I understand that it’s very difficult to see the two types of monotremes in Australia—the echidna and the platypus: the only egg-laying mammals—in the wild. But reader Dave Molloy photographed the echidna (one of four species, all called “spiny anteaters”), and sends some notes:
I found this rather robust specimen of a short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) on a dirt track south of Hanging Rock in Victoria yesterday. This species is ubiquitous in Australia and as such is represented on the ‘tails’ side of the Australian 5 cent coin. I was lucky that I had my 70-200mm ISII lens so I didn’t have to get too close this timid animal, who would bury his/her snout in the dirt for about 30 seconds and then pop up again to look around to see if the noisy human had gone.
When I was a graduate student in Cambridge, the Museum of Comparative Zoology had a captive echidna named Francis who became quite tame after I visited it daily. It would let me rub its belly, which is furry, and would nuzzle my hand. Its snout was so narrow that it could insinuate it between my finger and my ring!
Reader Phil Loubere submitted some photos taken by his wife:
Here are three photos my wife Gladys took of a Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) in our backyard here in Murfreesboro, Tennessee a couple of weeks ago. It had just caught a dove and was feeding on it. We have two bird feeders on our porch that attract a variety of birds including the doves, which the hawk periodically catches. I have seen it dive-bomb a hapless bird, which explodes in a cloud of feathers when the hawk strikes.
Finally, reader Ed Kroc sent a bunch of really lovely bird photos. I’ve saved most of them for later, but couldn’t resist putting up one now, takenat sunset at Boundary Bay in Delta, British Columbia. There’s also a “spot the. . . ” feature; see the bold bit below:
This photo shows a small part of a flock of probably several thousand Dunlins (Calidris alpina). The ambient light was very dim at the time so the sharpness is not so great, but the effect is still kind of cool. As with many other sandpipers, these guys move together in hypnotic unison, probing, running, flying, and landing in undulating bits of feathery magic. Bonus with this last shot: spot the rogue Sanderling (C. alba).
I see the Sanderling. The one with the shortest beak in the photo.
Wonderful photos, Dave and Gladys. Thanks for sharing!
… and to ED too!
Not much shorter. Is it to the right of center, about 1/3 the way up from the bottom, facing more or less forward?
Yes. Much shorter bill and breast all white.
Yes, that’s the one!
Great photos, thanks. We get lots of Cooper’s hawks in our neighborhood; and I’ve seen them hit birds (usually mourning doves or (North American) robins); but I’ve never watched one feed. Lucky you!
“I have seen it dive-bomb a hapless bird, which explodes in a cloud of feathers when the hawk strikes.”
One of my favorite things to do on a weekend morning is have coffee on my front stoop first thing in the AM and watch the Copper’s Hawks hunt ring-necked doves. In fact, I’ve used the phrase “dive-bomb” to describe their hunting techniques myself. It is a spectacular sight to see, although probably not from the dove’s perspective.
“dove bomb”
We have hawks here in the urban hellhole. I’ve never been privileged to see them make a kill, though – which I’m fine with believe me!
Love the echidna photos!
Platypuses (Platypodes?) don’t seem all that hard to find. I saw them at one out of the two places I went to where they were said to hang out, and at that place I watched one for a good 20 minutes. What’s hard is getting any decent photos, as they’re mostly underwater.
Two things I like about echidnas;
1. The genus name; Tachyglossus = fast tongue
2. A baby echidna is known as a puggle
That’s two things I didn’t know about echidnas; I like those two as well. Thanks.
Awww, puggle! 🙂
I had no idea that echidnas had furry bellies!
Thanks for the great assortment of photos today.
I cheated with the comments to find the Sanderling…funny how it doesn’t seem perturbed by the “feathery magic”.
It’s difficult to successfully plan to see an echidna in the wild, but I’ve seen them half a dozen times. On one occasion, in my front yard; on another, crossing a busy six-lane Canberra road – successfully! These two may not count as “in the wild”, perhaps. On another occasion – near the NSW coast, I was jumping off an embanked dirt road and realised I was about to land on one if I didn’t change my trajectory in mid-air. (I did.)
I’m also told it’s not that difficult to see a platypus in the wild; there are guided walking tours along the Molonglo river (the one which divides Canberra in half) which aren’t done often but which usually come up with something. I’m not sure why I haven’t been on one.
Splendid pictures, thank you all!