Sunday, November 6, 2011

Sunday Walk



Today's Sunday walk
yielded, up close


one kookaburra
two goannas

 wikimedia commons

one Rufous fantail


and some fluffy ornamental grasses

On our return from Sunshine Beach


we followed a large goanna
a lace monitor
who seemed unaware of our presence
he swung his large bulky body
in a lumbering gait
rollicking from side to side


as his front right leg
plodded forward
his shoulders and top half of his body
swung to the left
and then to the opposite side


he only noticed us when we were quite close
and he stepped off the track into the bush


he has large ear holes
no ear auricle
and doesn't seem to hear very well
when I uploaded the images
I noticed the reason 
for his head swinging actions


he is using his long extended tongue
to detect, smell and taste the air particles
his forked tongue allows him to determine
what direction a scent is coming from


he can detect the scent of rotting carrion
from as far away as 9 km
that's about 6 miles
This lace monitor
is dark grey with numerous 
scattered cream spots
and black and cream bands on his tail
He was thought to be non venomous
and infections from bites 
due to the bacteria in his mouth
but it has been recently found 
that he is mildly venomous

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri 1932—21 June 2002 


The goanna features prominently 
in Aboriginal mythology and folklore
as well as in their art work and diet
He is considered a high risk 
but tasty meal...



Camera Critters

13 comments:

  1. What incredible treasures you found on your walk! Great photos and info on these critters.

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  2. What incredible shots of his tongue!!
    I must say, I think most of Australia's wildlife is pretty adorable.
    This goanna is not one of the adorable ones ;)

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  3. such beautiful and interesting creatures.

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  4. Hello Delwyn

    I have never heard of a goanna--it is a beautiful critter.

    Learn so much form your blog.
    Hope oneday to visit Australia and see all that you have shared with you readers.

    Best
    Tracy :)

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  5. Fantastic photos. How much does one of those large goannas weigh. I'm trying to imagine the scale of this creature.

    I like the photo of the Kookaburra, too. Sadly, the song about Kookaburras that was once part of the preschool canon has slipped off the list. I sang it to my class the other day and saw blank faces on every single child. Not one had ever heard it before.

    I'm quite sure it's because, sadly, the word "gay" appears in the first verse, and that word has lost its original meaning.

    It was a good song. You could sing it in rounds.

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  6. I love the bird shots, but the goanna is a fantastic-looking creature! It must be a thrill to see and photograph one in the wild.

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  7. Hi Delwyn, thanks for visiting back. Came back toi answer your question hehehe. Yup, hubby spent his last tour in Chinhae, South Korea. We lived there for almost two years. Hubby retired last year from his 20 years of service in the Navy. Are you guys in the military too?

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  8. Good morning,Delwyn.
    Wow! a goanna is quite unique!!It is surprising to see that he was walking such close to you. The gonna in the photo taken from his back is cute!
    Tomoko.

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  9. Imagining a goanna appearing in the woods, on the path in front of me, I'd be spooked a little...but I'm sure I would safely approach and snap photos, just like you, Delwyn.

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  10. If I saw a goanna in front of me on the path , I would surely gasp, but like you, I would be snapping away!

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  11. Wow, how big the goanna is? Seemingly quite exotic and creepy but your description of how he strutted before you makes me smile.
    Your camera captured well the quick movements of his tongue.I enjoyed a lot seeing a close-up of an unfamiliar creature.
    I remembered singing the song of kookaburras as well.
    Thank you for sharing.

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  12. I will have to decline a meal of goanna, though I do enjoy the close observation I'm afforded by your photographs! I hope you were using your zoom!

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  13. That walk yielded some super sights!!

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