urban daisy

They’re desperately cute, but Australia’s bilbies are endangered.  If only they weren’t nocturnal, I am convinced people would be more concerned about the welfare of this little marsupial species.

The little girls called me down to the dam to meet this fellow.   He allowed me to get quite close and didn’t show his beard despite me taking repeated, close shots; a very cool customer.

Here he is a little bothered.  The beard puffed makes him look bigger to foes.

This spikey creature wandered through my country friend’s property.  Knowing how much I love wildlife, and that my children would enjoy seeing it, and that I would want to photograph it, my very brave friend caught it for me.

In view of his shielding quills, is not my friend a woman of valour?!!  While echidnas are not aggressive, their defenses are not to be trifled with.

Their strength is surprising.  The burrowing away was a very speedy business.

Now, if someone would just catch me a platypus…. 

He’s still a mystery to me.  I have been unable to identify this little froggy I met in Tenterfield, but I remain hopeful.*

*Edited to add: thanks to Ann, I can now name this fellow “Litoria dentata, Bleating Tree Frog”.

He is really an Eastern Water Dragon, but he looks ferocious with those spikes.

Trichosurus vulpecula, Boonoo Boonoo National Park.

While the youngest and smallest of the cygnets are still in the cute stage, this one is well on the way to elegant.  The grey will give way to a dramatic black, and the beak will be bright red.

This tawny frog mouth had found the perfect restaurant!  Climbing up the tree was a long train of furry itchy grubs.  As we watched, he would lean over and pluck them at his leisure.

Wallabies are macropods, but smaller than kangaroos.  It’s interesting to watch how they use their tails to get along when travelling slowly.  It looks clumsy, but when they decide to really move, they are fast!  The tail creates perfect balance, and the speed and grace with which they cover ground is a delight to observe.