Bobtail

 This handsome fellow is one of the bobtails I mentioned a few days ago that live in our garden. This particular one has been turning up in all sorts of unexpected spots lately. Yesterday evening as I was watering the plant pots he - I think his slightly swollen tail makes him male although it is notoriously hard to tell the difference - suddenly appeared from between two pots where he had presumably settled for the night. He was somewhat irritated at the accidental spray he'd received. He's also been a great source of kitty TV as Mr Puss fixates on him as he wanders past various doors. His mate hasn't been about as much so far this year and has very different colouring being more grey than brown. They mate for life and the female usually gives birth to two babies in spring. Sadly survival rate for the young is not great as they are preyed on by many birds. Also sadly many are killed crossing roads. Since they eat snails among other things  - and my strawberries which they consider a delicacy are safely in hanging baskets - they are very welcome here.

Wildlife Seen in My Garden

The wildlife has been really been busy around our yard over the last two days. Well, it is still the Nyoongar season of Kambarang - the season of birth - although we'll soon be into Birak - Summer in the European calendar.

1. There's a very amorous froggie in the frog pond. He's a motorbike frog  - Litoria moorei - and has a been calling most of the day and night in hopes of attracting a mate. You can see and hear what he sounds like here http://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/frogwatch/frogs/motorbike-frog

2. There are frogs everywhere at the moment. I went outside the other evening and when I came back there was an adolescent frog settled high up on the glass door into the family room. When I say settled I mean it. Convincing it to move so I could open the door was not easy.

3. And in yet another froggie tale my cat has been waking me at night banging on my bedroom window for several nights. Last night he started doing it before I went to bed and when I shone a light onto the window ledge there was a large frog completely ignoring the knocking much to Mr Puss's frustration.

4. It's not only frogs appearing in the garden. Yesterday I went out early to check my seedlings not paying much attention to anything except the task in hand. I looked up as I reached the clothesline which is just above head height and came face to face with a kookaburra which was focussed on the frog pond in front of it. I don't know who was most startled but it had no intention of moving until I spun the line around. Kookaburras are widespread here but they are actually feral having been introduced from the east coast over a century ago.

5. We know summer is close once the bobtails (their proper name is Tiliqua rugosa and they are also sometimes called stumpy tailed lizards) appear and when Pisces went out yesterday afternoon one was sunning itself on the driveway near the front door. We've had several living in our garden for as long as we've lived here. They mate for life and are live bearers. Since they can live as long as fifty years they are likely to be the same one who moved in when we did.

6. Flocks of several species of honeyeaters and wattlebirds are taking advantage of the birdbath outside my study windows. They are quite a distraction as is the resident willy wagtail and all are remarkably unfazed by my presence when I'm working in the garden.