Cyclone Frogs!

It's been a wild and woolly couple of days here in the north (and west, I hear). I trust that no one has been hurt (I'd check on the news, but the news and I aren't friends ...). What I have heard is that Terry Pratchett has died, with his last tweet reading "The End". I hope he left us on his own terms, as he wished.

People should be allowed to die with dignity - those who disagree oughta be taken outside and flogged with their own stupidity. Before being marched off to do volunteer work in a hospice.

Nutters that they are.

Anyway, where was I?. Oh yeah, cyclones - this one's called Nathan, which made me grin (I've a brother called Nathan - and believe me, he can be a destructive force of nature too).

But despite the wind and rain, the wildlife seems to be taking it all in their stride - in fact, some critters are positively exploiting the situation - most notably, the frogs ...

I shot these two male graceful tree frogs last night as they braved the elements like troopers - determined to prove their metal to any passing female. The first shots were a bit tricky, that leaf was bouncing around like a politician in a maternity ward ...

A keen little guy

He oughta get a bucket of points for trying

In ...

And out ...

... and out

Bloody hell mate - steady on!

Litoria gracilenta

And then I got a visit from an old friend - insomnia. However, there are worse things than laying awake listening to the driving rain and choruses of frogs. What's more, I had a fist full of gecko's to keep me company :)

Hemidactylus frenatus

Eventually the sand man took pity on me and I awoke to more wind and rain - meaning no work, so I bumbled out the door spilling coffee, seeking out my jandals (found - half buried in a flower bed!) - before wandering around to see who might be about.

I've gotta say - a European honey bee doing her rounds was about the last thing I expected, but there ya go. The tenacious lass wasn't going to let a little damp in the air interrupt her foraging ...

I guess the hive won't feed itself ... no wait ...

With time on my hands, I cruised down to the beach to check out the sea - I do enjoy a stormy sea (you know, when I'm on land like ...)

Morning Nathan' - I haven't said that for years lol.

And wouldn't ya know it ... turns out I took the wrong lens with me. As I was standing there, (asking myself why the hell I was standing there) a pair of frigate birds drifted by - it's a good thing the beach was deserted, as the air went from grey to blue ...

Ah well, ya can't win 'em all, eh?

Well, that's about it from me - the F1 is about to begin, so I'd best gather myself for three days of yelling at the tele.

Stay dry, and take care -

The graceful or dainty green tree frog is commonly found in vegetation emerging from the water in streams and swamps, often in temporary water. It is found in a range of habitats, including rain-forest, woodland and forest. It is commonly found near human developments, in gardens or farms and often enters houses looking for insects. Due to its common occurrence on fruit and vegetable farms, particularly bananas, it is commonly transported around Australia with fruits or vegetables, frequently becoming a lost frog. This is common among many frog species, and is of concern due to the much faster rate at which it can spread disease.

This species is usually seen after heavy rain during spring and summer. It breeds in flooded grassland and small ponds. The males will call during summer after rain, and the call is a long "waa" or "wee". Others describe the call as a long, growl-like 'aarrrc' repeated frequently. Males form noisy choruses during summer breeding season. The eggs are laid in a clear jelly lump in water attached to vegetation.