A few from the ACT and the Snowies

[WillFolsom]

David:

Took this in 2004 with my D100, my first digital camera. It was in the Blue Ridge Mountains - Shenandoah National Park. I was giving a lecture on butterfly photography. After class we headed outside for some shooting. I remember it was "brisk" and very windy. These coppers where flying erratically low to the ground and were being blown back and forth. They were in a huge field with few trees, so the wind came through without any breaks or calm spots. I shot at a very high speed for those days to stop the motion and as a result had a shallow depth of field. Couldn't raise the ISO with the D100 without a lot of noise. Considering the equipment and complexities of the weather, I was pleased. They are beautiful butterflies. The intense orange was enhanced by natural sunlight. No flash. William

[moloch]

Thanks, William. They are really beautiful. I hope that you find more this next season.

[moloch]

Here are the final few photos from my second visit. I visited the botanical gardens on Black Mountain in the afternoon. This proved to be an excellent place for butterfly photography. One portion of the gardens was open and planted with low growing Everlasting Daisies. These were attractive to a number of butterflies including many of the beautiful Imperial Hairstreaks.





Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi)



Meadow Argus (Junonia villida)



Glasswing (Acraea andromacha)



Barred Grass-Skipper (Dispar compacta) -- female

[moloch]

The gardens also had a healthy population of Eastern Water Dragons. These were the Gippsland form and they looked quite different to those on the coast. Water Dragons are big lizards with males reaching a length of a meter of so. In natural habitats, they often are shy but here in the gardens, they have become habituated to people. They often did not move as people walked by. It was funny to watch the reaction of people when they realized that there as a huge lizard nearby.

... big male. The light angle was bad but you can get an idea of its nice colours.



... females or immature males:





Here are photos of the form that lives along the coast. This one is my "mate". It lives along the trail that I walk on most days up Mt. Kiera. I have watched what I think to be the same male for several summers now. It emerges onto rocks along the trail in December. It also is used to seeing people so often remains immobile while bush walkers are in the area. I found that it loves the succulent annelids that are numerous under logs.


If I held these out, the dragon would run to my feet and wait for me to place the worm on a rock. It would never take the worm directly from my hand.





These two colour forms were originally considered to be different species but they were merged a few years ago.

[Great Mormon]

The imperial hairstreak is a really beautiful butterfly David, and you have manage to capture some good photos of them. A butterfly on a flower, who can ask for more?

[moloch]

David:

I'm particularly interested in encountering all kinds of extremely poisonous species of deadly snakes. Your photographs have had a magical affect on me. William

That is great to hear, William! I can certainly show you these little Eastern Small-eyed Snakes in the winter although their larger more toxic relatives won't be easy. Small-eyes are moderately venomous with only two known fatalities from their bites.


... one rather pugnacious individual:



Of course, if you would like, we could go on the 20 hour drive out to Windorah, QLD. That is the home of the #1 elapid in the world, the Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake. It has spectacularly toxic venom. These snakes are easier to find in cool weather since they spend more time basking. That would be exciting and well worth the long drive, right?

[moloch]

The imperial hairstreak is a really beautiful butterfly David, and you have manage to capture some good photos of them. A butterfly on a flower, who can ask for more?

Thanks, Anthony.

[atronox]

Would have been better if the earthworms were the Gippsland giants!