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Hi Birders,
Reading Penny Drake-Brockman's note about finding a
Diamond Python near Barrington House NSW reminds that recently I was surveying
birds in a patch of Swamp Mahogany Forest near Catherine Hill Bay, NSW when my
attention was attracted to a large number of small Honeyeaters, Silvereyes,
Thornbills and Lewin's Honeyeaters all getting excited in the top of a
Melaleuca linearifolia (a small tree). Thinking that there might be a
Boobook or a Tawny Frogmouth there, I went over for a closure look and
discovered that the site of interst was a Ring-tailed Possum's nest which had a
Diamond Python curled on top of it while its head appeared to be inside
the entrance hole. While I watched, the rest of the Diamond Python's body
gradually entered the hole and totally disappeared inside. The Python did not
re-emerged during my 20 minute survey of the general area. I saw no
Ringtail Possum so I don't know whether the Python had eaten the possum or
whether it was making use of the nest as a shelter. The Python appeared to be at
least 1.5 m long.
Alan Morris
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