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This used to Be...
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This used to Be...

by SandyRichardsBrown

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted April 13, 2014405 views5 comments
a Western Blue-Tailed Skink.
We're continuing our Spring gardening, and as usual, are turning up all kinds of cool critters, salamanders, skinks, moles, nightcrawlers, etc

This WAS a very-whole Western blue-tailed skink sunning on a rock, but a threatening jay flew overhead and - as they are prone to do - the skink dropped it's wildly-writhing tail to remove itself to safer places. (The tail does grow back)

These beautiful little critters are 4-6 inches long, including the tail (or not..)

Colours are true - the blue is very striking

Comments

5 comments
Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 13, 2014 at 8:48 PM
A well told tail! :biggrin:
Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 13, 2014 at 9:47 PM
Nice shot Sandy. That blue is very striking. There is definitely a nature story here. Leave it out in plain view the next time you are gardening and you may get a shot with one of the local birds claiming it.
Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on April 14, 2014 at 12:33 PM
Ouch !!!.......man I hate when that happens. I've had my tail removed a few times at my old job, glad to say I'm no longer there...... :biggrin:

Truly amazing act of nature how this does save so many lizards over time. The shot is pretty graphic showing the area of attachment, and of course is a great color blue too. Nice, but scary closeup here, Sandy. :cool:
Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments
Comment posted by scott lanz on April 14, 2014 at 8:49 PM
Cool image, Sandy. I like the blue and the nicely patterned rock bg.
Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on April 19, 2014 at 6:59 PM
Love it! Great job getting the writhing thing in focus, too.
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments