Cloncurry

I knew I was in the tropics when we pulled into the caravan park at Cloncurry and heard the sound of Varied Lorikeets and Brown Honeyeaters in the flowering eucalypts.

We're moving on tomorrow but we've had time to look at the original QANTAS hanger at the airport, to learn all about John Flynn and the Flying Doctor Service that started here, to picnic out at the dam close to town and chase down a couple of geocaches (I've discovered they take us to interesting spots we would never go to otherwise). As well as doing a bit of birdwatching.



Scarlet Percher Dragonfly

Little Corellas sharing the hay at Cloncurry sale yards.

Cattle Bush Trichidesma zeylanicum

Cloncurry River, after a flood. Many quite mature trees have been pushed over by the water.

Dam residents

One dam on the farm is just a muddy reservoir with very little in the way of vegetation. Cattle have access on every side. But there must have been enough for the dragonflies and damselfies. The first image shows a damselfly that has caught what appears to be a fly. I have limited internet access so I can't research the species but maybe it is male and female of one genus of damselfly, and one genus of dragonfly that used cow pats as resting places.

PS Our friend from Gippsland has identified them for me. The top damselfly is a Blue Ringtail Austrolestes annulosus, next is a Red and Blue Damsel Xanthagrion erythroneurom and the dragonfly is a Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum. (Thanks DF).

Dragonflies and damselfies

Last week the insects were flying in the long and lush grass on our farm at Homerton, including these three. (I really will have to buy that dragonfly book.) Maybe one of you, my fellow bloggers, will know what they are. Update: The second one is possibly a teneral (i.e. newly emerged) Wandering Percher Diplacodes bipunctata, and the first and third Metallic Ringtails Austrolestes cingulatus. Thanks D.

And today at Bambra these little beauties were patrolling a dam (the same one mentioned in my latest tweet - in the bar at right). Update: I think this damselfly is a male Ischnura aurora (Coenagrionidae).

A brown emerald

Last weekend we headed north, visiting Kerang in the north of Victoria. Unfortunately (from a naturalist's viewpoint, not a farmer's) it was wet (welcome), windy and cold and, as well, we were busy doing other things including actually talking to the family we were visiting!

Hence, not much in the world of nature to report. But I did see this beautiful dragonfly sunning itself on the lemon tree. I think it's a Tau Emerald Hemicordulia tau, not an uncommon species but rather late in the season to be out and about. On the dragonfly webpage there are several reports of them flying in April and May. Someone on my Flickr page suggested it is a young male and commented on their remarkable eyesight.

Bluehawk

One of the books on my shopping list is the guide to dragonflies of Australia that was published a year or so ago- there is a gap on my bookshelf and in my knowledge that needs to be filled. But then I'll need to find a way of making them sit still long enough to be identified!

My camera isn't anywhere near up to the task, but this fellow, a Bluehawk Dragonfly I think, sat in my garden long enough to be photographed. I'm struck anew by the complexities of an insect's wing. It's remarkable to think that the frame and the transparent membrane on the wing is so efficient. And the little drops of water are quite beautiful in close-up.

I wonder if I could sneak $50 out of 'housekeeping' to pay for that book this week.