Book Review - Snakes of Australia - Princeton Field Guides

      It might be argued that Australia is best known for its kangaroos and koalas, its parrots and cockatoos, even the Sydney Opera House, but it undoubtedly has also gained a reputation for its snakes. 

      They are numerous, many are highly venomous, but nowhere near the omnipresent threat to life and limb presented in scurrilous journals and sensationalized TV shows, some of which rival print tabloids for utter nonsense. Rather, they are an essential part of the ecosystems in which they have evolved, no more and no less than their prey and their predators. Balance is always the key, and left to its own devices Nature has a wonderful way of regulating it. It is when humans start interfering that equilibrium goes awry. 

      I am far from an expert on Australian reptiles, but Scott Eipper and his wife Tie are names that I know, and they are pre-eminent in their knowledge of, and experience with, Australian snakes. Seeing their name on the cover of the book I felt I was in good hands. 

     As is always the case with Princeton Field Guides, this is an excellent work, comprehensive in its coverage, and superbly illustrated.

      The introductory sections follow a standard format, comforting and useful by its very familiarity; unusual, however, in that the glossary is at the beginning of the book instead of in its usual position at the end.

      Snakes bites engender serious concern, as they should, but few events are more overhyped than the consequences of being bitten. With proper care and access to medical intervention, complete recovery is often the outcome with no long term effects. Death sometimes occurs, but you are far more likely to be hit by a car than killed by a snake. Important sections are devoted to snake myths and fallacies, prevention, first aid and correct care of the victim. If you live in Australia, or are planning a visit, read this information carefully.

     The reality is, however, even for those anxious to see a snake, you are unlikely to encounter them.

     The bulk of the book is devoted to species accounts with informative text, a range map and full colour pictures.

     Many of the species are cryptic, nocturnal and very difficult to spot, so to have pictures of all the snakes is an achievement in itself. Most of the photographs have been taken by the Eippers, but other committed herpetologists have contributed also.

     These Princeton Field Guides have, in my opinion, become the hallmarks of excellence in works of this genre, and Snakes of Australia takes its rightful place on the bookshelves of naturalists and herpetologists the world over.  

      A job well done!

Snakes of Australia - Princeton Field Guides 

Tie Epper and Scott Epper

Hardcover - US$45.00 - ISBN: 9780691269931

364 pages - 6 x 9 inches (15 x 22.5 cm)

Publication date: 11 February, 2025

Back Home from Costa Rica

      We just returned from our fourth visit to this magical country and would do it again four times more in a heartbeat.

     On this occasion I was joined by some of my closest and dearest friends - and that made it even more special.

     Here they are in alphabetical order by first name.

Jim

     Irrepressible, intelligent, always ready with a joke or two, and a beer connoisseur of distinction. It's no coincidence that "Jim" and "Joy" both start with "J."

Kuldip

     Urbane, witty, a keen scholar, generous and a first class gentleman. Kuldip is always ready to help in any way that he can and offers wise counsel and sparkling repartee to all. 

Lisa

     Lisa is enthusiasm on steroids. What a pleasure to be around her. Every bird made her heart pitter patter and she embraced  the natural history of Costa Rica in all its magnificent splendour with runaway enthusiasm. She was concerned with the welfare of others; someone you could always count on.

Selwyn

      Simply seeing Selwyn every day made me happy. He is always ready with a story or an anecdote, eternally cheerful, enthusiastic about life, just a great guy in every way. He never saw a banana he didn't like.

Tina

     Tina is Lisa's big sister, tasked with the chore of keeping her in check! To enjoy the company of one of them is unalloyed pleasure, two is more than anyone might expect. They both elevate enthusiasm to a whole new level.

Trevor

     Trevor is a slick dresser, sauve, debonair, a man of the world, a savant of distinction and a fine fellow with whom to have a glass of wine. Believe me, I have done it!

Victoria

     Charming, witty, dedicated, sophisticated and a keen scholar who does a great deal of study before going on a birding trip, and becomes a fountain of knowledge for all. Selwyn is a lucky man to have such a wife. 

Miriam

     I started out by referring to my closest and dearest friends. My wife, Miriam, is of course the closest and dearest of all. I have no doubt that if you asked the other participants on the trip they would assure you that they enjoyed her presence as much as I did.

     More will follow in due course as we download and edit the thousands of pictures, but now you know the people who make life so special. I am lucky to know them all. 

LaSalle Park and the DesJardins Canal

      During the recent strike by Canada Post workers (still unresolved) Miriam was entrusting her ETSY shipments to Chit Chat, and we journeyed down to Burlington each week to deliver her packages. It always made sense to combine the practical reason for the journey with a little birding.

04 December, 2024

LaSalle Park and Marina, Burlington, ON

     LaSalle is a place that never disappoints. As soon as we had parked the car, while enjoying hot coffee and a muffin, Gadwalls (Mareca strepera) and a Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) streamed by, forsaking the shelter of the inner harbour for more productive feeding opportunities on Lake Ontario.

     Common Goldeneye is a bird that really proclaims its name.

     American Black Duck (Anas rubipres), a species not always easy to find, is reliable at LaSalle. 

     These two, keeping company with a Mallard (Anas platyrynchos), are rotund and healthy. Friendly humans bringing food no doubt contribute to this state of affairs.

     There does not seem to have been a general arrival of winter ducks, so we were happy to see a lone female Greater Scaup (Aythya marila).

    A raft of Mallards enjoyed a spell on the water.

     Canvasback (Aythya valsinaria) is one species that seems to have already taken up residence in their usual numbers. A female looked exceptionally lovely, I thought.

     Not to be outdone a handsome male cruised into view.

     Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) is an exceptionally appealing little duck, the male looking quite different from the female.

Bufflehead ♂

Bufflehead ♀

     I am very fond of gulls, and am sometimes dismayed when they are overlooked at best, or reviled at worst. Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) is beautiful, common and worthy of our study and respect.

     For those anxious to learn more about moult, there is no better subject, and in a given flock it is possible to observe every phase the bird passes through.

     We have days to celebrate just about everything, so I think it's well past time for Gull Appreciation Day!

     As long as there is open water a few American Coots (Fulica americana) can generally be found at LaSalle.

     Actually in recent years open water has become the default condition; finding ice is the problem.

     This very attractive duck is a Mallard hybrid, although I remain uncertain as to the other side of its parentage.

    It has associated with its wild congeners for four or five years now and is affectionately called Coco by some.

     Rock Doves (Columba livia) waste no time in letting you know that they are anxious to keep you company - as long as you bring food!

     Okay, you made your point!

     A female Mallard looked content bobbing gently on the waves.

     One can never undervalue the elegance of a Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator).

     Another female Mallard was quietly minding her own business.

     Until she received a visit from one of her domestic relatives, that is.

     I am not sure whether she left in a huff or whether they decided to take a walk together.

      These days, rain often comes sporadically, but often in deluges, and erosion occurs quickly. 

    Some trees, exposed to strong winds or more downpours, may be in danger of toppling.

11 December, 2024

DesJardins Canal, Dundas, ON

     Initially we went to LaSalle Park and Marina, and sat in the car to have our coffee and muffin, but it was raining steadily and we decided to move over to the DesJardins Canal where we hoped better weather would prevail

     It was a good decision; although it was overcast and a little gloomy the rain held off.

     It was not long before we saw a female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) and scanned for her male companion without success - for the moment.

    A pair of Mallards, by contrast, with pair bond  firmly established shared a perch together.

     A sparkling male Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) completed a trio of waterfowl before we had barely moved from the car.

     Given that there was no snow on the ground, there were splashes of colour here and there.

Genus Buddleja

Genus Barbula

Genus Lobularia

Genus Sedum

     It's always delightful to see Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus).

     Beavers have been active!

     It was merganser day on the canal!

     Most Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) have long since migrated, but this individual decided that staying around was advantageous.

      It was lunch time and we made our way back to the car, accompanied by a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), perhaps wondering if we had seed for him.

     Several American Tree Sparrows (Spizelloides arborea) hovered around too.

     A Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) flew in from the opposite bank of the canal, but left again almost as soon as it arrived.

     Another vehicle pulled into the parking area and the driver began tossing out whole slices of white bread.

     It looked like the gulls and the mallards were as addicted to junk food as are humans!

     I am sure that our lunch was far healthier - and we weren't quite as messy either!