposite side of the lane I saw them roosting in a week ago. There were a lot of Bush Thick-knees ready to fly when I accidentally got too close, so I am not sure if all the rain and anticipated food is bringing on the onset of Bush Thick-knee romance.
FF
Bush Thick-knee Burhinus grallarius
FF

FF
Bush Thick-knee Burhinus grallarius
FF

FF
Bush Thick-knee Burhinus grallarius
FF
FF
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strgoides
FF
FF
Forest Kingfisher Todirhamphus (halcyon) macleayii
FF
FF
Hibbertia tasmanica
FF

FF
Unidentified Fungus
FF

FF

Right On The Doorstep / Melaleuca symphyocarpa

FF
At the moment many Melaleuca (Paperbarks) are in flower. There is something amazing about the round flower rather than the bottlebrush flower and the orange-yellow colour rather than the pale green colour. That said, when the flowers arrive the birds are very friendly and will tolerate humans much more than usual. Perhaps, there is also a sedative quality to the nectar, as there certainly is surrounded by the oval drops of the round-like flowers. All that just around the corner.
FF
Melaleuca symphyocarpa
FF

FF
Melaleuca symphyocarpa
FF

FF
Melaleuca symphyocarpa
FF
FF
Melaleuca symphyocarpa
FF
FF

Rain Respite

FF
In-between rain drops I managed to get into the local woods. In the sandy open woodland the Sand Palm Livistona humilis is in flower along with many very small flowers. I startled a group of Tawny Frogmouths and managed to get a snap of the only one who stayed around. It seems surprise is name of the game all day long.
FF
Canis lupus dingo
FF

FF
Dolichandrone filiformis
FF

FF
Drosera burmmannii
FF
FF
Nesoxypilus albomaculatus
FF
FF
Unidentified Polyrhachis
FF
FF
Spermacoce leptoloba
FF

FF
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
FF

FF
Robber Fly Asilidae Asilinae
mating
FF

FF
White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus alboglaris
FF
on Sand Palm Livistona humilis
FF

FF

Wetland New Year

FF
Once I got used to looking underneath the Lotus leaves I started seeing more and more bird activity. Sort of graduating from Jacana to Crake viewing. Some birds use water surface while many use the plants to gain access to food near the surface or just predate on the smaller inhabitants.
FF
White-browed Crake Polioimnas cinereus
FF

FF
White-browed Crake Polioimnas cinereus
FF

FF
White-browed Crake Polioimnas cinereus
FF
FF
White-browed Crake Polioimnas cinereus
FF

FF
Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacean
FF

FF
Whistling Kite Milvus sphenurus
FF

FF
Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton male
FF

FF
Broad-billed Flycatcher Myiagra ruficollis

FF

FF
Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus
FF

FF

Open Grasslands

FF
Closer to home and after a whopping 450 mm of rain, the grasslands are refreshed and starting to produce seeds and flowering plants. These in turn bring around the butterflies and seed eaters.
FF
Spermacoce calliantha
FF

FF
Heliotropium indicum
FF

FF
Clearwing Swallowtail Cressida cressida mating
FF
FF
Clearwing Swallowtail Cressida cressida
FF

FF

Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera male

FF

FF
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Lonchura castaneothorax
FF

FF
Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton
FF

FF

Revisiting Kakadu

FF
I’m not sure if revisiting ensures you get things you missed the first time because often your mindset is the same. I am sure that as an area becomes more familiar you can sometimes concentrate on seeing things you missed the first time.
FF
Jewel Bug Choerocoris paganus
FFFF

FF
Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea
FFFF
Little Kingfisher Alecedo pusilla
FF
FF
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
feeding in
Xanthostemon paradoxus
FF
FF
Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii
FF

FF
Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon Petrophassa rufipennis
FF
FF
Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacean
FF
FF
Commelina ensifolia
FF
FF
Crocodylus porosus
FF
FF
Darter Anhinga melanogaster male
rubbing its oil gland
FF

FF
Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana
FF

FF
Grey Whistler Pachycephala simplex race simplex
eating an unidentified tree frog
FF

FF
Grey Whistler Pachycephala simplex race simplex
FF

FF
Ground Orchid Dipodium stenochilum
FF

FF
Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia
in breeding condition
FF

FF
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Microeca flavigaster
FF

FF
Lily Crinum angustifolium
FF

FF
Little Corella Cacatua pastinator
FF

FF
Livistona inermis
FF

FF
Melaleuca magnifica
FF

FF
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
FF

FF
Nanguluwur Art Site
FF

FF
Native Ginger Curcuma australasica
FF

FF
Pale Triangle Graphium eurypylus
FF

FF
Robber Fly Family Asilidae
FF

FF
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
FF

FF
Two-lined Dragon Diporiphora bilineata
FF

FF
White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
FF

FF