Week in pictures
22nd to 29th March, 2018
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Beautiful Firetails are sometimes confused with the much more common Red-browed Finches. Both have the red rump and beak, but they are otherwise very different in appearance.
Stagonopleura bella
Beautiful Firetails favour heathy woodlands, particularly where there is heavy cover, including banks of ferns. They are also known to love bathing, and are rarely found far from water.
Stagonopleura bella
Males, like this one, are aggressively defending territories throughout the forest this week.
Family: Nymphalidae
Heteronympha banksii
The males patrol from their 'lookout' perches, typically 2-3 metres above the ground. I rather delight in being attacked by a butterfly as I wander through his patch.
Family: Nymphalidae
Heteronympha banksii
The male displaying his brilliant tail feathers and glossy wings to his mate. These birds are believed to form long-lasting pair bonds and may live for 20 years or more
Calyptorhynchus lathami
A common sight throughout Summer. And 'grey' doesn't seem such a fair description.
Rhipidura albiscapa
I've been spotting quite a few this week. They have suspiciously long legs and antennae, similar to Spider Ants (Leptomyrmex), but I'm not convinced. Further investigation required ...
The skinks, large and small, have been particularly active this week.
Eulamprus heatwolei
Another species I've yet to fully identify. It's a work-in-progress. Stunning insect though. This is a female ... note the incredibly long ovipositor.
When I saw several of these tiny moths yesterday I assumed they were the same species I photographed in October ... Glyphipterix cometophora. Wrong! A comparison shows that the pattern is really quite different. Another one for the to-do list!
I'm predicting they'll be closely related though - perhaps another Glyphipterix species. They have the same 'sparkly bits' and show the same display behaviour ... rhythmically flaring their wings and extending their hind legs, as this one is doing.
Update: Glyphipterix gemmipunctella