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Black-breasted Buzzard

The Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon), a hawk species usually found across northern Australia, has recently been observed over Copley in the northern Flinders Ranges. Smaller than the familiar Wedge-tailed Eagle, it stands out with bold white wing panels and sharply defined black “fingers” at the wingtips. Its rust-coloured nape feathers form a small crest, giving it a distinctive profile when perched. The species feeds on carrion, small animals, birds, and insects, and is known to crack open emu eggs with a stone.

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Murray River Turtles laying eggs: Aroona Sanctuary

The introduced Murray River Turtles of Aroona Sanctuary dig a shallow hole above the banks of the Aroona Dam to house their eggs. In early November, they were seen in the act of digging nests. There were many other nests at the site, by which time, several were opened with egg shell remains. Incubation can take up to three months, or even the entire summer, with hatching happening after the rains of late summer or autumn. The opened eggs may have been preyed upon by native or introduced predators.

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Broad-banded Sand-swimmer Skink: Copley

The sand coloured Broad-banded Sand-swimmer Skink has a protective disc over the eye to enable it to burrow through sand while maintaining vision. It is less tolerant of heat than other desert reptiles and is adapted to living underground where it keeps cool and evades predators. It comes out to feed at night, relying on ambient and ground warmth to regulate its temperature.

Broad-banded Sand-swimmer eating a Chafer Beetle
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Raspy Cricket: Hadrogryllacris magnifica

Australia hosts a great diversity of Raspy Crickets. When threatened, they make a raspy, squeaky sound, and winged adults are known to open their wings and raise their front legs in a defensive posture. Raspy crickets can produce silk, similar to that of the silkworm, used to stitch leaves into a shelter, or line burrows made in sand or soil. Foraging at night, they feed on plants and animals. Raspy Crickets belong to the Family Gryllacrididae.

This male black, striped Hadrogryllacris magnifica Raspy Cricket was spotted at night in the Copley area in October. 55mm long.

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