One of the most fabulous things about the Black Wood is the many creatures that live here. We have the cute, some not so much, and some that are probably not considered cute, but I think they are.
What you can’t walk anywhere without usually seeing in the Eastern Grey Kangaroo. They really are everywhere. We have several mobs that come and go as the season changes although they are never far. The largest mob I have seen is approximately 200 strong.
My more preferred macropod we have is the Swamp Wallaby. They are cute little buggers! Fairly quiet, if you aren’t stomping around too much, you can get reasonably close while out walking. They seem to have a small territory because it isn’t uncommon to see a solitary animal in the exact same spot, or at least in the same cluster of trees, as the last time you were out. For years I have seen what I am sure must be the same wallaby, sitting calmly under a tree on a sharp turn just down the road. Where the roos panic and bolt, this wallaby munches on whatever is growing there and raises his head to watch the car drive by. It is an almost 90 degree dirt corner so I get a good look while slowing down, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him wave to me at this point.
Another of my favourites that I never tire of seeing (I will probably say that about most of the creatures) is the echidna. I mean, look at that face! We do have countless ant nests, working out what species is a project for another time, and if you don’t stumble across an echidna furiously pretending it is a spiky rock headed to the Earth’s mantle, then you will find a destroyed ant’s nest.
What I have yet to see with my own eyes in the Black Wood, (although I have seen them on the road and neighbouring properties) is the wombat. I’m not sure if we have many but there are MANY holes. When it isn’t so cold, I will head out at night and see if I can spot a few.
Headed away from the furry animals (echidnas are furry, it is just hidden amongst the sharp pointy bits) is the lizards and snakes. Red-bellied Black’s and Eastern Brown’s are the most likely snake to see however I am not a huge fan. It is the lizards I like. Whether you call these Shinglebacks, Bogeyes or Sleepys, I love them and find them cute. They have attitude but are not too vicious and Mother is convinced that they get to know you. She had one male that was wandering through her yard, so she put some strawberries in his path (they love strawberries, did you know?). The next year she claims the same Bogeye came strolling up to her and looked up . . . presumably for strawberries?
One animal that has been one of my favourites most of my life has become a little less liked after having to live with them. Frogs! Great in theory but living with them can be less than desirable. Currently we are living in shed in the process of being converted into a home, more on that in an upcoming post. It is generally ok except the frogs don’t seem to want to be outside, they like the shed. I’d even be ok with them being inside, but they don’t share well. For one, they don’t find their way out again and far too often die from dehydration. There is water around but they don’t always find it. Then there are the unfortunate moments that you can come across. I was in the bathroom (ok, I was on the loo), when I picked up a toilet roll. Into my hand I felt something fall out of the roll . . . it was cold, wet and soft . . . not anything you want to feel in your hand unexpectedly, especially while in a vulnerable position. Now remember, I like frogs and will happily pick them up and move them when need be, but I was not expecting this and I startle easy . . . I screamed and threw the entire roll and whatever was in my hands across the bathroom. The toilet roll did a great beginning job of teepeeing the bathroom and the Peron’s Tree Frog splattered on the floor. He then had the audacity to turn around and glare at me like I was the rude one. I didn’t know a frog could glare but he did! Hopefully as we seal the shed up correctly, they will stop getting in, for their own sake as well as ours. Screaming ‘you can’t live here!’ as I put them outside doesn’t get the message across to them.
This is by no means an extensive list, but these are the creatures that we deal with regularly. Although we don’t see the wombat, we do deal with his holes, the ones in the creek as well as the ones in the fences. The birds themselves could be a whole post, including the beautiful, majestic, powerful Wedge-tailed Eagles. Aunty found an old nest in one of the trees, very exciting, I really hope we can encourage them and hope to have breeding pairs living here. If you read along on my journey (sign up for email reminders, shameless plug), you will hopefully discover more animals along the way with me. I’m really hoping we have water rats. I have seen them in this area but not sure if they are in our creek . . . I really hope they are.
Then there are the introduced species, foxes, rabbits and the hares. I am quite fond of the hares but I may adjust that opinion of them when I start planting trees. There are not too many around and they don’t dig the holes that the rabbits do. Update on how much I like the hares when I start planting trees.
Treewitched in the Black Wood 