I Am So Lucky

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Most of the small flowering plants are beginning to mature into seed dispersal mode and as yet the bigger trees are taking their time and just shooting up new growth. The exceptions were the Eucalyptus trees that dominate the open woodland adjacent to the monsoon vine forest. The Scarlet Gum was first to flower and the Woollybutt is just now staring to flower. I did notice that a few of the Swamp Bloodwoods close to the streams had begun to flower as well. Shrubs such as Hibiscus on the fringe of the monsoon forest and Kapok Bushes in the woodland were flowering. The Acacia couldn’t work out when the dry was going to start and various varieties have flowered sporadically only to have their flowers washed away by ensuing rain. All said and done, I was very lucky this wet season to have seen the Hoya and the Acacia nuperrima bloom. And of course, I was very lucky to have found the Leichhardt Grasshopper and Four o clock Moth. The only window of opportunity was the wet season and I am so glad I made it there too.
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Acacia nuperrima
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Hoya australis
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Leichhardt's Grasshopper Petasida ephippigera
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Four o clock Moth Dysphania numana
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Sandstone Escarpment Tabletop
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Abutilon indicum ssp. Albescens
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Acacia megalantha
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Assassin Bug Catasphactes sp.
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Bladderwort Utricularia fulva
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Blue Argus Junonia orithya albicincta
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Brown Goshawk Acipiter fasciatus female
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Cleome viscose
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Confusing Spur-throated Locust Austracris proxima
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Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton Juv.
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Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton Juv.

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Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton Juv.
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Earwig Nala lividiceps
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Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
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Green Tree Ant Oecophylla smaragdina
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Grevillea heliosperma
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Grey's Menetia Menetia greyii
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Hibbertia cistifolia
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Freshwater Streams In Sandstone Country

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The dry season has arrived and its nice to leave the constant sweating behind. Its cold in the morning, so cold the mozzies have to fly slow and look like little hairy drunken spiders. When they approach its like slow motion and it takes forever for them to reach up to your uncovered parts. I always wondered why they were so infatuated with the colour black, as they often just sit on my black backpack and tumble off when I take it off and put it on the ground. They must use the colour for getting warm, they use it to charge their little batteries. Anyway they are all up to speed about ten o’clock and then it is every man for himself. When the streams were in full swing, very few mozzies, but now that a lot of little pools are still I guess its propagation on a grand scale. As far as little pools are concerned, it also means that the little fish in the little pools are getting less and less room to move. The Azure Kingfisher was having a field day, and his only problem was deciding at which of the multitude of little pools to set up his attack station. The little bird was whining with excitement and it seemed the whole monsoon vine forest was echoing with excited kingfishers sharing their high pitched squeals of delight.
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Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea
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Gubara Gorge Cliffside
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Ipomoea sp.
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Jewel Beetle Buprestidae sp.
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Kurrajong Brachychiton paradoxum
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Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
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Lily Crinum angustifolium
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Mimosacae sp.
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Myrtacea sp.
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Narrow-lobed Glider Tramea stenoloba
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Native Grass Aristida holathera
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Native Grass Themeda triandra
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Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris
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Orb-weaver Spider Argiope sp.
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Osbeckia Australiana
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Platyzoma microphyllum
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Sacred Kingfisher Todirhampus (Halcyon) sancta
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Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona
feeding on
Eucalyptus polycarpa
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Seed Bug Family Lygaeidae
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Slender Rainbow Skink Carlia gracilis
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Sowerbaea alliacea
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Stylidium pachyrhizum
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Tropical GumLeaf Grashopper Goniaea furcifera 5th instar
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Two-Spined Rainbow Skink Carlia amax Storr
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Xanthostemon paradoxus
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HitchHiking Through Life

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In Grapes of Wrath, author John Steinbeck describes hitchiking seeds as they seem to humans: "The concrete highway was edged with a mat of tangled, dry grass, and the grass heads were heavy with oat beards to catch on a dog's coat, and foxtails to tangle in a horse's fetlocks, and clover burrs to fasten in sheep's wool; sleeping life waiting to be spread and dispersed, every seed armed with an appliance ofdispersal, balls of tiny thorns, and all waiting for animals and for the wind, for a man's trouser cuff or the hem of a woman's skirt, all passive but armed..." I have had the pleasure of removing these skin piercing daggers from all parts of my anatomy, some after a long bout of agony trying to locate the almost invisible penetrator. Their design and structure have been the source of inspiration for such tools as Velcro and the modern screw.
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Native Grass Chrysopogon latifolius
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Native Grass Cymbopogon procerus
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Native Grass Elytrophorus spicatus
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Native Grass Eragrostis sp.
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Native Grass Pseudopogonatherum contortus
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Native Grass Sehima nervosum
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Native Grass Setaria apiculate
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Native Grass Themeda triandra
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Native Grass Whiteochloa capillipes
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Acacia mimula
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Glasswing Acraea andromacha andromacha
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Glasswing Acraea andromacha andromacha Caterpillar
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Glasswing Acraea andromacha andromacha Caterpillar
feeding on Larval Food
Hybanthus enneaspermus
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Glasswing Acraea andromacha andromacha Butterfly
feeding on
Turky Bush Calytrix exstipulate
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Asteromyrtus magnifica
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Australian Paper Wasp Polistes humilis
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Australian Paper Wasp Polistes humilis
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Blue Lily Nymphaea violacea
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Boronia lanceolata
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Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
feeding on
Kurrajong Brachychiton paradoxum
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