waterboy 2.0

I would consider a Hydrogen peroxide solution MM

After issues with plant tags, I now just cut up aluminum cans into tag shapes and scratch the details into the aluminum with a sharpened nail. No rust, no washing off.

Damn, I have to get salvage rights off that coast....

If you want to play with an awesome tiger Jox, Chappel Island ones are hard to beat. Actually fairly placid ,bigger , but more venomous (serious mutton bird eaters). I am seeing less adaption of natives (flora and fauna), and invasives which naturally have better adaption taking over. Then there is the sad tale of the Tassie Devil, with the facial tumour disease.Once they have it, its game over..... a decade ago I could have 15+ feeding on carcasses - today not one. Yeah its odd how a mystery cancer than can be spread via biting between animals suddenly appears..... a cancer that can be directly spread...mmmmm Frogs are getting wiped out by chytrid fungus infection, platypus are getting mucor fungal infections, common wombats with mange so bad they can barely function and eat..... The signs are there, but very few are looking at the big picture....

So in my wisdom , with a self inflicted sore head.... I decide today is the day for annual pilgrimage - one that started before I could walk. The destination up into the central highlands, magic country. The event of interest the spawing of brown trout in the cool crystal waters - the circle of life at work Reality hits hard, when with a sore head... I drive along and it hits me , the Miena Cider Gum (E.gunni ssp.divarcata) that I spent many an hour staring at as a child are fcked, truly fcked...heartbreaking - verging on grief I again ponder the circle of life. I doubt my son will get to see a living stag cider gum and remember.... RIP my friends. WTF are we doing to this place, I ask whatever you folk do in life - think about it the ramifications of it for the future....

beaten by goldy... meth

wreckage

lol... Halycon ... my issue is not panning it down (have good technique), but losing the material in 1001 containers in the workshop/ute/backpack..... Its not a lot of gold in each container so not stressed- however if I finally get it all together it may impress me (one vial). On the subject of pans, I am now favouring a plastic one these days with only ridges on one quarter of the pan edge. Had to change the technique a little but I like it more and more. Definately the shit for the heavier nodules of osmiridium EDIT - if you have a good source, and serious a sluice is the way to go to process a lot of alluvium Sieving only sorts to size, not density of the material (hence why the blowing in addition works). Sluicing/panning works on the density principle.

I am aware of the "fox of freshwater" dave, but they have not wiped anything off the map in tassie ...yet Ecosystem imbalance yes definitely, destruction is a bit over the top. Nothing like carp.... and some dumb fck brought them down to us. Trout not killing off the trees maybe its niribu or whatever the death star is.

Morning folks, to spread the love prefer those to that haven't claimed any before: Done and Dusted Post and PM

Prospectors permit cost $12/yr in Tas. Good for alluvial , but if you are cracking into rock you need a lease. I pan a little, not as much as I would like. Problem is I end up losing the flecks, and then finding them and losing them again.... I can never get it all into 1 vial.. Have panned a a hell of a lot of osmiridium over the years. Many interesting things can be found in alluvial deposits, saphires are a popular gemstone that we have chased for fun. Have a few but they are not "massive rocks", easy to overlook when in the raw state.

Hey Jox, true mate .. I can show many of similar things from the "clean, green Island" (yeah right...). This one has hit hard, the childhood memories are strong.... Myself I like the term adaption, those that can adapt will survive, those like these grand tree that have a very narrow niche will perish in their natural environments. Humans among the most adaptable animals will keep on having influence in many undesirable ways. I am sure the earth is not far from shitting on us...and I cannot lay any blame for that. Hey Jox, come and catch all our Tiger snakes, and maybe a few Copperheads... Cheers WB

Tasmania Tom, not affected by phytophora here (soil is too cold), but affects other lowland areas.

Hey Max, the subspecies has been listed as Threatened for a few years now. "Drought" is the main area that gets pointed out, as well as stock damage to seedlings, and browsing by rabbits etc. There is some serious consideration of climate change effects and "drought" affecting highland areas. (I see some issue with the term "drought", I see this more as hydrological change...I know pedantic...) There are a few smaller ones that look OK, but the stag age, seed bearing trees are gone from this stand. From a quick search " In 2003 there were 10,000 individuals, however only 2000 were setting seed" , "The species is not known in any reserve area", "it is only known within a 40k x 40k area ...". This stand is roughly 8K x 5k and all the stags are dead, standing like soldiers.... Me,myself and I am seeing this as a climate change predictor, among others I am noting....(particularly flowering times) WB

nociception

delusion

hairy fish

rolling

Big bird

ouch

Have been claimed folks

Hi folks, came as an xtra pack, and not really suited to my collection : Copiapoa cupreata KK 1382 variegated seeds (10 seeds) This is offered up free to an experienced cultivator/collector. Post and PM if you want em WB

flies

contusion