More Random Wildlife Photographs
Posted 10 September 2008 in Random Photographs by Catriona
In the absence of a proper update, I’m offering some photographs of the larger of the two water dragons we currently have in the garden:
Nick and I love the water dragons: in fact, with the water dragons, the bearded dragon who wanders around occasionally, the blue tongue, and the geckos, we have a thoroughly lizardy house.
Sometimes the water dragons wander into the house, and perch themselves on the living-room windowsill looking for insects. Chasing them out is one of my main summer activities. On one occasion, I was working quite innocently in the study, heard a mysterious scrabbling, and thought, “Hmm, that sounds rather like a water dragon becoming stuck in the box of fresh vegetables that was delivered this morning.” Which it was.
My favourite, though, was the enormous dragon who was completely unafraid of people and used to come and lie on the verandah in the sun even when I was sitting out there having a cigarette. During the summer storms, he used to saunter over to the far corner of the back verandah, the bit that gets sun all day, and flatten himself out as far as possible: he’d lie there with his legs stretched out and his belly pressed to the hot concrete and let the rain pour down on him.
That always looked fun.
Then there was the one who used to climb up into the frangipani, stretch himself out at full length, and pretend to be a dragon. At least I assume that’s what he was doing: he used to adopt a sort of noble, far-away look.
And the one that used to climb up the mulberry, scrabble along the guttering, and then throw himself down onto the concrete path, with no apparent ill effects.
This one’s not so tame. But he’s a feisty lizard, and won’t let the smaller dragon come near him. All day, we can hear the scrabbling that means he’s chasing the little one away from the insects.
But he also likes the sun on the back verandah.
And he’s a beauty.
Share your thoughts [6]
1
Matthew Smith wrote at Sep 11, 01:11 am
This made me think of Dora the Explorer: “I’m the Grumpy Old Troll who lives under the bridge. Who’s there!?” except in this case he lives under the stairs perhaps?
2
Catriona wrote at Sep 11, 02:42 am
Mostly he hangs out under the wistaria, but the principle is the same.
He is looking a little grumpy in that last photo, but I think was getting irritated that I was taking pictures of him when he was trying to sun himself. He ran off shortly after this one was taken.
3
Leigh wrote at Sep 11, 05:13 am
He’s very cute (in an angry spikey way) i love lizards, i miss lizards you just dont get them in the city and even if there were some around the dogs keep them away from our yard.
4
Catriona wrote at Sep 11, 07:14 am
The spikiness appeals to me: it makes them look more like little dragons. But the thing I like most about them is that they look like proper lizards: I think I’ve mentioned before that the blue tongues look far more like snakes than any self-respecting lizard should and, after all, I grew up in Australia: I have a healthy fear of snakes.
Actually, that’s one of the two things I like most about them: the other is when they get up on their hind legs to run across the garden. That’s awesome.
I think lizards in the back garden is one of the cool things about Brisbane: we’re not that much further from the city here than you are, but it’s very green and suburban.
5
Matthew Smith wrote at Sep 11, 10:33 am
Blue tongues are actually skinks which is a type of lizard but more snaky looking. The baby dragons are very cute too.
6
Catriona wrote at Sep 11, 10:51 am
But skinks still count as lizards, right? Or have I just revealed my ignorance on my blog? (Or, even worse, have I just revealed it by asking whether I’d just revealed it?)