The Flickr Yellowboxredgumgrassywoodland Image Generatr

Couldn't find the Swift Parrots at Callum Brae on the weekend. Found this juvenile Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), however.

Sony a99ii + Minolta AF 70-200mm f/2.8 APO G D SSM
1/2000 sec, ISO400, f/2.8, 200mm

A pair of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua gallerita) prepare a hollow-home in a Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora). The yellow patterns and twisting branches of these eucs always attract me, and it will be a continuing goal of mine to portray their natural beauty perfectly.

A healthy Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) pads off somewhere at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, in northern Canberra. Who knows what he or she has planned, but it seems fairly important. Perhaps a feast of ants? Or a nice cosy bit of shelter before the rain starts?

Just off-track at Mulligans Flat Woodland sanctuary, and I spooked a mama Swampy and her joey. I kept my distance, and was able to take a few shots, unfortunately the little Olympus has a habit of back-focussing, so I'm not 100% happy with the pic. But I love the white eucalypt trunks in the background (Scribbly Gums (?), still gotta improve my euc ID skills), and of course I can't remember coming across a Swampy and her joey before. Somewhere, at sometime in this little woodland sanctuary, little Swampies are copulating! A few minutes after leaving them, a mother Red-necked wallaby (a little bigger than swampies) and her joey also leaped out of the tussock grasses. Unfortunately, they were not as agreeable to my presence. I will from now on keep a look out for furry rumps among the tussocks, rather than head and shoulders protruding above the grass-line.

I'll have to go back to this tree to investigate which species it is. It's possibly either a smooth barked Red Gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi) or Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora). Red Hill protects a small fragment of Yellow Box - Red Gum Grassy Woodland (275 hectares), which has had 92% (5 million hectares) of it's extent cleared since European settlement for grazing In 21st century Australia it's tough to imagine that such extensive forests once existed.

A landscape photo to show the extensive flowering of Bulbine Lilys throughout the understory of the grassy woodland in spring. The trees are Blakely's Red Gums. The habitat is the endangered Yellow Box-Red Gum Grassy Woodland, found on the lower slopes, where the soils are richer and deeper and typically the trees are larger and more widely spaced, with a grassy understory.

Another interpretive sign that gives valuable information to the general public about the importance of an ecosystem that is, sadly, now endangered.

This is a photo I really wanted to get. An invasive yellow-flowering weed has been prominent in many of the open grassy woodland patches in this region recently so it filled me with enormous joy to see the yellow flowers here were native Sticky Everlastings. The joy was matched with pride and gratitude at the hard work done over decades by the local Parkcare Group here in my local patch. The trees are Blakely's Red Gums and there are many different species of native grasses. This is a small remnant of the Yellow Box-Red Gum Grassy Woodland ecological community, which is endangered in the Australian Capital Territory.

Eucalyptus blakelyi - Stirling Park, Yarralumla.

This is the land of the Ngunnawal people and this is an old scar tree.

Eucalyptus melliodora - close-up of a lower branch of a tree in front of the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

The reason for this photo was that I was trying to get a good picture of a White-throated Treecreeper on the trunk of a Yellow Box. I didn't do too well, but when I looked at the picture on the computer, I really liked the contrast of the rough, dark trunk bark and the bright light through the grey-green leaves in the background. It's mostly the colours that appeal to me here. I didn't get the treecreeper in focus and not much else appears to be in focus either. I also love the textures of the bark and how it shows where the rough, flaky, dark bark recedes further up the tree to mostly smooth bark (in the bottom-right of the photo is a good example, and also upper-right). The White-throated Treecreeper typically flies to near the base of the tree and moves up the trunk and on to the lower branches, as it forages for food.

Eucalyptus melliodora - standing at the base of the tree and looking up into the vast canopy of a tree in front of the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

I think this perspective shows how incredible these plants are.

Eucalyptus melliodora - close-up of the bark on the trunk of a tree in front of the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

The distinctive fibrous-flaky dark brown “box” bark, often shedding in short ribbons from above.

Eucalyptus melliodora - in front of the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

This large old tree would support an incredible array of life. Of the more easily visible, nearby were Scarlet Robins and Restless Flycatchers - both woodland birds of Australia.

Eucalyptus melliodora - behind the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

Namadgi is the name of the national park that takes up the majority of the Australian Capital Territory - Canberra is the capital city in the northern tip of the territory, in the lowlands. The visitors centre provides a lot of information about the national park, and also has a good display. Behind the visitors centre is a grassy woodland, with a discovery walk to learn about it. There's a healthy mistletoe at about 2 o'clock in the canopy of this tree.

Eucalyptus blakelyi - close-up of the bark on the trunk of a tree next to the Lanyon Homestead, Canberra, Australia.

Beautiful colours and textures here. The Lanyon Homestead has lots of remnant Blakely's Red Gums and Yellow Box on the property. This whole area would have been prime grassy woodland prior to the Europeans arriving with their sheep. More details about the homestead at: www.museumsandgalleries.act.gov.au/lanyon/

Eucalyptus melliodora - on the University of Canberra campus.

Taken from a hot air balloon, shortly before coming into land in a field next to the University of Canberra campus in Belconnen. An impressive old tree. It was interesting to see the vegetation change as we came over the dry forest of Black Mountain and as we descended over the lower slopes where the trees changed to Yellow Box, Blakely's Red Gums and Apple Box - the characteristic overstory trees of the grassy woodlands.

Eucalyptus melliodora - in Telita Street, on the University of Canberra campus.

Went for a ride in a hot air balloon and still I was taking photos for my Flickr site. This gives a fresh perspective on these majestic old remnant trees. I was able to get a photo of this Yellow Box as we were coming into land. We took off next to Questacon and travelled up over Black Mountain before descending over the University of Canberra.

Eucalyptus blakelyi - in Mt Taylor Nature Reserve, Canberra, Australia.

Not a bad place for a picnic, under this large old Blakely's Red Gum. This is quite high up the slope and the trees growing nearby are Red Box, suggesting to me that this was an area where the Yellow Box-Red Gum Grassy Woodland started to merge with a different vegetation type. This is just above the Waldock Street car park, which allows easy motor vehicle access to the reserve but the area often ends up with rubbish dumped or burnt-out cars, plastic bottle bongs and assorted other discarded rubbish from unsavoury citizens of our society.

Eucalyptus blakelyi - looking up into the canopy of a tree in McMahon Court, Kambah.

This is a huge old remnant tree - one of the biggest and healthiest indigenous trees I've seen in suburban Canberra - and it is actually growing in somebody's front yard! This tree is a classic example of the species - shortish trunk, wide spreading canopy, and the colours on the trunk at this time of year are spectacular (yellows, greys, browns). I couldn't even get a full photo of this tree because of the surrounding houses and other planted trees nearby. But this tree dominates the landscape in all respects. Can you tell I'm in awe of this tree? It's a haven for birds. There were many Red Wattlebirds in the tree whilst I was taking the photo and there is a large old stick nest in the upper canopy. I suspect this was used by a magpie, currawong or raven and could even have been used by a hobby, as I've seen them around the area quite a bit. Given the sheer size of the trunk and branches, I guess this tree is at least 150-200 years old. What a beauty.

Eucalyptus melliodora - in Pallin Street Gungahlin.

This is a very large and very old tree. The previous two trees can be seen in the background and have been noted.