Endemic Species

[November]

Which plants and animals have you seen around your place that are not found naturally occurring anywhere else in the world?

I am so spoilt where I am with so many! They are continuing to disappear with the sprawl of humans and their pests so when I see something cool I get a real thrill 🙂

This little dude hopped into my back yard the other day.

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I think he is a western spotted frog. Only found in this state.

Western Spotted Frog | Western Australian Museum

Seen anything share-worthy near you?

 

[one eyed chicklet]

I saw a Scottish red deer (I know I'm English but close enough). I was about 9 or 10 at the time and that stag literally towered over me, it stared at me for a few seconds and ran off. My dog also flushed a herd out of the forest because she's a naughty dog lol.

 

[Bluebird]

My favourite is the beautiful Highland cow. I like the fact it has red hair, it looks like it belongs. Just needs a wee tartan bunnet to compete the look.

And there's the Scottish Wildcat. Larger than a domestic cat but there's so few of them left they're almost extinct. They have quite large jaws.

 

[Bluebird]

Seen anything share-worthy near you

Should add, I've not seen a wildcat, very few people have. Highland cows are ten a penny though, as are the deer.
I used to sail a lot and since the country is made up of a ridiculous amount of islands and rivers there's a lot of sea life. Had a seal nearly bite my bum once (it was just curious of the boat), we get basking sharks and whales kicking about a bit, and a load of dolphin and porpoise, and all the seabirds you can eat. Luckily I've got to see a lot not far from where I live because of the nature of the geography.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

I saw a very large black cat between Paignton and Totnes in South Devon almost 40 years ago and two Eagles a month ago on a tree over the road, nothing else though.

 

[November]

Should add, I've not seen a wildcat, very few people have. Highland cows are ten a penny though, as are the deer.
I used to sail a lot and since the country is made up of a ridiculous amount of islands and rivers there's a lot of sea life. Had a seal nearly bite my bum once (it was just curious of the boat), we get basking sharks and whales kicking about a bit, and a load of dolphin and porpoise, and all the seabirds you can eat. Luckily I've got to see a lot not far from where I live because of the nature of the geography.

I forgot about sealife! Sounds beautiful! The last sea life I saw was a bunch of blue bottles. There were about 30 washed up on the shore, after I went swimming. I didnt get stung, and if I did, I didnt notice haha. Lots of seals and sharks off my coast too, but Im not keen to go sailing!

I have a family of Western Rosellas in my garden. The most I have ever seen at one time is 6, but generally I have one pair who live here. I worry about the little dudes, such lovely things. Tons of rare birds around here but less and less every year 🙁

 

[Bluebird]

I forgot about sealife! Sounds beautiful! The last sea life I saw was a bunch of blue bottles. There were about 30 washed up on the shore, after I went swimming. I didnt get stung, and if I did, I didnt notice haha. Lots of seals and sharks off my coast too, but Im not keen to go sailing!

Haha as pretty as it'd be I wouldn't go sailing in Australian waters either! The worst I had to deal with was the jellyfish. Obviously these jellyfish can't harm you but the stings still sting. I once got 9 in one day, because you don't know they've fondled you with their tendrils until you get out the water.

The only other danger you face on the sea here is the weather - it can turn on you quickly. Being in a storm in a catamaran or a dinghy is quite frightening. We even had to turn back cos we were inadvertently moving towards a lightening storm. You don't wanna be the only thing attracting lightning on the sea. 😂

 

[November]

Sailing in Scotland sounds sweet! They rarely even bring cruise ships down this way lol. The whales are coming past the coast about now, I have seen them in the sound before but not for years. They only seem to come in every few years. Apparently there are blue whales out there! I thought they were all gone by now. You wouldnt catch me on a whale watching boat, I'd probably spew on the poor things!

These guys were flying around my head tonight when I went out to lock the chickens up. I love their call. You can hear it here but in reality they call slower and louder and its not constant unless they have a reason for it (Like being in happy bliss eating wattles and throwing tree nuts). They used to live in the trees across the road until they were cut down. They are called Carnabys Black Cockatoos. One of the larger birds around the place.

EDIT - actually I think I might have had the Baudin Black cockatoo out there tonight, the call was more like that than the Caranabys but the locals calls them carnabys... so who knows! Baudin would make more sense with how wet it is here right now.

Baudin

Carnaby

They still hang around town in the bush. I have seen the whole flock together on my walks down near the train line. There are about 40 in our local flock. Some people dont like them cos they think they are too noisy and eat seed etc. Farmers are starting to realise how wonderful the natives are but there are still farms that will shoot and poison on a mass scale. There is a cockatoo count event every year.

 

[HowiMetdaSlayer]

Blue Jays & Cardinals about as fancy as we get here in oHIo. 😉

 

[ILLYRIAN]

I have a photograph of two Jay birds in a bush, which is quite apt for where I live.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Raccoons. They only live in North America.

 

[November]

We got blue ones too! I had only ever seen one in my life before moving here. Now I've seen lots! More so in places with more bush. Too many preditors here now.

Splendid fairy wren.

Prime easy target for cats 🙁 I used to have a pair and a baby in my garden but I have not seen them for months 🙁

 

[Bluebird]

We got blue ones too! I had only ever seen one in my life before moving here. Now I've seen lots! More so in places with more bush. Too many preditors here now.

Splendid fairy wren.

Prime easy target for cats 🙁 I used to have a pair and a baby in my garden but I have not seen them for months 🙁

It's me! 😀

That's a beautiful rich blue. You'd be a lucky birdwatcher if you live in Australia!

 

[ILLYRIAN]

There are the Fairy Blue Wrens here quite often, in greater quantity these last few years, I saw one of the today. There are not many cats near here, occasionally feral ones are found but they are killed quite quickly. So the list of the birds predators are fewer than before.

 

[Taake]

We don’t have a lot of endemic species, the few rare ones we tend to have in common with other Nordic and Russian territories...for obvious reasons.

A rare animal I’ve seen in my neighborhood, rare even here because they’re so shy, is the lynx. They’re so pretty, but they take off as soon as you set your eyes on them.


I’ve also met a wolf, not exclusive here of course, but also very pretty (and a tad scary)

And I meet these assholes all the time, they’re as populous as deer where I live and they’re awful, giant pests.
Can be very aggressive too, can rip your dog half to shreds

 

[November]

The lynx is beautiful! I'd not want to run into a wolf either... but I'd be more scared of the pigs! We have them here too and they are probably the biggest threat when I go walking. Not native obviously, but they thrive in this environment. They are the one thing that stops me doing the bibbulmun track on my own. One blog I read ran into 11 in one day!

@Bluebird I keep telling people here the shire should capitalise on bird watching. If I go bush and sit quietly I will see a heap of different tiny birds, it is amazing.

This is one of the not so rare ones 🙂 New Holland Honeyeaters

These guys are pretty brave and nest in my garden every year as well, apparently they like to die here too, so far I have also found one dead bird per year haha. They love the Hoya in my back garden and if I sit still they will come very close. They are not endemic to my state and are pretty secure as far as birdlife goes. They fly around and catch bugs too - very good birdies!

 

[ILLYRIAN]

@Octavia,
I have no idea how to upload photos.

Others?
We get the lesser spotted grockle and in the summer there are several that appear like cooked lobsters.

 

[November]

I saw another spotted frog this morning!! It looked like the same one but was a long way from where I saw the other one. I hope it is a mate! I had found some of their little burrows around the chook's water.

The bobtails were out yesterday. I have at least 3 in my garden. The big daddy and mumma live out the back while one of their babies lives near the front fence. They have had another 2 babies in the time I have been here. Their last years baby was a feisty one! But I haven't seen the one with the injured leg for a long while. It may have moved on or been eaten. I am unsure exactly which subspecies of bobtail they are, mine are more grey than red as my garden is more grey than red. More info here.

My locals look more like this, but with a fatter tail stump. They are so cute!

 

[katmobile]

My favourite is the beautiful Highland cow. I like the fact it has red hair, it looks like it belongs. Just needs a wee tartan bunnet to compete the look.

And there's the Scottish Wildcat. Larger than a domestic cat but there's so few of them left they're almost extinct. They have quite large jaws.

The Highland cow is a beautiful animal.

 

[November]

Spiders everwhere 😀 I wont add pics cos peeps get scared,but they are lovely. Feasting on mozzies, friends protecting the bunnies and weaving shiney morning webs. Such pretty creations.

Expecting tiger snakes very shortly... I have had baby ones here every year so far. This year I have some very long green patches of oat grass and dandilion and at least one breeding pair of spotted frogs (so many frog holes!), so I expect to see a few snakes since I had them even when the place was cleared black toxic sand with poison mice. At least they may stay out of sight this year! I dont mind them if we stay out of each others way.

The song birds are back in the morning. Unsure of their breed yet,but such a beautiful sound. They eat the orange berries.

And the wildflowers are in full bloom. Day flowers galore in the bush. Meadows of delicate pretty darling tiny beautifuls. Too many endemic and rare species to document. People are still discovering new types, some on farmland! The mountains could be a treasure trove right now, regen blooms since the fires.

The bobtails have been very active, unsure of my garden movements and making homes in my compost piles. Must not be far off a baby for them either. I love them so much!!