msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Gecko stalking
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/gecko-stalking.html
Wednesday, January 20, 2010. On Christmas Eve, two cars were driving from my sister's farm house back to my parents' farm house and I was determined to be the first for any wildlife-spotting opportunities that may arise. I had rather hoped that deer we spotted in the distant paddocks at dusk might have moved nearer the road and I was ready with my camera. These photos show the access hole to the geckos' getaway inside the brick wall:. While largely nocturnal, the geckos are sometimes found inside the hou...
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Lacewings
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/02/lacewings.html
Sunday, February 21, 2010. Lacewings are the ugly ducklings of the invertebrate world. They start life as a rather hideous looking antlion which travels around with a collection of debris on its back, used as a diguise! OK, technically they start life a bit before that as an exquisitely shaped egg on a strand of silk but that ruins my Ugly Duckling metaphor! The sticky silk prevents predators from reaching the eggs (which would be easy if the eggs were laid straight onto the leaves). Pic of antlion holes].
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Quails
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/quails.html
Sunday, January 31, 2010. I've been stalking quails for a few weeks now, hoping to take some photos. They were first reported in the Wolli Valley over Christmas, while I was out of town and I was keen to get photographic evidence. On one occasion I was fast enough to get the flying quail in shot, but alas, not in focus! Figuring they were now well concealed in the undergrowth I let myself become distracted by a Clamorous Reed Warbler. There are foxes in the Valley which could be problematic for this grou...
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Echidnas
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/echidnas.html
Sunday, January 24, 2010. To access my parents' farm house, you need to drive a short distance on a rough dirt track through National Park. Over the years I've got used to a few places that echidnas are likely to be spotted and I always keep an eye out. Here's one I saw in December 2007. I'm not sure if it was hiding from me or trying to eat ants inside the log. The echidna's first reaction to the sound of my feet thundering through the bush was to curl up and "hide", though obviously still in plain view!
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Flies
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/flies.html
Monday, January 25, 2010. You might not think flies are very nice creatures, but I'm going to show you some absolute beauties and hopefully change your mind. Now, I'm no scientist and these are not altogether common critters so I have asked for help identifying them and I hope the names are correct. Each fly name is hyperlinked to further information in external websites. Location: near Gulgong, NSW. Species, family Syrphidae. Location: Girrahweem Park, Earlwood. Location: Turrella Reserve, Earlwood.
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Ms_Voren: Galahs
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/galahs.html
Sunday, January 24, 2010. It's not often that you get close to a Galah in the wild. It's quite common in rural Australia to see them flying overhead or perched in trees. But if a Galah is feeding in the ground and becomes disturbed, you're most likely to see this reaction. That's why it was very surprising to get the following shots of a lone Galah who stayed on the ground despite a group of people walking very nearby, including me with my camera! View my complete profile. Related sites for students.
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Nankeen Night Heron
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/nankeen-night-heron.html
Tuesday, January 19, 2010. However, since I began photographically documenting the avifauna of the Wolli Valley. It has become an even more competitive pursuit. I was lucky to be the first to see Tawny Frogmouths. In the Valley and one of the earliest to confirm Variegated Wrens. As residents rather than random visitors. What would be the next "tick"? When I moved even further along the walking track to the next clearing, the Heron flew to a more secluded area of the Oak. Nature lover, wildlife stalker, ...
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Raptors
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/raptors.html
Wednesday, January 27, 2010. Of all the animal kingdom, my favourite group would have to be raptors, and my favourite of those, the wedge-tailed eagle. Wedge-tails are most easily identified by their size (they are Australia's largest eagle) and by the distinct shape of their tail, although, as you can see above, the tail does not always stay wedge shaped! Another identifying feature is the upturned feathers at the end of the wings. View my complete profile. Related sites for students.
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Ms_Voren: Raising lambs
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/raising-lambs.html
Tuesday, January 19, 2010. On a farm trip at Christmas time I was scanning the paddock with binoculars when I noticed a small lamb, seemingly on its own. Further surveillance uncovered the mother lying down on a dam bank at some distance from the lamb. It was nearing sunset and the mother needed to be more vigilant if her lamb was to survive the night. It was unclear what ailed the mother sheep. Was she was still in labour, trying to deliver a twin? Was she simply fatigued from the delivery? After that I...
msvoren.blogspot.com
Ms_Voren: Teddy Bear Bee
http://msvoren.blogspot.com/2010/01/teddy-bear-bee.html
Friday, January 15, 2010. Yesterday I was astonished to find a Teddy Bear Bee. That was quite still on a leaf. In my experience they have only ever been in flight and as soon as they're aware of human presence, rapidly flying away! This little beauty was underneath, and partly obscured by a leaf. When it did start to move it seemed groggy and actually stumbled and fell a few times before flying away. It certainly gave me plenty of time to get some pics, albeit on funny angles. View my complete profile.
