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A tiger snake got more than it bargained for when it eyed the chicks of a pair of Tasmanian native-hens on the Lower Pipeline track in South Hobart. The parents immediately swung into action, emitting an alarm call before rushing at the snake. It had emerged from the Sandy Bay Rivulet, which runs parallel to the track, and the tiny, matt-black chicks seemed too tempting a target to resist. But approaching the chicks, it was immediately put to flight – or should I say put … [Read more...] about Native-hens on a turbo-charged attack

I’ve looked for the elusive Latham’s snipe in wild and unforgiving places. The tarns of kunanyi/Mt Wellington usually but I’ve now discovered I might be looking in the wrong place. Instead of climbing the mountain or going further afield to button-grass plains in the state’s west I should be looking closer to home. It appears the rare Latham’s snipe is likely to turn up in the most unlikely locations, including patches of wet ground in urban areas. Vital information for the … [Read more...] about Elusive snipe finds home in the suburbs

Three gannets bobbing on a heaving ocean gave a hint of what was to come. The gannets - black and white, with a yellow sheen to the head and nape - gazed down at the surf with a look of anticipation. Their steel-blue eyes had settled on a patch of water about the size of a bowling green that appeared remarkably calm and flat. Other birds arrived. Short-tailed shearwaters darted in, followed by crested terns. The birds knew something was afoot, something stirring under ocean … [Read more...] about Whale of a time on bird quest

Shy and secretive, our little penguins are usually out of sight and out of mind until tragedy befalls their colonies. They only come to notice, hitting the headlines, when they are the victim of dog attacks although one celebrated penguin hit the news last year by trying to gain access to a Hobart Waterfront pub. The penguin was found on the steps of the main bar of the Post House Hotel after apparently coming ashore at Brook St Pier. Putting aside amusing penguin antics, … [Read more...] about Dogs emerge as major threat to penguins

On the surface it’s a mere, dusty track climbing into the heart of my local reserve. I can never ignore it, though. It calls to me, lures me, seduces me, and I always feel compelled to explore the magical world beyond its leafy margins. The track leads from the far side of the lower lake at the Waterworks Reserve and its crushed mudstone glows golden in sunshine. After rain, it is clothed in a more restrained shade, that of tarnished copper. To the refrain of golden … [Read more...] about Track opens window on the world of nature