Life, with my dogs, living on one acre in Tasmania. Living on a low income, and with Complex PTSD. I write about all sorts of things. I called my Blog Echidna Home because I have echidnas that live here
Bennets wallaby near my house (c)Echidna Home 2019
This little guy just looked so happy chewing away. It was almost as if it posed for me. It is a Pademelon (Paddy melon) They only grow to about 60cm and weigh about 5kg (enough of the lessons).
I am so privileged to have them visit my place. I used to get annoyed when they would pull the fruit tree branches down and nibble the leaves breaking them, but the trees grew taller, and they couldn’t reach any more.
Kookaburra in my garden (c) Echidna Home 2019
I know it seems a bit surreal to me too. I really live with these guys about too.
I also have Eastern Barred Bandicoots, Quolls, and Tasmanian Devils around. Much harder to obtain photos of these guys I keep trying.
This Echidna was moving along the roadside near my home. (c)Echidna Home 2019
shuffling about under the watttles, looking for food. (c)Echidna Home 2019
My favourite remains the Echidna.
The echidna on the right was across the road from my driveway. They can actually move surprisingly fast.
A shuffling snuffling echidna on the hunt for food crossing through my wattle grove.
Close up of the quills. (c)Echinda Home 2019
Easy access to the next paddock. Through the fence. I am sure it is because it has smelt me or heard me as I try to capture its photo. sigh. I never want to frighten it. I was using a telephoto lens, I reckon it heard me moving about. It decided that heading through the fence was its only option.
Through the fence (c)Echidna Home 2019
If you look you can just make out this guys foot, it looks strange as it faces backwards. (c)Echidna Home 2019
Hiding (c)Echidna Home 2019
As I have written before Echidnas are just amazing and unique mammals. I love th above photo as it shows how well their camouflage is. It looks like sunshine is hitting the grass but its the quills, and you can see its eye.
As I write this the horrific Mainland Bush Fires on the mainland of Australia and Kangaroo Island have cost so many Australian animals, insects bugs, it breaks my heart. I look at the wonderful wildlife that abounds my home and I cant imagine them all gone. The overwhelming knowledge that some may be gone forever. There are so many wonderful people who are out there working to find and help, the wild life carers, the firepeople and vets, farmers, those who are ensuring food and water are left and hoping to capture injured animals to help. The generosity of people all around the world, those that are making pouches and wraps..donated items food and are out gathering leaves and shoots for animals that have none in their locations. The baby wombats who have come out of burrows starving as mum has most likely been killed and not been back to the burrow. It is so so tragic. Of course my heart reaches out to all the people and communities impacted.
The fires a incredibly sad and just a horror to the ecosystem. We need all animals, we need to take care of them and their territory. If not, we too will go down. The human race can be something … but also something beautiful like you described.
I love love love the pictures of the echidna in the wild, it has such a cute face with his little eyes ❤ Just lovely! And the birds and the small kangaroo-ish animal. We don't have that here at all. We have a unique kind of cows 🙂 and now we have a lot of foxes and the wolves are coming back. Although I think they will travel to the mountains in Spain or France and they are just passing through. The foxes are to stay and they eat our chickens. That is how life is. It's difficult to see animals and take pictures at the same time as they will turn or run away. I once saw a beautiful bird but had no camera with me. Oh well … thank you for such nice pictures, it feels like a mini-holiday to watch them.
We dont have foxes in Tasmania, and our state is doing all it can to stop them ever coming. (they hang about the sea ports on the mainland and have been found trying to get on boats. Smart animals. So I understand how they kill chickens.
The kangaroo -ish animal is very cute, and I was lucky that I got its cute litte tongue.and smile. I can not imagine living with wolves about, they are gorgeus but I do understand the concerns of farmers and I hope they do just pass through.. I must look up your unique cows. I like taking photos and appreciate your enjoyment
wow I have never seen or heard of this breed of cattle. There are certainly some huge bulls and cows. It is strange how genetics work and can create such strange growth of muscles. To me they do look rather strange yet that is due to never having seen them before. thank You for the information. I am learning too.
With reference to kachaiweb’s comment, I was surprised to find foxes in inner Melbourne (mainland Australia).
I was walking down the back lane leading to the Royal Botanic Gardens (about 5 minutes brisk walk back in about 2012 when I lived in the area), when I spied a fox. I couldn’t believe my eyes and a bit later mentioned it to a lady leaning over her back fence. She said it was a regular at her back door looking for food handouts. I assume foxes were bought out by the First Fleet in the late 1790s, as no one would want foxes which might eat our native small animals today.
The news photos of the fire-injured animals is really heart-breaking, Tazzie. How the vets and locals can treat them with limited resources in burnt-out areas – no power, dirty tents and limited supples is a tragedy that the Government should provide immediate money for (as well as for the human victims).
But the sight of dead kangaroos lining the highway, dozens and dozens (if not hundreds) was worse. I was shocked.
I’ve only seen an Echidna in the wild twice, once on a touring holiday down the Great Ocean Road with a friend and once near my brother’s home on the other side of the hills overlooking the eastern suburbs of Melbourne – farming country.
It must have been quite bizarre are to see a fox in the city. I am not a fan of folk feeding them yet I understand it, they can be quite lovely and very clever creatures. My understanding from something I read years ago was that they were introduced for the wealthy to go hunting, and it was inthe 1830 or maybe a bit later. I hope they never make it here as we have enough problems with feral cats, killing so many small marsupials and birds. Plus the quolls love chickens.
I have not seen the images of the roos on the roadsides dead, but my heart aches for all the animals, native farm and pets, that have been killed and injured in these fires and the ongoing and new ones. sigh…I am in awe of the dedicated wild life carers and refugees that have been burnt and those folk have gone back and found some of their animals returning. I too can not imagine how hard it must be to be trying to care for these animals and birds reptiles who cant tell and are probably so fearful and exhausted hungry …
I do not have a great deal of respect for our federal government over anything to do with the fires.. I am glad that there are so many others the quiet australians who are raising funds and making much needed donations of ppuches and blankets and the companies that have helpe with pens and everything. The getting supllies anywhere is where the service people should have been . My heart is so full of love for all the people working on the animals. And on those who have to kill those that are beyond help. I know some farmers here who had to kill some of their livestock when they could return home after the fires.
I am so happy that you have seen echidnas in the wild. I hope that you got to see them for a bit and they did not just run off. It surprised many how speedy they can be.
Echidna Home 
Such cute little friends!
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The fires a incredibly sad and just a horror to the ecosystem. We need all animals, we need to take care of them and their territory. If not, we too will go down. The human race can be something … but also something beautiful like you described.
I love love love the pictures of the echidna in the wild, it has such a cute face with his little eyes ❤ Just lovely! And the birds and the small kangaroo-ish animal. We don't have that here at all. We have a unique kind of cows 🙂 and now we have a lot of foxes and the wolves are coming back. Although I think they will travel to the mountains in Spain or France and they are just passing through. The foxes are to stay and they eat our chickens. That is how life is. It's difficult to see animals and take pictures at the same time as they will turn or run away. I once saw a beautiful bird but had no camera with me. Oh well … thank you for such nice pictures, it feels like a mini-holiday to watch them.
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We dont have foxes in Tasmania, and our state is doing all it can to stop them ever coming. (they hang about the sea ports on the mainland and have been found trying to get on boats. Smart animals. So I understand how they kill chickens.
The kangaroo -ish animal is very cute, and I was lucky that I got its cute litte tongue.and smile. I can not imagine living with wolves about, they are gorgeus but I do understand the concerns of farmers and I hope they do just pass through.. I must look up your unique cows. I like taking photos and appreciate your enjoyment
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It’s called the Blue White Belgian Cow, it’s quite big. We see them a lot just standing or laying down in the green grass.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=omSDqt2C&id=27A870D210FB32AB51C37CC039B82056C8F7C925&thid=OIP.omSDqt2CLcG7w5mBFXwgpwHaEI&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fcrvbe-be6.kxcdn.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2015%2f04%2f67469_nieuws_FokwaardenVruchtbaarheidBwb.jpg&exph=335&expw=600&q=belgisch+witblauw&simid=607989230438518096&selectedIndex=27&ajaxhist=0
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wow I have never seen or heard of this breed of cattle. There are certainly some huge bulls and cows. It is strange how genetics work and can create such strange growth of muscles. To me they do look rather strange yet that is due to never having seen them before. thank You for the information. I am learning too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
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With reference to kachaiweb’s comment, I was surprised to find foxes in inner Melbourne (mainland Australia).
I was walking down the back lane leading to the Royal Botanic Gardens (about 5 minutes brisk walk back in about 2012 when I lived in the area), when I spied a fox. I couldn’t believe my eyes and a bit later mentioned it to a lady leaning over her back fence. She said it was a regular at her back door looking for food handouts. I assume foxes were bought out by the First Fleet in the late 1790s, as no one would want foxes which might eat our native small animals today.
The news photos of the fire-injured animals is really heart-breaking, Tazzie. How the vets and locals can treat them with limited resources in burnt-out areas – no power, dirty tents and limited supples is a tragedy that the Government should provide immediate money for (as well as for the human victims).
But the sight of dead kangaroos lining the highway, dozens and dozens (if not hundreds) was worse. I was shocked.
I’ve only seen an Echidna in the wild twice, once on a touring holiday down the Great Ocean Road with a friend and once near my brother’s home on the other side of the hills overlooking the eastern suburbs of Melbourne – farming country.
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It must have been quite bizarre are to see a fox in the city. I am not a fan of folk feeding them yet I understand it, they can be quite lovely and very clever creatures. My understanding from something I read years ago was that they were introduced for the wealthy to go hunting, and it was inthe 1830 or maybe a bit later. I hope they never make it here as we have enough problems with feral cats, killing so many small marsupials and birds. Plus the quolls love chickens.
I have not seen the images of the roos on the roadsides dead, but my heart aches for all the animals, native farm and pets, that have been killed and injured in these fires and the ongoing and new ones. sigh…I am in awe of the dedicated wild life carers and refugees that have been burnt and those folk have gone back and found some of their animals returning. I too can not imagine how hard it must be to be trying to care for these animals and birds reptiles who cant tell and are probably so fearful and exhausted hungry …
I do not have a great deal of respect for our federal government over anything to do with the fires.. I am glad that there are so many others the quiet australians who are raising funds and making much needed donations of ppuches and blankets and the companies that have helpe with pens and everything. The getting supllies anywhere is where the service people should have been . My heart is so full of love for all the people working on the animals. And on those who have to kill those that are beyond help. I know some farmers here who had to kill some of their livestock when they could return home after the fires.
I am so happy that you have seen echidnas in the wild. I hope that you got to see them for a bit and they did not just run off. It surprised many how speedy they can be.
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How special. Love all animals so much. Thank you for sharing these unusual friends ❤️
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