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The Native Wildlife.
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A big juicy grass hopper, an I'ma Happy!
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The Boyne Island - Tannum sands area is one of the few coastal town areas left on the eastern coast where the wildlife seems to have adapted to the growth of local development. A colony of up to a hundred Kangaroos is quite at home at Tannum and can be seen on a daily basis at evening and early morning when they appear to graze on grassy areas.
Dominant males such as this one can stand well over six foot in height and are extremely powerful, it doesn't pay to get to close or get between him and his group of females.
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A young female eastern gray.
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On a young male reaching maturity in the colony should he begin to look for females that may be available. The dominant males have been known to drive them out of group and have been seen from time to time swimming across the Boyne River from Tannum onto Boyne Island to make a new life on their own.
The small Whip Tailed Wallaby, dubbed 'Pretty Face' keeps more to the open bushlands and national parklands. At the Lake Awoonga Reserve they can be seen in quite large numbers normally around dawn and later in the afternoons.
'Good Looken', every gardners friend.
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The 'Rainbow Lorikeet', as the name suggests, is literally all the colours of the rainbow. It is found along the east coast and throughout the tropics of Australia where it can be very common and numerous, and has adapted well to urban areas. It often roosts in large numbers in the relative safety of urban trees.
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Kookaburras such as this guy, who was for some time an identity around here taking all food wise you offered proving quite a cheeky hit with our European visitors, feed mostly on insects, worms and crustaceans, although small snakes and some not so small, mammals, frogs and birds may also be eaten. Small prey is eaten whole, but larger prey is killed by bashing it against the ground or tree branch. Kookaburras become quite tame around humans and will readily accept scraps of meat.... Fingers!
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The Great Egret, Australia's largest egret occur throughout most of Australia, with the exception of the most arid areas. Great Egrets prefer shallow water, particularly when flowing, they may be seen along the Boyne even in back yards and parklands picking the lawns for grubs etc, Great Egrets can be seen alone or in small flocks, and roost at night in groups.
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I am not quite sure just what you could call these birds, I believe though they would be members of the Ibis or Egret family and are quite common to our area plus they do tend to keep our lawns free of grubs!
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Australian Wood Duck or Maned Duck.
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This is a distinctive duck, with a very gooselike shape. It is not a good swimmer and spends little time on the water. It is often seen perching in trees and on branches by the waterside, where it feeds by grazing along the bank.
Bob Of Boyne.
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