#12 Living with dragons

Nature is an important part of my life; experiencing, observing, interacting with, learning and sharing. So imagine my delight at sharing my backyard with two species of dragon lizard that have taken up residence.

"Jacky" is my Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii). It is a male, distinguished by the brick-red belly, and he arrived in my fern garden on my back porch 14 months ago as a youngster about 25cm long. He is now nearly twice that length and much more robust. He is the most entertaining, amusing, interesting and thoroughly delightful native wild creature I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know.

Hey, you talking about me?

My fern garden is only small, but it features an artificial pond which was obviously the main drawcard for this Water Dragon. It is a leafy, protected corner, and I don't use any chemicals. Before Jacky arrived, the garden was home to a few Eastern Rainbow Skinks ( Carlia tetradactyla), which were also entertaining little creatures, but they soon moved into other gardens.

I named my Water Dragon "Jacky" as on first sight I thought he was a Jacky Dragon, but a bit of research put me straight. I figured "Jacky" was a pretty good name for a lizard, so it has stuck.

He'd have a dip at first light, and then spread out on a ledge by the pool - a good life if you can get away with it! Throughout the day he would take up lookout post on rocks and any other suitable object ready to pounce on insects and other invertebrates. He is agile and swift, and I love to watch him catch a feed.

This could be a scene from Jurassic Park

"Ferocious dinosaur upturns jeep and eats occupants"

Although he became used to me and my family wandering about, he chose at first not to interact, and I didn't encourage it. I had a chat to him several times a day and scolded him when he sat on the back step - after all, he wouldn't fare too well if I inadvertently stepped on him.

As he got older and braver, he'd occasionally run up my leg chasing something that caught his eye as I sat on the back porch relaxing with a cup of coffee, even sitting on my shoulder if he thought there was an opportunity to snap at a passing insect. He didn't linger though; life for a growing dragon is a busy affair!

Jacky was a constant source of interest and amusement. With the onset of winter he found a sheltered spot in the garden to hide out and rest safely though the cold months. Much to my delight, he emerged at the end of August and took up life in my fern garden as he had left it.

As a growing youngster he peeped in the kitchen as he sought insects on the fly screen

Of course my young grandchildren were fascinated by Jacky and his antics. It was often a frustrating battle for me to make them understand that they had to keep their distance. I do not want Jacky to become too unafraid of humans, for, when the time comes for him to leave home, he will need to be wary.

I will admit that on occasion I offer Jacky the odd cricket, worm or native cockroach that I find when gardening. Perhaps I shouldn't, but it is difficult to resist giving him a treat. He will not eat dead things, and I ensure the kids don't leave food scraps around as "human food" is not ideal for native animals.

When I offer Jacky a tasty morsel, I am careful not to be too generous or follow any routine. The lizard's wellfare is my priority, although the pleasure that I get from his company is great.

After giving my grandkids an iceblock to eat, the flies were attracted to them; and Jacky is attracted to flies. I instructed the kids to sit a reasonable distance from Jacky to watch him, but Jacky decided he'd zoom in on the feast of flies.

My next lizard is "Scruffy" the Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbatus). This impressive lizard arrived in my backyard at Christmas 2006 and took up residence in my small elevated wood-heap.

He would disappear for a few days every now and then, but always returned to the wood-heap. My wood pile doesn't get used (it is just a spot to put some collected dry timber for camping trips), so he was never disturbed. I keep accessible water in sheltered spots around my backyard for lizards.

Routinely, he would bask on top of the wood until he was warmed sufficiently to wander around the backyard or paddock feeding on insects. I would sit and observe him from a distance.

Perhaps it's obvious why I dubbed him "Scruffy"

Scruffy laid down the rules; he didn't appreciate my shoving my camera in his face. I respected his wishes and we got along just fine.

When winter arrived, he hid away in a secret spot amongst the collection of left-over building materials that suround the area the wood-heap occupies. He emerged at the end of September, stayed a month in which time he fattened himself up on plentiful invertebrate life, then disappeared. I hope he/she did the decent thing and produced babies.

Scruffy looks handsome in his yellow day-time suit

A couple of months ago another Eastern Bearded Dragon searched my backyard for a suitable home, and also chose the wood-heap. It is not the return of Scruffy. He is smaller than Scruffy, not nearly as handsome, and is missing some of his tail. Naturally, I called him "Stumpy".

Stumpy basking on the wood-heap

He glides slowly around the yard as if on a concealed rail-track; freezes; snaps up a happless bug; and continues. I have to take particular care when mowing, as he knows there is an easy meal on offer on a freshly cut lawn. I do not offer him a free feed. Scruffy would not accept a treat, so I don't suppose Stumpy will either. He appears to look after himself very well.

Stumpy showed his displeasure at my poking my camera in his face; now that I have a nice portrait, I shall not bother him further.

It really is hard to describe the pleasure that my dragon friends bring to my life.

I have simply provided some suitable habitat in safe surroundings which they have taken advantage of. Jacky will eventually leave to search out more of his kind and reproduce, but until then, I will enjoy his company. And it appears as if Bearded Dragons will come and go. I have seen a young one on several occasions recently in my native garden.

Lizards really are wonderful creatures to live amongst.