Friday, November 27, 2009

What Am I Missing

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November-Litchfield seemed very subdued, almost as if everything was on hold until the rains come. Plenty of marsupials (more Wallaroos than Wallabies) moving to and from water in the morning, but very little bird activity.
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Short-eared Rock Wallaby Petrogale brachyotis
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There were a lot of big grasshoppers; some appeared as small birds (wishful thinking perhaps) when they first took flight. Maybe it was because the early morning was burnt off so fast. By nine a.m. I was soaked and swimming through the atmosphere. Morning at this time of year seems to be between five thirty a.m. and eight a.m. sharp.
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Unidentified Caelifera
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Maybe its because there is permanent water all-year-round. Maybe its because it is distributed over a wide area so that the mosaic of birding territories are spread out. I am so used to constricted landscapes where artificially small territories are the name of the game.
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St. Andrew’s Cross Spider family Araneidae
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There were puddles of rain laying on the tracks so there has been some rain. Some plants growing a distance from the permanent creeks are flowering. I didn’t see any nectar eaters humming around or any insect eaters taking advantage of eating some of the invited guests to this special occasion.
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Bladderwort Utricularia fulva
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Crabs Eye Vine Abrus precatorius
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Cycad Cycas calcicola
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Ixora klanderana
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Bandicoot Berry Leea indica
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At Lost City, far away from permanent water streams I managed to see a couple of Grey Shrike-thrushes first on the rocky outcrops then in the tree tops. They were very wary and it was difficult to get near them. The only other bird experience was occasionally hearing a bowerbird rasping in the distance.
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Lost City
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Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
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Interesting place at this time of year-more for what was not there than what was-I keep wondering what I am missing!
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