This is a Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus), also called a blue-tailed skink. These are pretty common at The Heard where I often go birding. They are supposed to be pretty common around urban gardens as well, but I’ve never seen one of these! I have seen what I think may be little brown geckos – and they are cute – but they don’t have this great blue tail.

I usually only get a quick glimpse of these as they are running off to hide in leaf litter or under a rock. When I came across this one as I was walking on the boardwalk in the wetlands area. I froze. He froze. I set down my camera/tripod very slowly and was able to get some shots. In fact, we were so close to each other, that I could not get my camera to focus on his whole body! So, some pictures I focused on his face, others on his tail. I think I have since figured out how to get the whole body in focus – now all I have to do is to find him and ask him to pose for my do-overs!

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