This is a reminder that the next Paluma After Dark walk will be this Saturday, August 27th. We will meet at 6:30pm at Potters Park opposite 27 Lennox Cr. It could be a bit chilly and there is a small chance of rain, so bring a jacket/raincoat as well as a torch. I will have spare UV torches for anyone who is interested in looking for fluorescent liverworts or lichen. Hopefully, we will see some bandicoots and pademelons along the track.
Jamie
The recent “Paluma After Dark” night walk took place last Saturday night at Don Battersby’s place on Hussey Road. The walk was well attended, with 7 locals and 5 visitors. A quick tour of Don’s property revealed a few interesting fluorescing lichens and plants and several tiny prowling wolf spiders whose eyeshine seemed disproportionately bright for their tiny size.
Once into the forest behind Don’s block we were given a full tour of the track to Ethel Creek and back via Hussey Road.
Using the various UV torches on hand, we saw several glowing supplejack vines, many brilliant red tree seedlings and several spiders, including the common jungle huntsman. Several mossy logs also had a sprinkling of fluorescent bryophytes similar to ones we have previously found on the H-Track.A couple of us also heard and caught a fleeting glimpse of a native rat, but not enough to identify the species.
On the way back to Don’s, walking along Hussey road with heavy feet and flagging attention, Juanita spotted some eyeshine in a tree beside the road. Closer inspection showed it to be a sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps). Although about 5m up and partly obscured by branches it was nevertheless easy to make out the facial markings and skin folds between fore and rear legs that provide for fairly positive identification. It was a great ending to the evening and is the first arboreal mammal that many of us have seen in Paluma. As an added bonus, one of several leaf-tailed geckos (Saltuarius cornutus) living in Don’s shed came out to bid us goodbye as we prepared to leave. Below are pictures (not taken that night) that illustrate these last two species.
Many thanks to Don, for his enthusiasm and stamina in leading this walk.
Our next walk will be in August and will be advertised on the web.
Text by Jamie Oliver; photos as indicated
The next scheduled Paluma After Dark evening walk will be this Saturday evening at 6:30pm. This time we will be exploring Don Battersby’s property and nearby forest for animals that he has seen around there over the last decade or more.
We will meet at 6:30pm at Don’s place just around the first bend of Hussey Road on the left. Bring a head torch and UV light if you have them – and warm clothes!
The UV lights have proven useful in highlighting some highly flourescent mosses, liverworts and other seedlings, but they are also known to pick up scorpions. I can testify that this is the case for at least one scorpion species that was spotted during my recent trip with Tony and Julie Bligh across the Simpson Desert. Paluma also has at least on species of scorpion so we might see one of these on the prowl this Saturday
Jamie Oliver
The Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) is found from Cairns to Melbourne. This male was foraging by himself on the dried fruit of an Alphitonia tree (known locally as sarsaparilla tree) near the Paluma Community Hall. Birds from southern Australia are larger than the northern sub-species Alisterus scapularis (minor). Lloyd Neilsen (Birds of the Wet Tropics) says they are uncommon at Paluma and Mt Lewis, but Andree Griffin and Roy Mackay class it as a breeding resident in an area from Little Crystal Creek to Mt Spec and Taravale.
Text & Photos by Peter Cooke
Two species of shrike-thrush are commonly seen at Paluma — the Little Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha) and Bowers Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla boweri). They are not easy to disambiguate even with a clear picture and a few bird books, as colour and distinguishing features vary quite a lot by gender and age for both species. The name doesn’t help as the Bowers Shrike-Thrush is smaller than the Little Shrike-Thrush.
This specimen posed for the camera on one of Jan Cooke’s tomato plants in April. Jan thinks this is probably a Little Shrike-Thrush.
Text & Photo by Peter Cooke
The Paluma area bird list (compiled by Andree Griffin and Roy Mackay) lists the Rufous Songlark (Magalurus mathewsi) as an occasional visitor to Paluma, although its range covers most of Australia. This bird was one of a pair seen near the Community Hall in April. The Australian Bird Guide says the Rufous Songlark breeds in South Australia in spring and summer but migrates inland, or to north Australia in autumn and winter. The distinguishing ‘rufous rump’ is mostly hidden by wing feathers, but can be seen in photo 3 below.
Text & Photos by Peter Cooke
Macleays Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) is a charming and friendly little bird endemic to the Wet Tropics and a common visitor to feed tables in Paluma. They are not shy and at places they visit regularly may perch on a hand that offers something to eat.
Text & Photo by Peter Cooke
The Red-Backed Button Quail (Turnix maculosis) is a regular resident in the Paluma Village but is secretive, and most commonly observed exploding from cover and flying rapidly away.
This female was with a juvenile in tow across the road from the Community Hall in March, but scurried off down the back of Cooke’s place. She next appeared walking away by herself. It seems she planted the youngster under a bush and stayed in plain sight walking away to lead interest away from the bub.
Text & Photo by Peter Cooke
The total rainfall recorded in May (to date) in the BOM gauge at the Village Green is impressive.
Paluma Village (at the BOM gauge) has had a total of 343.2 mm of rain as of today (Friday 13th May). Some 296 mm of that total was recorded this week alone.
The word (from a very reliable source) is that Paluma Dam is at about 80% capacity and about 1 m below the spillway and still rising.
Thanks to Barry for passing on these rainfall figures today.
This rather skinny python was spotted recently by Lynda Radbone on the back verandah of a residence at the western end of Paluma Village. The poor python was a bit lethargic and quite reluctant to move from the deck. It certainly looks like this snake could do with a good feed of scrub turkey or perhaps a rainforest rodent. We hope it has made its way back into the forest and has found something nourishing to eat.
If anyone knows a wildlife carer who might be able to assist with regard to the welfare of this poor python, please contact Lynda for the location of the recent sighting of this snake. It retreated under the house so perhaps it is still there and in need of care. It’s times like this that we miss our resident wildlife expert and herpetologist Roy Mackay who would have known exactly what to do!
Photos courtesy of Lynda Radbone.
