Carpet Snake

There is a magic carpet

In our ancient country house

That mostly lies unmoving

As quiet as a mouse

With blotched and mottled patterns

It stretches down the hall

And sometimes you might see it

Slither up the wall

It defends us from the carpet mouse

That spreads across the land

A carpet mouse constrictor

Is really very grand

Photo of Murray-Darling Carpet Python from Wikipedia showing the distinctive thermo-receptive pits.

Carpet snakes are widespread across Australia and the island of New Guinea but unfortunately they are not as common as they once were. There is a single species (Morelia spilota)  but seven subspecies in Australia. The one in our area is the Inland Carpet Python (subspecies metcalfei) which inhabits the Murray Darling Basin. Carpet Snakes are large pythons reaching 4 metres in length and weighing more than 15 kg. Our neighbour was very excited about a large one that had moved into a tree near his farm-house but sadly by the time we arrived there yesterday to look at it it had been killed by what is likely to be a fox. Apart from being a magnificent animal they are very useful in keeping down mice which is very important in this year of the mice plague. A carpet of mice is a very frightening sight. A distinctive feature of the Carpet Snake is the conspicuous row of thermo-receptive labial pits (underside of the mouth) which they use to detect the heat of warm-blooded prey. Like mice! Now I must be very quiet so I don't disturb the mottled rug stretching down our hall. 

Blue Swimmer

If you're feeling restless
Or a trifle blue
Head off to the coast
Where the sea and crabs are blue

Be where the crabs
In seagrass fill
Your vision
Wall to wall

But beware a crab
Can nip you
If you dare
To make a grab

All of us can remember a time when the sea teemed with bounty. A Swan River in the 1980s full of crabs and prawns. Rock-pools at Lennox Head full of octopus. Crayfish wall to wall along the ledges north of Carnarvon. And then all at once without anyone noticing they are gone, or almost so. But it doesn't have to be like this and Spencer Gulf is a great example of the possible. It's truly uplifting to snorkel across the seagrass beds off Point Reilly and see Blue Swimmer Crabs by the dozen. Blue crabs and blue sea are a recipe to beat the blues.