Saturday Night, 8 pm, Potters Park. Bring a torch
For a small community, Paluma could be said to have a fairly active schedule of evening events throughout the year, but on most nights the village is pretty quiet – in terms of human activity. However this statement belies the fact that our village and surrounding forest have a very active and often noisy nightlife.
Over the last year or so, following the lead of my son Michael, I have been taking nighttime walks through the village local tracks to see what I could see and hear. With the help of a head torch, binoculars and a frog call recording app on my iPhone I have been able to identify most of the more common and easily detected animals.
Common sightings include bandicoots, Pademelons, barred frogs (on wet nights) native rats. Less common to rare, and mostly not yet seen by me at night are Dingos, pythons, nightigers, Feather-tailed gliders, Possums, and even (over a decade ago) a spotted-tailed quoll.
Common sounds include 2 species of frog (again on wet nights), the thumps of unseen Pademelons retreating into the forest, and the piercing buzz of cicadas (as yet unidentified), Babook owls and Lesser Sooty Owl
Not every evening walk results in a sighting, although after heavy rain, frogs are just about guaranteed. And of course the tiny gleaming eyes of wolf spiders and the ever-present sound of cidadas mean that no night walk is without signs of life.
I am keen to continue to go on a regular night walks around the village and perhaps along the road out to the Dam this year. I invite anyone who is interested to join an unofficial “Paluma After Dark Club” and spend an hour or so every couple of months to see what we can record and discover. The inaugural walk will be this Saturday evening (February 26). Meet at Potters Park opposite 27 Lennox Cr at 8 pm.
Bring a head torch, preferably a bright one that can be focused to a narrow beam. Binoculars are also surprising useful to identify mammals and night birds once they are in the beam of a spotlight.
If the first event garners sufficient interest, we might also consider bringing some experts on specific groups up to give us a talk and a guided walk.
Text and Photos by Jamie Oliver
Jamie, what an exciting way to experience our village in the mist. Tony and I would love to join you, and thanks Andi and Will for the idea of the black torch!
Count me in Jamie I’m keen. I can’t make this Saturday’s walk though. Enjoy.
Sounds great Jamie, we can’t make it this week but look forward to future night walks.
We too are unable to attend but would be very interested to join you another time. Take a UV torch (black light torch) with you too — lichens often change colour and GLOW!
Thanks for the tip regarding black light torches. We have a few at hand now since they are part of our RAT test kits!
This sounds fun. We won’t be in the village this Sat but keen to join you on future night walks.