2.July.2016 (Day 27)

Living with wildlife

Happy territory day! Today in 1978, the NT finally gained a sense of person and was recognized by parliament and able to elect representatives. 

Why they opted for one of the driest, tinder-box times of the year  to light off all their fireworks (much like the US) is beyond me. From 6-11pm on 1^st July people here have free reign to blow up darn near anything they want to.

The running tally  is 280 fires last night. Government officials have suggested in the past that the NT ban fireworks (which is what ever other state in Australia does) and they've been almost immediately stripped of their office. Realistically, from 6pm-3am there was a pretty constant echo of explosions in most directions.

Sigh…

The territory is a very unique beast. It's hard to gauge how Ozzies feel about it. Near as I can tell, it's similar to Texas. People who live there love it, definitely fit into a 'type', and consider themselves their own country. People from everywhere else mostly roll their eyes. 

Half the time it feels like the wild west (err north?)

Living with wildlife is somewhat of a conundrum at times. It’s beautiful, peaceful, and always exciting.

Some of the neighbors…can be pretty annoying though.

Orange-footed scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwardt)

About the size of a large chicken, these birds are always in pairs. And always calling in duet, synchronizing and overlapping with each other.

That may sound beautiful to you, but I assure you that at 4:30am, two (insert expletive) birds making all manner of (insert expletive) noise, is in no way, shape, or form pleasant. The description in the bird book describes their call (rather perfectly) as a ‘maniacal call and scream’…

Some of their nest mounds can get over 4.5 meters (15 ft) high and 9 meters (30 ft) in diameter. It's basically a big compost pile used to incubate their eggs.

 Their mound is conveniently located ~9 meters from my window…

Big ol’ pile of sleep deprivation

Another neighbor, albeit far less noisy, that always makes my day is this fella.

Tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides)

These birds look awesome!!!. I know they don’t have ‘eyebrows’ but for some reason every time I see him I think he’s looking at me really sleazy, or maniacal like. Are you a bird version of pepe le pew or a bond villain? 

My vote is that it's a real dirtbag of a bird. 

They are also either completely oblivious, or just don’t give a hoot about curious biologists, because he lets me get close enough to pet every night (although I'm keeping my hands far away from the big beak). Their mouths are so big, that during the day they don’t actively hunt insects, just sit with their mouths wide open and snap it shut when a bug fly’s in. 

Sleazy and lazy?

That’s my kind of critter.

Away from the field station, deeper into the bush, while looking for study animals last night I also came across some new species.

Orange-naped/Moon snake (Furina ornata) Part I

I’ll admit, I had no idea what kind of snake this was when I first found it. 

It didn’t look much like an elapid (venomous and a no-touchy) but I couldn’t remember seeing it in my reptile book.

They’re somewhat rare and sure enough, an elapid. Listed as being too small to be ‘any serious threat to a full-grown adult’, I’ll sleep well at night knowing I made the careful/correct/fraidy cat decision.

Orange-naped/Moon snake (Furina ornata) Part II

I’ve been seeing a lot more of complete ecosystem at my new spot. It might just be that I’m out and about instead of driving in a car, but the food web seems a little more substantial out here.

Of course, in both sites, there are plenty of these…

Garden Orb Weaver (Eriophora sp.)

But for the first time, besides a ridiculous amount of roos, this is the first spot I’ve seen a really healthy mammal population.

Grassland mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys burtoni)

I know she's reading this. That picture was for you bae (my wife hates mice/rats)

There are also some larger mammals here that I've heard plenty of but haven't run into personally yet.

Feral Pig (Sus scrufa)

The last critter of the night was, and still is, a bit of a mystery to me. I’m about 50% sure I have the right identification. But I wouldn’t be surprised to receive a correcting email or two. Whatever it was, I think it’s adorable.

Two-lined dragon (Diporiphora bilineata)