I can't really address Colin's questions about spotlighting - I'm sure there
will be lots of good advice flowing, and I'll look forward to learning from
it.
However, I do get to see some nocturnal creatures from the verandahs at home
by using low-level floodlighting.
We don't illuminate anything strongly, but we do have an outside light that
is fixed in the general direction of the creek and which spreads its light
widely but thinly. We find that it gives enough ambience to allow us to see
passing night-herons, frogmouths, owls, or nightjars - although you've still
got be quick to get the binoculars on them to get a view before they pass
out of sight. Mind you the nightjars, when they are here, do laps.
It also allows us to spot any bandicoots or echidnas which might wander
through the garden, and we do keep a spotlight nearby to
get a better look, as they're much more slow-moving than the birds. We get
Squirrel-gliders and Brush-tailed Possums in the trees
close to the house if we hang puddings out for them. Once we've put a
pudding out we scan it now and then with the spotlight to pick the up if
they're there - but I don't really like doing that and I've decided it would
be better to establish another low-level flood-light, so that we can watch
them going about their pursuits without startling them with bright lights,
and especially without running the risk of blinding some poor creature
through careless use of a powerful spotlight.
The creek is very low at present, and it's several months since we saw any
platypus. I guess they're in some better-resourced billabong up-stream. It's
happened before, and thus far, they've always returned. We have never
spotlighted platypus. Over the years we have seen them in every month of the
year and at every time of day, including noon! But we have never searched
for them with lights. We're lucky to have these marvellous monotremes, and
privileged to have become so familiar with them over the years that I feel
we should just leave them alone and settle for passive breath-holding
watching and no more.
So, this is how we do it from our verandah. Ideally the waiting period
between nocturnal sightings should be taken up with conviviality and
bonhomie until someone on the verandah accidentally spots a creature, and
everyone gets excited and argues about what it is or might have been.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email:
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
-----Original Message-----
From:
Behalf Of REID Colin
Sent: Monday, 23 September 2002 6:01 PM
To:
Subject: Spotlighting
Hi all
What's the trick to spotlighting?
Does success depend on the weather, the phase of the moon, the time
of year, the time of night, the way the light is used or just plain luck??
Weather - dry? wet? cloudy? bright?
Moon - full? none? half?
Year - Spring. Summer, Autumn or Winter?
Time - just after dusk? after midnight?
Light - spotlight all trees? spotlight only obvious trees? wait for
movement or noise?
I've tried a couple of times, with little or no luck, looking for
owls and frogmouths. Someone out there must have experience in this
activity? !! Please advise.
P.S. I do have a large torch but don't have access to a tape
recorder or tapes, but will consider if a necessity.
P.S. How on earth does one see sugar gliders at night?? !!
> Colin Keen-to-wander-bush-at-night Reid
>
> Brisbane.
Email:
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