Eneabba

Nov. 10

We've now settled in here in the Banksia Chalet, at Western Flora Caravan Park, north of Eneabba, Western Australia. It is a spacious, comfortable, furnished apartment, essentially. In our three days here, we have seen and done such a variety of things. However, there are 3 things that we see the most (after ants, of course)--and very intimately, indeed!:

kangaroos, bob-tailed skinks, and flies

The family that owns the park also takes in and raises orphaned "joeys"--baby kangaroos! There's a kangaroo food trough outside our chalet, and there's always a couple of the youngsters (and the ones they've raised that have already mated and have their own young) hanging around somewhere nearby. The one we've gotten quite close with is the Tinker family's current baby, named Roxie. In fact, she has latched onto us on our walks several times, bounding up from behind, then right by you (or between your legs), and then lying down in the trail and grooming. You can pet her back and neck, but don't touch the head or tail. VERY cute. Most of the group are (western?) grey kangaroos, but there is a mom & young son who are what the Western Aussies call "euros" ("wallaroo" out east). Kinda hard to tell the difference, but the youngster is very red.

Bob-tailed skinks are slow, chunky lizards that are all around, mooching (often IN the kangaroo trough) and pursuing the ladies (it's mating season). They have a blue tongue, and a large head that is similar in size to their stubby "bob-tail"--thought to look similar enough, so predators wouldn't know which end was the mouth. I have never seen anything like it, but here they are all over, and some even come over to beg.

There is much discussion about the "fly problem" here in Western Australia these days. Essentially, it is maddening to go outside for long (> 30 seconds) during the day without wearing a major head-net (preferably over a wide-brimmed hat). Flies want to land all over you, especially your upper body and face. They don't DO anything, like bite or lick or whatever, but they just want to be on you. The Tinkers blame the nonnative Australian mammal populations for them (especially livestock), insinuating that they reproduce in dung, but I'm not sure. They have lived here for 18 years, and have never seen it worse than this year. David ate one today while conversing outside with someone, who casually remarked, "did ya get 'im?"

Update: Next day, while talking outside with the same person, it happened again! This time Ray, the naturalist/feral animal hunter/outback man, remarked "did ya get that one too?"