Queensland Fruit Fly

We have a young orange tree in the backyard, it's not doing too well in the drought, but this Queensland fruit fly(Bactrocera tryoni) still seem to like it.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/4.2 : 90mm : iso200

Moth Silhouette

Nature in the inner city limits. This moth, resting on the underside of a leaf, is silhouetted by one of the many lights blazing away in the city every night.

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

Rainbow Lorikeet

These Lorikeets are regulars on my blog, but being in Brisbane, there're just so many of the buggers, it's hard not to keep photographing them. This one was taken from the balcony of a friends place at Sandgate.

Nikon d70 : 1/20 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Banksia Moth Caterpillar

This is an early instar (life stage) of the Banksia Moth Caterpillar (Danima banksiae). Found it as I was about to go home from the Bank Street reserve at Ashgrove.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/9 : 90mm : iso200

Doing the Splits

I've not been able to get a quick ID on this one. I just like the photo as I find it slightly childishly amusing how it is doing the splits.

Nikon d70 : 1/40 : f/8 : 90mm : iso200

Royal Spoonbill

This Royal Spoonbill is a breeder. Note the long plumes on the back of its head.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Royal Spoonbill

Non-breeding Royal Spoonbill stands at the edge of Enoggera Creek, Ashgrove.

Nikon d70 : 1/1000 : f/5.6 : 270mm : iso200

Magpie-Lark

Magpie-larks are common through out Australia, except in Tasmania. Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, but in winter the young gather in large flocks to feed in wetland or pastures. This is a male, the female doesn't have a white marking under it eye.

Nikon d70 : 1/320 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Antlion Lacewing

Can you see it? If hadn't seen it land on this twig, I wouldn't have noticed it at all.

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

Great Egret

Great Egret tries to hide from me on the waters edge at Biambi Yumba Park. This one is a non-breeder, a breeder would have a black bill.

Nikon d70 : 1/640 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Brown Bunyip Cicada

Cicadas or more often heard rather than seen, with the males singing from the trees on summer days. The young cicada (nymph) lives underground where it sucks the roots of trees, shrubs and grasses. When it is fully grown, the nymph emerges and climbs a treetruck, which it grips to enable it to spit its skin and emerge as a winged adult.

Nikon d70 : 1/100 : f/5.6 : 300mm : iso200

Narrow-brand Grassdart

This is a butterfly from the sub family known as skippers or darters (FAMILY HESPERIIDAE). They get their name from their rapid and jerky flying style. They are mostly yellow, white or dark brown in colour.

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

Little Friarbird

This Juvenile Little Friarbird will loose its yellow throat feathers when it matures. Photographed at Biambi Yumba park in Fig Tree Pocket (Brisbane).

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

Orchard Swallowtail

This is the underside view of the the caterpillar from the privious post. Apparently these guys are noisy eaters, so loud, that you can locate them by listening to them eat!

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/10 : 90mm : iso200

Orchard Swallowtail Caterpillar

This is a rather large caterpillar, as it should be, because it turns into a rather large butterfly (one of the largest in the Brisbane area at 110mm). When disturbed, it extrudes red tentacles from its head and emits a strong smell.

Nikon d70 : 1/160 : f/10 : 90mm : iso200

Three Sisters

This is a fairly typical image of the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains, taken from the vantage of Echo Point lookout. I could hardly travel all that way and not take the photo could I?

Nikon d70 : 1/200 : f/8 : 38mm : iso200

Silver Gull

I re-evaluated some of my holiday photos and found I that I had infact snapped some nature photos, so I may as well post some over the next couple of days.

I was trying to make my way to the light house at Stockton ( near Newcastle) before the storm hit. I quite get there, but I managed to capture this abstract shot of a flock of silver gulls taking off.

Nikon d70 : 1/13 : f/4.5 : 70mm : iso200

Wasp

Sorry to family and fans. It has been a long time since my last posting. I've been kept busy with visitors and travel and nature photo ops have been slim. I'm hoping to spend quite a bit of time this week walking around the bush to get more shots.

In the mean time, I found this wasp flying around the orange tree in the back garden.

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

Naked Treefrog

This is another find from my friends backyard at Greenbank. The Naked Tree frog is common in the western suburbs, breeding anywhere from flooded paddocks to temporary or permanent ponds. It measures only 40mm.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/11 : 90mm : iso200

Ornate Burrowing-frog

Found this little fella out at Greenbank in a friends backyard. It measures only 45mm, with a variable pattern and often a pale butterfly marking between its front shoulders.

Nikon d70 : 1/60 : f/11 : 90mm : iso200