Blog Archives

News from Coquette Point

29/5/2011

Cassowary proof pig trap

Hi All,

Following all the problems I have been having with pigs and Terrain’s refusal to supply me with a cage, this week we built our own pig cage. Right on cue a friend turned up from Giru who is an expert pig hunter, how lucky! He could not believe that the old, spring-door release mechanism was being used and with the approval of National Parks: especially in Cassowary Country. He quickly drew up a plan with an inward opening side-swing door. Pigs can push it open and keep coming into the cage but they can’t get out. He advised me to put a top on it as if we get a few pigs in the cage they could walk on top of each other to get out. The cage is made and set but since then, as luck would have , the pigs have disappeared. However as sure as eggs are eggs they will be back and I am waiting.

News from Coquette Point

22/5/2011

“ the broad shoal estuary where sand banks with a white break over them appeared to reach from shore to shore” Dalrymple and Johnstone 1872

Breaking bar on the Johnstone River

Hi All,

A strong wind warning for most of the week has brought rolling waves breaking onto the Johnstone River bar. It took my mind to thinking of what Dalrymple and Johnstone saw as they rounded Thompson Point in 1872 when they noted “ the broad shoal estuary where sand banks with a white break over them appeared to reach from shore to shore” and thus it is today.

A useful lizard to have in the garden by Anne Wilkinson

21/5/2011

These striking looking skinks are gardeners’ friends, feeding on slugs and snails.

Patrick Murphy took this fantastic picture of a young pink-tongued skink

After such a long period of warm nights and hot days, the recent cold nights will have been particularly hard on reptiles such as the pink-tongued skink, or the pink-tongued lizard, as it is more commonly known.

This striking-looking skink is relatively common in local rainforest and damp sclerophyll (eucalypt) forest and is often found in moist areas of the garden, sheltering in leaf litter or in wood piles. It also inhabits garden sheds. It is useful too, as a major part of its diet consists of slugs and snails, so its appearance in the garden should always be welcomed. It will also dine on various insects and, if dog or cat food is left out at night, finds that tasty too. (Both dogs and cats should be restrained at night so ideally this gourmet part of the lizard’s diet will not be available.)

Turtles undertake voyage of a lifetime

15/5/2011

HELLO: Martin Cunningham filmed this close-up encounter with a green turtle while diving on the Reef.

Green turtle - photo Martin Cunningham

By Lawrie Martin and Anne Wilkinson

I will never forget my first sight, as a small child, of a live green sea turtle. It was swimming in a heated tank in Regents Park Zoo in London and its slow, graceful action as it circled and weaved in the water was quite mesmerising.

I did not realise then that I would one day be living where green turtles nested on the beaches and where the annual adventure of the tiny hatchlings paddling their way to the sea took place. New born, they run the gauntlet of natural danger with predators such as gulls and crabs lined up to take them. Despite these hazards, many make it although, since most hatchings are at night, on the more populated beaches they are also often distracted by lights. Many a beachside swimming pool owner has found baby turtles in the pool following a night time hatch.

News from Coquette point

15/5/2011

Fishermen on the beach at Coquette Point

Hi All,
The brilliant weather and a low tide at 1pm today was perfect for the local fishermen, they came out on the river and along the river enjoying the sun and the clean clear water that is now flowing in the Johnstone River. Bait boils could be clearly seen in the shallows and the men in the photo got a full bucket in a couple of throws of the cast net.

News from Coquette Point

11/5/2011

It is woolly sock time already. A winter chill is in the air and the land breeze that comes down the Johnstone River from the Atherton Tablelands, early in the morning, is already icy. The need to top up the cassowary food stations at daylight resultantly gets me out of a warm bed.

Dad with one chick

Coming home from town after sunset Friday I saw cassowary ‘Little Dad’( D2) with his chick. Most unusual to see them looking for food on nightfall. Although this chick is older than the other chicks born this year at Coquette Point he is not growing as quickly. Whereas Dad 4’s chicks who are coming for a supplementary feed every day have strong thick legs and shiny feathers. I have heard anecdotally that the Cassowaries are being fed with left over bread and dog biscuits by some of the residents at Coquette Point. Misguided people think they are helping the cassowaries.

Post-Yasi birds

2/5/2011

Read about birds in our area after 2 February 2011 - when TC Yasi hit. Helen is currently following a pair of Brahminy kites building a nest. Ed

"The "Beach" brahminy kite pair started to build a new nest in big eucalypt back from the beach - all the big beach trees have lost suitable branches or are fallen. Watched them try to place sticks........" see more

News from Coquette Point

1/5/2011

Hi all,
After a glorious Easter, when we had the first fine weather in months, on Tuesday the rain descended on the Wet Tropics, 285mm in three days. The Johnstone River once again turned into a brown drain. What a difference a day makes when yesterday the skies cleared and with no run-off the river is already clear.

Easter brought the fishers onto the river and in the water, up to their waste, catching bait. What do you need to do to make people understand there are crocodiles in the Johnstone. I expressed my concerns to NPWS and they came to look and right on cue Midget woke from a doze on the beach and slipped into the water , Charlene was not seen. The ranger put a sign on the beach. Just in time for this weekend as the beach here is a favourite bait area.

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