Hi all
Firstly - thankyou to all those who replied to my request re
Spotlighting, to share the benefit of their experiences and knowledge - I
appreciate the time & effort.
My original e-mail enquiry was, as I mentioned, stimulated by a few
irregular spotlighting walks of little success. Last Thursday week I had
ventured forth into an area of bushland reserve, known as MC Trotter (south
of Brisbane), on a moonlit night, just after dusk. It was very calm and
quiet - not a breath of wind.
MC Trotter reserve is a, relatively, large block of dry eucalypt,
with other scattered species, which backs onto Tingalpa lake/resevoir. It is
only one part of the surrounding bush - most of which is relatively
inaccessible. The tracks through it are wide and, because the sandy soil is
white, easy to follow in the dark.
I walked a circuit I normally walk during the day with my 4 X D-cell
diving torch at the ready. On that ocassion the only signs of life were a
few Wallabies thumping away thru the bush, a handful of Cane toads causing
my heart to flip and a distant Boobook Owl which stopped calling when I
reached the closest point on the track - still probably 100+ meters away. I
did cause near heart failure in a Satin Flycatcher which must have just
arrived and, being unable to locate a suitable roost, ended up beside the
track in a flimsy bush.
That venture resulted in the e-mailed request last week.
Last night I headed out again, fresh with new knowledge and
determined to improve my results. I, again, headed to MC Trotter reserve
just after dusk - another calm, still night - this time no moon.
Once again into the wood, trusty torch in hand, walking the sandy
track, stopping to listen, checking likely looking trees, holding the torch
beside my head looking for eyeshine. I reckon I was SO alert that if an
antecinus had broken wind or an Owl had even THOUGHT about calling I would
have had it spotlit and identified before the tail had dropped or the beak
had opened!!
A shooting star erupted through the night, but, despite a fervent
wish for something REALLY good, 1 hour later I arrived back at the car
having only embarassed a Brush tailed possum high up a gum tree.
(I'm sure the Possum considered him or her self to be REALLY good, but it
didn't have quite the same priority for me!)
So, perseverance is the key I think. It is frustrating and I'm SURE
that the nights I'm NOT there there are dozens, probably hundreds if not
thousands, of owls and frogmouths, possums and sugar gliders cavorting
through the trees, calling, displaying and feeding, just diving into hiding
as I arrive!!
I guess I'll just have to sneak up on them without any prior
planning!!!
> Colin
> Brisbane
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