Tag Archives: dragonfly

For Heather's original post...

Superior Strawberries

Hello Heather,

I think most of us see unusual things in our lives. Unusual means out of the ordinary so it could be something we wouldn't normally see or something we see in an unexpected place or way. I thought I would share a few photos.

The Photos

Some of the photos were taken 20 to 30 years ago. The photo quality isn't high because they were scanned from old colour slides and negatives.

1. If we look at a map of the world, we see the equator drawn around the middle. To the north and south are lines marked as tropics. In the north there is the Tropic of Cancer whereas the tropic to the south of the equator is the Tropic of Capricorn. Any island or nation in between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are said to have a tropical climate. The Tropic of Capricorn passes through Australia's north. When driving a group of parents and children on a 6000km journey to Uluru in Australia's centre and back, we stopped when seeing this line paitned on the road at the Tropic of Capricorn. Some smart person thought it would be funny to write one side was hot and the other cold.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

2. In the 1980s I was in New Zealand. I visited a church in Rotorua and saw this wonderfully engraved glass window showing the Moari Jesus walking on the outside lake.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

 This photo was taken many years back. The last time I visited the church, a sign asked visitors not to take photos inside the church

3. This photo was taken around 30 years again. There had been a storm in the late afternoon. The cloud patterns and colours were amazing.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

4. I am not quite old enough to have seen real dinosaurs but this photo from about 25 years ago was of a robotic dinosaur looking very realistic as it moved. Can you imagine seeing a real one?

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

  5. I was once out photographing fungi such as mushrooms and toadstools when I saw a pattern of fungi on a tree. I added some eyes to make this face.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

 6. While in Tasmania, Australia's only island state and the most southern state, I was on a river that looked more like a mirror surface.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

 7. I was in England in a railway museum when I came across this platform sign. It had been used in the Harry Potter movies.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

 8. Dragonflies can be very hard to photograph. They are quick fliers and are easily disturbed but one day while I was taking a break from hiking, this one landed beside me.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

It's our unusual experiences in life that can make our lives interesting, exciting or perhaps even frightening. Being unusual, we don't know when they will happen. I wonder what will be my next?

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Hello Again Alexis,

I have sorted through more photos. I don't think I have shared many of these before. Here they are, starting with...

Invertebrates

1. Blue-bottle Jelly fish ( or Portuguese Man-of-war)

These jelly fish are found along our coast. The air sac keeps them on the surface as they drift along. Long tentacles drag behind them trapping small fish. Beaches can close when they are blown towards land. If a tentacle contacts you skin, it can be very painful and can leave a red mark where the tentacle touches. They are sometimes blown onto beaches like this one. As the tentacles can still sting when the blue-bottle is on the beach you still need to take care. This one's air sac would have been about 2 inches (5cm) long and its tentacles two to three feet long.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

2. Sand spider

On the same beach walk I photographed the blue-bottle, I photographed this spider. It's a good example of camouflage. Had I not seen it moving, I might have missed seeing this small spider.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

3. Yellow-Striped Hunter Dragonfly

It took a few attempts to take this photo. Dragonflies can move quickly but it finally settled long enough.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

4. Some Butterflies and Moths

Two butterflies I haven't been able to identify. I must buy a butterfly identification book. 🙂

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

Painted Lady Butterfly

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

Hawk Moth (about 2 inches (5cm) long)

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

Common Brown

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Yellowpinch, N.S.W., Australia

Vertebrates

1. Reptiles

Lace Goanna (or Lace Monitor) (about a metre long - 3 to 4 feet)

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Yellowpinch, N.S.W., Australia

Red-bellied Black Snake (poisonous but not very aggressive)

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Wolumla, N.S.W., Australia

2. Birds

White-faced Heron

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Merimbula, N.S.W., Australia

Swamphen

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bega, N.S.W., Australia

Australian Pelican

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Merimbula, N.S.W., Australia

Coot

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bega, N.S.W., Australia

Pied Butcher Bird

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Imbil, Queensland, Australia

Brush Turkey (not really a turkey)

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Brisbane Hinterland, N.S.W., Australia

Bronzewing Pigeon

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Merimbula, N.S.W., Australia

3. Mammals - Monotreme (Egg Laying Mammals)

The only known monotreme mammals in our world are the platypus (Australia only) and the echidna (Australia and New Guinea). Here is a an echidna (or spiny anteater) I saw while on a hike.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Merimbula, N.S.W., Australia

4. Mammals - Marsupial (Pouched Mammals)

Brushtail Possum

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

Eastern Grey Kangaroo joey (This joey is now too big for the pouch.)

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

4. Mammals - Placental

Bottle-nosed dolphins - They were swimming parallel to a beach

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Bournda National Park, N.S.W., Australia

Dingo - dingoes are our wild dogs. They were thought to have arrived with the first Aboriginal people. This make is named Djingo. He lives at Potoroo Palace. WIld dingoes aren't found in my area. They can't bark like domestic dogs. Like wolves, they can howl.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Location: Potoroo Palace, N.S.W., Australia