Spring has sprung here in Yungaburra. It is October 8 and the days are warm,
the evening are cool. Still need a third blanket in the early morning. The
Callistemons in the village are in full flower and dripping with birds as
well as nectar. Maclaey's, Brown and Lewins Honeyeaters as well as
Currawongs are nesting in the town. Along Petersen's Creek there is a lot of
action. Upstream of the Platypus Viewing Platform the new crane roost now
supports more than 100 Sarus Cranes every night. Five Magpie Geese, two
Black Swans and two pairs of Australian Wood Duck have joined the usual
crowd of Pacific Black Ducks along this lovely little wetland. No pygmy
geese and only one snipe at this site so far. Cotton Pygmy Geese and Latham'
s Snipe are to be seen at Tinaburra along with a great suite of water fowl.
There has been plenty of Platypus action from the Viewing Platform,
downstream. In this area where the creek runs by the western edge of the
village there is much to see at the moment. Geoff Tracey Walk is a picture,
with many of the rainforest trees in colourful new growth. Some are in
flower. Three species of robin and of shrike-thrush are regularly seen here
and the Dollar Birds will soon be joining the other northern migrants,
Channel-billed Cuckoo and Koel, which come here to breed. Cycas media is in
heavy fruit beside the track. This 'dinosaur food' plant has toxic fruits
but that did not stop the locals from eating them after treatment. you are
best advised to leave them alone.
The Flindersia schottiana is in wonderful flower. Like many rainforest trees
in Australia the flowers are small and not very colourful. Beetles are the
important pollinators of such trees and some of those are spectacular. The
Tree Waratah is still in flower on the eastern approach to the village. Its
flowers are brilliant red and large, in dense racemes held above the leaves.
In my garden the sweet tasting Atherton Nuts are approaching maturity and as
we have no Giant White-tailed Rats we should be able to harvest them. The
nuts are like a Macadamia only creamy and much easier to crack. The rats get
most of the wild fruit.
Wompoo Fruit Doves, Spotted Catbirds, Tooth-billed Bower Birds are all
enjoying the last of the large blue fruit of the Silver Quandong. Topknot
pigeons and Pacific Bazas have been engaged in their spectacular swooping
displays over the rainforest with Lake Eacham being the best place for
sightings. They have also been seen at Lake Barrine, near Malanda and
Yungaburra and out at The Crater.
Most of the winter deciduous trees have regained their leaves and the White
Cedars are in flower. Damson Plums are just ready to break out in new leaf.
This Terminalia has one of the highest natural concentrations of vitamin C.
The famous Curtain Figtree has gone through its few days without leaves and
is looking magnificent again..
At Lake Eacham and places of greater elevation the Tooth-billed Bowerbirds
are in full voice and maintaining their stages of leaves on the rainforest
floor. In a cleared area between one and two metres in diameter the male
places leaves with their white or grey undersides exposed. These leaves are
refreshed daily. Despite his vociferous nature the bird can be difficult to
track down. He is sitting on a horizontal branch between a half and three
metres above the stage. When a female approaches he is the one to play at
being shy; hiding behind a small sapling. The Golden and Satin Bowerbirds
are also active.
Riflebirds displaying on their post like perches let out a raucous call
which is not at all pleasant to my ear. I am however impressed with the
display which follows. The soft powder sheen of deep burgundy which seems to
stand out a centimetre from the hard metallic colours of the back wings and
tail provides a striking contrast. His green, grey, yellow sometimes
apparently khaki belly has the most difficult colour to describe. When she
approached he goes into a 'Flamenco' dance, flicking his wings over her head
with a rustle and a click. All the while she is feigning boredom.
At night we have been serenaded by owls. On one nocturnal walk the screaming
whistle of the Lesser Sooty Owl gave us all a fright. The bird was only ten
metres from us and gave us brilliant views as long as we sat on out
haunches. Boobooks are calling most nights but the Barking Owls are still to
start up their dueting.
Coppery Brushtail Possums are in major breeding mode though still not as per
usual. As a legacy of the drought when many did not breed in spring last
year but in autumn of this, some females are still carrying very large back
young. It will be interesting to see if they do breed soon.
Talking of breeding; we are approaching the silly season for Antechinus. The
males testes will soon swell to the size of large marbles precipitating a
frenzy of fighting and fornicating. By the end of November there will be no
males left in the population! Testosterone gone mad!
For those of you who have met Stewart the Green Ringtail Possum I am pleased
to say that he is still expressing mild interest in my guests. He has been
eating all the young Shining-leaved Stinging-tree saplings he can find.
There is not one in his territory which has any leaves. The small leaved
fig, Ficus fraseri, is again under heavy browsing from the Green Ringtails.
Spectacled Flying Foxes have been visiting the site in small numbers.
On the Lumholtz Tree-kangaroo scene I can now confidently report that the 30
month old male, Jack, and his 19 month old sibling, Jemima, have been moved
on. Jack was starting to visit females other than his mother so it was only
a matter of time before Rex gave him the boot. Their mother, Jill, has a new
joey which is very confident in its movements despite its youth. It is a
male and was named John by one of my guests; keeping the letter pattern
going. Jill is also very relaxed this time around. This is the third young
we have watched her raising.
The cold evening seem to have been keeping the Chameleon Geckos from being
active. At least I hope it is that and not the feral cat which we have seen
with a Bush Rat in its mouth. Brief views have been gained of Giant
White-tailed Rats and Fawn-footed Melomys. They do not like staying around
in the spotlight.
Regards,
Alan Gillanders
Alan's Wildlife Tours
2 Mather Road
Yungaburra 4884
Australia
Phone (07) 4095 3784
Int + 61 7 4095 3784
www.alanswildlifetours.com.au
On the beautiful Atherton Tablelands
145* 33' 25"E 17* 16' 40' S
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
