Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A GOANNA COMES TO VISIT


He/she's back.

There's lots of fledglings (mostly superb blue wrens) about and maybe still some eggs unhatched in nests in the Grevillea and Banksia I've planted close to the house to attract the honeyeaters. It's that time of year. And Polly (the King Parrot) was here early this morning too, perched on one of the high windows, peering in as I had a cup of tea. I kid you not.


Anyway, the Goanna. I had a sense something was outside, and as I stepped onto the terrace with the dog, it bolted up the house gum.







Such a handsome ancient creature in his ill-fitting elaborately marked skin.

The dog was pretty unconcerned. She's not one for getting into trouble and takes most things in her stride. She's a kelpie, and knows it.


The goanna stayed a safe distance up the tree till the dog was inside and then after a quick check made the descent - head first, claws ripping off bits of bark - back onto the grass and oblivious to me (click clicking away) headed for Millie's recently discarded bone.





A few licks and a tug later and Goanna was circling the house gardens again looking for something to swallow, whole probably.




5 comments:

David said...

They're whoppers, goannas, aren't they? We saw a few on our Australian wanderings, though I fear one landed on the windscreen in Kakadu and its fate was probably not a happy one.

It was amusing driving along and hearing tales of exotic home problems on the phone-ins - to the majority of your compatriots, goannas, wombats and parakeets are household pests.

Love the quizzical king parrot

Smorg said...

Who needs to go to the zoo when they could have giant goannas and colorful birds drop in to visit at the house! :D I'm jealous... I'm just surrounded by fat house cats and moaning and groaning doves! XD

Susan Scheid said...

That goanna is something else! The King Parrot is a beauty, too. We certainly have nothing like either one of these grand creatures here.

wanderer said...


David, my (country) household pets are indeed wombats (about 6 holes within 20 metres of the house), along with Lyrebirds (whom I adore but they are very destructive), and rabbits (thank you kindly Lady Whoever who imported the blighters to remind her of home) and 'roos and wallabies. In the city it is possums. One thing I've learnt is not to go to war with the wildlife.

Hi Smorg. I'm sorry to say I have little time for cats. Don't you have dogs? I couldn't live without a dog, I swear.

Susan, you do have lovely creatures, surely - let me think: squirrels? eagles? bison?

Susan Scheid said...

Squirrels I do not find lovely, I must say. But we have bluebirds and pileated woodpeckers, both of which are pretty grand. (Speaking of wombats, you might enjoy this: http://www.afoolintheforest.com/2012/10/i-am-the-wombat-of-d-g-rossetti.html).