They waited until we were out of the water - mouths too numb to speak properly having dived around the limestone bhommies and mushrooms and swum through the arch, and darn near frozen, before coming cruising within 20 yards of land. Dolphins - four of them moving in pairs in perfect synchronous lazy arcs through the crystal turquoise water... you think I could get a picture... I have about 30 of the water. One lousy one of a fin. 
Anyway, we also saw my first ever Echidna. Forgive the picture of its spiky bum only, but I was not prepared to disturb it to get a frontal veiw. It has a curious mixture of hair and spikes looking like a dirty blond t' yoof of today having got a little ardent with the hair gel. I reckon you could go clubbing with an echidna on your head and the average club-bunny would think you were just soooo fashionable. Even better than a mullet (which I was set to make my fortune selling as head-fish before...) Oh dear. Have I doomed the entire species?
We also found a little scrap of different cliff - a piece of what I think is metamorphosed sandstone
It's never going to be a great climbing destination but it is another little plus for Fantastic Flinders.
Dave... not only have you found your first echidna, but it's one hell of a first at that.
ReplyDeleteEchidnas aren't that colour, usually. They're quite dark. Brownish above, blackish below.
I've seen many echidnas in real life, and of course, a zillion more in illustration. Never, ever seen one like that.
A quick dose of Google tells me that Flinders island has a population of echidnas which includes an uncommon subset of pale or 'albino' echidnas. That's what you've got there.
I'm amazed! Cool encounter, and a fine photo.
I've seen many an echidna but never seen one that colour either! I was wondering if it may be in some stage of moult or may even be a puggle (baby echidna) but it looks too big for that.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Flintheart for the research.
How lucky you are Dave!
:-) How very cool. A blond spiky hairpiece that eats ants (and presumably other insects - no more headlice) with a barbed tongue. Just what most young men need! We shall start a breeding program at once. And Barbs's and Clare's reaction to the news the babies are called puggles was 'ah cute!' so we're on a winner here!
ReplyDeleteHow does the echidna sit down?
ReplyDeleteEither
Very, very carefully...
Or
Anywhere it wants to! (ouch!)
Albino? Does this mean it needs suncream? And who's going to volunteer to put it on?
Or on its head, Mike :-) - it's more blond than albino really - but the suncream might have to be applied by hose...
ReplyDelete