Gottcha!

This Jumping spider is only about 10mm in body length and it had no trouble taking down this fly!

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Hide and Seek

I'm thinking that the grass hopper is the aggressor here, other insects seemed keen to get out of its way!

Nikon d70 : 1/80 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Flower

More flowers, been one of those weeks.

Nikon d70 : 1/125 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso400

Grey-headed Flying Fox

I finally got the guts to take my camera for a paddle in a kayak. I've wanted to for months, but I've always been too scared of tipping in with the camera. I got one or two good shots this morning near Indooroopilly Island, this picture of some Flying foxes being one of them.

Nikon d70 : 1/800 : f/7.1 : 130mm : iso400

Frangapanny

I've noticed that the ladies like to pick these flowers in the summer time and put it in their hair, often as they walk along the street to work or where ever.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/4.8 : 102mm : iso200

Damselfly

I was down at the mostly dry creek bed of Ithica Creek, noticing several Damsel flies making a meal out of the swarming mozzies. This one sat still enough for me to get in nice and close and take a few shots.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/25 : 90mm : iso400

Orchid

No real reason for posting this photo, other than to say its been a quiet photo week. So flowers it will be for the next few days. Hope you enjoy.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Night Swinger

Sorry I can't give you an id on this spider. It's not in my book and the web site I usually refer to is down at the moment. For now I'll nick name it "Tarzan".

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4 : 90mm : iso200

Pheasant Coucal

I've heard this guy more than I've seen him. It's got a booming "coop-coop-coop" call. Usually a ground dewellar, you can often see it running across a road or path. It is a laboured flier.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/11 : 300mm : iso400

Unknown

I've got no idea what this is. Just another insect from my night wanderings.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Brisbane Short-necked Turtle

I've been hanging around creeks lately, taking photos to enter in a photo competition. This photo wasn't entered, but it is of interest because I'd not photographed a turtle before.

Nikon d70: 1/500 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso400

Whip Spider

Still on the night shots. This is a Whip Spider, apparently common Australia wide, especially in the summer, but this was the first time I'd ever seen one. They only produce a web at night, and then it is only a single thread. Oh and it doesn't bite.

Nikon d70 : 1/125 : f/8 : 90mm : iso200

White-browed Scrubwren

It's amazing what you find at night. Saw this scrubwren the other night when I was spot lighting. I'm amazed that I was so close, but it was mostly a case of just turning around and having it right there infront of me, good thing to, as I only had my 90mm lens on. Scrubwren usually frequent thickets and feed on the the ground.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4 : 90mm : iso200

Shield Huntsman

I went out with the torch again last night, found more spiders and a few other things. This guy is the Shield Huntsman. It is what they describe as a "ready biter", with large fangs and if it gets you, expect mild to severe local pain and maybe some temporary cardiac complications. Sounds friendly doesn't it.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4 : 90mm : iso200

Silvereye

The Silvereye ( Zosterops lateralis) is found through out Austrtalia, but in different forms, depending on the region it is in. They measure in at 12cm. I photographed this one at the Bank Street reserve in Ashgrove.

Nikon d70 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso400

Tawny Frogmouth

I've been lucky enough to see this Frogmouth two days in a row. It is a nocturnal bird that hunts in a similar way to the Kookaburra. It usually roosts on branches close to the treetrunk in pairs or family groups, though I found this one close to the ground and alone.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/6.3 : 150mm : iso200

Garden Orb-weaver mk2

This is the same type of spider as yesterdays, but with very different colouring. The Garden Orb-weavers will construct its web in the evenings and takes it down again at dawn. During the day, it rests on nearby foliage with its legs drawn under the body.

Nikon d70s : 1/125 : f/8 : 90mm : iso200

Garden Orb-weaver

Went bush last night with a torch strapped to my head looking to take photos of marsupials. Came home with a memory card full of spiders instead. This is a Garden Orb-weaver, which comes in many different colours, as I'll show tomorrow. Took this photo with a hand held flash angling up and slightly behind.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/4 : 90mm : iso200

Yellow Spot Blue

I had some more "artistic" photos of this Yellow Spot Blue (Candalides xanthospila : FAMILY LYCAENIDAE), but in this photo, you can at least see some of the yellow spot.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Ladybeetle

I thought the name of this ladybeetle to be too long to use as the title. Its full name is the "28-spotted Potato Ladybird" (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata : FAMILY COCCINELLIDAE) and it gets it name by...... you guessed it, the number of spots it has. While most ladybeetles are predators, this ladybeetle feeds on plants. It is also covered with dense short hairs on its body.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Brush Wattlebird

Ok, so I'm slipping back to holiday photo territory. Captured this Wattlebird on my last morning in Caloundra. I was actually taking macro shots of rain drops on the flowers when the bird flew up. I didn't have time to change my lens, but thankfully it landed close enough for me to snap off a couple of shots with my 90mm macro.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/4.5 : 90mm : iso200

Weevil

Did you know that there are over 8000 named weevils in Australia? I didn't, until I went to look this one up. And no, I didn't get an id for this individual.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Leaf Beetle

Out with the holiday photos and in with the macro. Took this photo of a Leaf Beetle (family Chrysomelidae) this morning at the Ashgrove Scenic Reserve.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/5.6 : 90mm : iso200

Sunrise

Still on the holiday photos. This was the sunrise on my last day at Caloundra.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/9 : 18mm : iso200

Takeoff

I've taken quite a few "post card" images of pelicans on my break, but I decided not to bore you with those .......... yet! Instead, I've gone with something a bit more dramatic. As my bird book says, the pelican is a magnificent flier.

Nikon d70 : 1/640 : f/6.3 : 175mm : iso200

Storm

Back from my short break away. Good weather for most the time, but big storms hit south east Queensland last night. This is the front coming up the Pumicestone Passage at Caloundra. I just made it back inside before it poured down.

Nikon d70 : 1/100 : f/5 : 27m : iso200

Ichneumon Wasp

This wasp is from the same family as the wasp I posted earlier in the week, but I don't know which species it is. Took the photo in the Ashgrove Bushland Park.
This be the last photo for a few days, I'm off on holidays to take lots of pics and to relax.

Nikon d70 :1/200 : f/7.1 : 90mm : iso200

Dragonfly

I can tell you that there are about 300 species of Dragonfly in Australia, of which, about 130 occur in South East Queensland and of these 27 are illustrated in my reference book. I can also tell you, I have no idea which one this is! The photo was taken along Enoggera creek in the Ashgrove area.

Nikon d70 : 1/250 : f/5.6 : 270mm : iso200

Katydid

I haven't got an id on this very little grasshopper (body length is only about 5mm) but I must say, for such a small body, it has very long antennae.

Nikon d70 : 1/250 : f/11 : 90mm : iso200

Welcome Swallow

I see these guys all over the place. They show great aerobatic skills as they chase insects, often skimming close to the ground. These two were also plucking worms out from the moist ground.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/9 : 200mm : iso200

Ichneumon Wasps

Not sure of the true indentity of this wasp, but it looks to be from the Ichneumon family. The long sting looking thing is an ovipositor, which is used to insert eggs into a host. Because of this practice, they are considerd parasitic. The small photo is of the wasp inserting her ovipositor into a host below the surface of a paper bark tree.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/7.1 : 90mm : iso200

Robber Fly

When I first saw one of these guys I though “you look like a nasty bugger”. And in terms of the insect world, it is. The Robber Fly is very fast and very strong and grabs other insects out of the air. It injects its pray with a poison to paralyse it, before injecting an enzyme, which starts to decompose the pray to enable the fly to suck its insides out, leaving only the ectoskeleton after it has finished feeding. Nice.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/7.1 : 90mm : iso200

Gone!

This water feature no longer exists! It was located in the CBD area of Brisbane near the Roma Street Parkland, and I have the inpression that is was feed by storm water run off. I took the photo a few months ago, and I was suprised to drive past the location today and see that they have dug it up to make way for the new busway tunnels that will run under the CBD.

Nikon d70 : 1/8 : f/25 : 29mm : iso400

The House Cat

Well I guess it had to get to this sooner or later. Slow photo day, so I'm forced to turn to my domestic friends.

Eastern Water Dragon

These guys are abundant along the Brisbane river and other waterways, and they don't seem to mind being city dwellers. This one was trying to make a meal out of some wrens that were fluttering around bushes on the banks of the river near Coronation Drive.

Nikon d70 : 1/640 : f/6.3 : 200mm : iso200

Storm Flight

It has been rather overcast and stormy looking all week, without too much rain yet, but it is due on the weekend. A couple of galahs make a nice silhouette against the dramatic skyline.

Nikon d70 : 1/2500 : f/6.3 : 300mm : iso200

Female Superb Blue-wren

This is the female mate of last weeks Superb Blue-wren. The female isn’t as colourful as the male, which is typical in the bird kingdom. The reason for this? Well, the male has to be good looking enough to attract a mate, and he has to look more appertising, in order to distract a predator’s attention away from the female.

Nikon d70 : 1/250 : f/11 : 300mm : iso200

Mantis

Found this Mantis on a walk along the Stringybark Track on Mt Coot-tha. None of my books or the site I usually consult have an ID on this one.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/9 : 90mm : iso200

Bush Stone-curlew

The Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) is a nocturnal ground bird and is found in just about any place that has ground litter. Often heard and not seen, announces its presence with and eerie "weeloo, will-aroo" call. This one and its mate have been nesting in the carpark at work for years.

Nikon d70 : 1/250 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Pacific Black Duck

One of the most common ducks in the land. In the "Dabbling" group of ducks, it takes insects, seeds and floating vegetation from on or just below the surface. The male has a soft 3 noted quack, the female, a loud decending 6 noted quack.

Nikon d70 : 1/400 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Variable Ladybird

Mating pair of Variable Ladybird Beetles (Coellophora inaequalis), found in the back yard yesterday. Ladybirds are good to have around as they keep the Aphid population under control.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/9 : 90mm : iso200

Bee

Ya gotta love bees. They pollinate flowers, and in this case, the orange blossoms in the back yard, so we might get fruit this year! Then we get to steal their honey for our morning toast, mmm yum.

PS There is a PG rating on tomorrows photo, just giving the heads up for parents.

Nikon d70 : 1/400 : f/10 : 90mm ; iso200

Meadow Argus

The Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) is a low flying butterfly. It will open its wings and put its back to the sun to sunbath, but will close its wings in shade. The "eye-spot" pattern on its wings is a defence mechanism, and when it feels threatened, it will open its front wings to reveal extra "eyes".

Nikon d70 : 1/400 : f/9 : 300mm : iso200

Wandering Ringtail Damselfly

Spring is in the air, so nature turns to mating. These Wandering Ringtails (Austrolestes leda) are no exception.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Superb Blue Wren

Same bird as yesterday. This photo is to illustrate a typical pose, with the tail sticking up. They tend to flit around on the ground or on low vegetation, snaching insects from the air and they don't stay still for too long.

Nikon d70 : 1/500 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Superb Blue Wren In Flight

It took a long time to get this photo, with lots of misses and blurs, but I'm pretty happy with this one. I'll tell you more about the Blue Wren tomorrow.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/11 : 150mm : iso200

Scarlet Jezebel

Couldn't find much info on this Scarlet Jezebel (Delias argenthona) on the web, other than to know that it is also called the Northern Jezebel, it usually flys high near tree tops and the caterpillar feeds on Mistletoes. Very nice to look at though.

Nikon d70 : 1/800 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Riverfire

Sorry, cheesy photo today. It is River Festival time in Brisbane, and it started tonight with a 30 minute fireworks and music display, which we call "Riverfire". The fireworks symbolically get lit by two F111 fighter planes soaring up the river doing a dump and burn. The whole show gets extinguished the same way. The whole event is quite a big deal around here.

Nikon d70 : 5sec : f/16 : 25mm : iso200

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

It is amazing what people don’t see. There were several of these Scaly-breasted Lorikeets sharing a tree with Rainbow Lorikeets at a local sports park. Many of the birds were hanging upside down and feeding on low branches. People were walking right by, the bird right next to their ears and they didn’t even notice! Their loss.

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/7.1 : 250mm : iso200