David C. Simon
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davidcsimon.bsky.social
David C. Simon
@davidcsimon.bsky.social
2.4K followers 280 following 1.3K posts
Australian artist, writer, wildlife photographer, dungeon master, and bird-nerd. Autistic and depressed, but video games help.
All photos are my own unless otherwise credited. All subjects are wild and living unless otherwise noted.
No AI please.
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davidcsimon.bsky.social
I returned to Mt Tomah yesterday. The wattlebirds left the Puya flowers unguarded for a few minutes and this Eastern Spinebill managed to slip in under the RADAR.
#birds
Photograph of an Eastern Spinebill on a puya flower spike. The bird is a small, slender honeyeater in black, orange, brown, and white, with bright red eyes and a long curved black beak. The puya flowers are teal with orange anthers, and the spike dwarfs the diminutive bird. Same subject, wider angle showing how small the bird is in relation to a cluster of the puya flowers. Same subject, but cropped to and focused on the bird's face, showing its bright red eye reflecting the sun, and orange pollen around its neres and on the end of its beak. It is poking its tongue out which appears forked but is more like a brush, for soaking up nectar.
November 11, 2025 at 5:25 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Vibes:
November 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
I found an Australian Emperor dragonfly chilling on a wattle leaf in my backyard last night. Wingspan was about 11cm.

They're normally very active and flighty so I was delighted to get so close with my macro lens.
#insects #invertebrates
Photograph of a large dragonfly, lateral view, holding onto the end of a wattle leaf. The dragonfly is mostly yellow, but it is patterened with black, green, brown, and iridescence. The same subject, dorsal view, showing the wings spread wide and the symmetrical patterning on the long thin abdomen. Same subject, close-up focusing on the head and upper thorax. The dragonfly is actively cleaning its eyes by rubbing them with one of its forelegs. In full screen view it's possible to discern countless tiny hairs on its exoskeleton as well as the individual facets of its eyes.
November 9, 2025 at 2:29 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Baby Brown Thornbill!!!
#birds
Photograph of a juvenile Brown Thornbill - a very small passerine bird - perched on a thin branch. The bird is fluffy and round, with a light belly, striated breast, brown head, and brown wings and tail. Its gape is light yellow and its eyes are dark, indicating its immaturity.
November 8, 2025 at 3:33 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
It's that time of year again: The Puyas are flowering at the Botanic Gardens in Mt Tomah!

The Wattlebirds (Red and Little) have bright orange faces from all the pollen, while the Bowerbirds are eating the bulbs themselves, creating small pollen explosions.

#birds
Photograph of a Red Wattlebird among Puya flowers. The wattlebird is mottled and striated in brown and white, with a yellow belly, red wattles on its cheeks, and bright red eyes. There is a large quantity of orange pollen on its face. The flowers are turquoise with orange stamens. Photograph of a Little Wattlebird perched on a lateral puya flower spike. It is similar to the Red Wattlebird, but smaller, with no wattles, and light grey/purple eyes. The front of its face is absolutely caked on orange pollen. Photograph of a male Satin Bowerbird on a Puya flower spike with a flower bud in its beak. The bird is satin black with a light beak and violet eyes, and there is an explosion of orange pollen in front of its body, like fireworks.
November 7, 2025 at 2:28 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
One of our regular Crimson Rosellas.
#birds
Photograph of a bright red parrot, portrait from the shoulders up. It has brown eyes, a white beak, and blue feathers on its cheeks and wings.
November 4, 2025 at 12:54 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
#birds
Photograph of a large white parrot from the shoulders up. It has a bright yellow crest which is currently raised so that each individual crest feather is spread out and discernible.
November 2, 2025 at 3:54 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
I'm not doing much photography while I wait for my new glasses to arrive, but some subjects don't require perfect vision - just point your lens at the screaming.
#birds
Photograph of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo on a tree branch - a large white parrot with yellow crest feathers and yellow under its wings and tail. It is facing the camera with its wings spread back, its crest raised, and its beak open (with its tongue visible) as it screams loudly. Many Australians know the soundtrack to this photo.
October 31, 2025 at 10:43 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
St Andrew's Cross spider (Argiope keyserlingi).
Theories abound about why some orbweavers decorate their webs with lines or crosses, but we don't really know.
#spiders #invertebrates
Photograph of a medium-sized orbweaver spider at the centre of its web. The spider is dark orange with distinctive yellow stripes and dots on its abdomen, and light orange bands on its legs. There are lines in the web made of zig-zagging silk radiating out from the spider at roughly 4 and 10 o'clock.
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Australasian Swamphen (known as a Pūkeko across the ditch).
#birds
Photograph of a medium-sized rail standing in a relatively calm lake reflecting the sky. The bird is black and dark blue with a bright red beak and shield on its forehead. Its legs are orange and it has one raised so its remarkably long toes are held above the water.
October 30, 2025 at 4:03 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
This young male Satin Bowerbird has developed some of his first mature black satin feathers... around his eyes so it looks like he's wearing eyeliner or mascara XD
#birds
Photograph of a immature male Satin Bowerbird perched on a bare tree branch with green foliage in the background. The bird is mostly olive and jade green with brown and yellow. Its beak is creamy white (the biggest giveaway that it's an immature male, rather than a female), and its eyes are violet. The same subject, cropped to the bird's head and shoulders, with the bird's head turned so that the other eyes is visible. A row of very small dark feathers is starting to form under the eye.
October 28, 2025 at 5:34 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
A Rainbow Lorikeet enjoying a bottlebrush flower in our garden.
#birds
Photograph of a small brightly coloured parrot in a callistemon plant, focused on the head a shoulders. The parrot's beak is open and its tongue is visible as it laps up nectar from a red flower. The scene is lit by the sun, and the bird's eye is bright orange, black and gold.
October 27, 2025 at 2:16 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Australian White Ibis.
#birds
Photograph of an Australian White Ibis, profile from the shoulders up. It has white feathers on its body and lower neck, with bare black skin above, except for some bright pink spots on the back of its head. It has dark eyes and a long, tapering, curved beak that is slightly open.
October 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Immature White-bellied Sea Eagle that flew past me at Pitt Town Nature Reserve.
#birds
Photograph of a immature White-bellied Sea Eagle in flight against a blue sky. The bird fills the frame, and its wings are spread and raised. It has long wings, a stout body, and relatively short tail feathers with heavy feet. It has many shades of orange and brown mixed in with the white of its wings and body, indicating its immaturity.
October 25, 2025 at 4:42 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
I looked into one of our garden bromeliads tonight and found a Verreaux's Tree Frog looking back.
Photograph of a frog face-on to the viewer, situated in a curved green and maroon leaf. The frog is orange, brown, and cream, with wavy lines that resemble smooth bark or leaf litter. Its eyes are speckled in cram and brown with ovoid pupils.
October 24, 2025 at 3:55 PM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
A rebellious White-winged Chough.
#birds
Photograph of a black crow-like bird (not a corvid though) with vivid red eyes standing proudly on a garden bed next to a sign saying "Please keep off garden bed".
October 24, 2025 at 2:35 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Eurasian Coot.
#birds
Photograph of a small waterbird on a lake, The bird fills most of the frame and is in direct sunlight. It is black, but has a white beak and 'shield' on its forehead, and bright red eyes. The water is clear enough that one of its legs is visible, stretched out behind as it swims.
October 23, 2025 at 3:36 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
I was at the Australian Botanic Garden at Mt Annan yesterday when this *huge* Lace Monitor crossed one of the lawns. Many birds followed, mobbed, and swooped it, but only the Masked Lapwings came close enough for me to get some action shots.
#birds #reptiles
Photograph of a Lace Monitor (aka Goanna), a very large lizard in the same family as Komodo Dragons (and it shows). The photo is focused on its face and neck, showing intricate scales of black, brown, orange, and yellow. It is generally darker above and light below, but there are many stark stipes of yellow and black. Wider photograph of the same Lace Monitor crossing a green lawn strewn with scattered leads. The monitor is poking its long forked tongue out. Wide shot showing the entire monitor at well over 2 metres (including tail). A Masked Lapwing is swooping down from behind the monitor. Shortly after the previous photo, the lapwing has circled around and is making a pass from the monitor's front. Its wings and tail are spread wide, its beak open, but it's still maintaining a relatively safe distance because it knows how bitey monitors can be. The monitor has turned its head to protect its eyes because it knows how pointy lapwings can be.
October 22, 2025 at 7:46 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
The Aussie Bird Count for 2025 is underway so I went to Pitt Town Nature Reserve yesterday where I was delighted to a pair of immature White-bellied Sea Eagles to my list!

You can go to aussiebirdcount.org.au to participate in the count
#AussieBirdCount #BirdLifeOz
Photograph of a pair of White-bellied Sea Eagles landing on the upper branches of a dead tree, legs down and wings stretched. They have wide wings but short and stout bodies with broad but short tail feathers. They are coloured in mottled brown and white with dark flight "fingers". Photograph of one of the immature White-bellied Sea Eagles flying past the author's hide, lit by the late afternoon sun against a blue sky. The bird is a striking blend of white and black with shades of brown, a heavy greyish beak, brown eyes, and strong yellowish feet. The brown colouration indicates its immaturity.
October 20, 2025 at 10:30 PM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
A Shield Bug (Sastragala versicolor) guarding her eggs.
#insects #invertebrates
Photograph of a shield bug standing over a clutch of bright green eggs on the underside of a partially eaten Red Ash leaf. The bug Is bright green with orange "horns" on the side of its thorax, which is speckled with dark red and has two large white patches in a red triangle. Its eyes are purple and its antennae are orange. Close-up of the same subject focused on the bug's face. The facets of its eyes can be distinguished, as can its mouth parts. There are two small, bright red ocelli (simple eyes) on its head, positioned behind and above the compound eyes.
October 20, 2025 at 1:37 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Crimson Rosella.
#birds
Photograph of a small parrot on a diagonal tree branch. The bird is bright crimson with blue cheeks, tail feathers, and leading wing edges. It also has patches of black on its wings and back. It is leaning towards the viewer with its head turned in profile for a clear look.
October 19, 2025 at 3:43 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Salmi, Cleric of Shadows, another D&D NPC who is sick and tired of getting caught up in Player Character bull***t.
#art #ttrpg
Digital painting of a Cleric from Dungeons & Dragons. She is a Half-elf with fair skin and short platinum blond hair, surrounded by dark smokey shadows that she seems to be manipulating with her right hand. She holds a warhammer (historically accurate) in her left hand. She is wearing a black brigandine with splint armoured limbs, steel gauntlets and spaulders, and a dramatically billowing grey cloak. Crop of character's face in detail, showing dark lipstick and mascara and a somewhat neutral expression that masks her weariness. Crop showing the character's right gauntlet and spaulder, because painting all those shiny metal reflections took time and effort.
October 18, 2025 at 3:55 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
TINY weevil on my finger!
#insects #invertebrates
Photograph of the author's index finger, showing the second joint. There is a very small brownish weevil on it. At a guess, the weevil is only 3-4mm long. Macro photo of the same weevil, cropped to show it in detail. The weevil is mottled brown with dark eyes, a medium-length snout, and short red antennae. It appears to be looking at the viewer.
October 16, 2025 at 12:11 PM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Just 2 days later:
Photograph of a Galah nestling in look out of a nesting box. It is perched on the entrance and its head, with a raised partially-developed crest, is lit by the late afternoon sun. It is fluffy with pink, grey, and white feathers. Photograph of the same bird on the same day but with more diffuse lighting. The nestling has its beak wide open - either yawning or squeaking (I can't remember which).
October 16, 2025 at 3:03 AM
davidcsimon.bsky.social
Throwback to 8 years ago when a baby Galah poked its head out of our nesting box for the first time.
#birds
Photograph of the entrance to an artificial hollow - a box constructed out of timber with a circular entrance. A Galah nestling - a small pink cockatoo - is peering out at the viewer, with its beak open. Due to immaturity its beak is small and its eyes are large and dark.
October 16, 2025 at 2:57 AM