The Bingil Bay community has been wathcing Bernie's progress since he was struck by a car trying to cross the Bingil Bay Road. QPWS have been overseeing his recovery within his environment and are now weaning him off supplementary food. Today he ventured south east across the gully. It is the second time I have seen him since the accident. He is beginning to get his adult colours. His foot is still swollen but he can walk without a limp now and the three claws he lost are starting to regrow. We are all very happy for Bernie surviving this round.
He has already been seen crossing the busy Bingil Bay Road again because that's where the rainforest corridor is and where at least three other cassowaries are known to cross to access the habitat on the north side of road.
A resident has placed another slow down sign on the problem road.
The current Council Plan identifies this as a wildlife crossing area recommended for speed reduction.
The day the Council removed other slow down signs put up by concerned locals they placed road counters between Bingil Bay and Narragon. I wonder how long it will be before the data collected is analysed and the speed limit reduced.
A resident has placed another slow down sign on the problem road.
The current Council Plan identifies this as a wildlife crossing area recommended for speed reduction.
The day the Council removed other slow down signs put up by concerned locals they placed road counters between Bingil Bay and Narragon. I wonder how long it will be before the data collected is analysed and the speed limit reduced.
The police have had to visit Bingil Bay several times over the school holidays. There has been a group of youths with P plates hooning around quiet Bingil Bay. I can hear the screeching of tyres and speeding out of the bend into the short straight of road where the birds cross and children walk on their way to the beach.
Other residents have said cars were 'fishtailing' on the gravel road at Garners Beach. A high number of birds cross all the narrow winding roads between Bingil Bay and Garners Beach.
I hope these bored people can survive not hurting themselves or the local wildlife before they grow up and become responsible. Would not be a good memory to have hit an animal while joyriding on the road.
Other residents have said cars were 'fishtailing' on the gravel road at Garners Beach. A high number of birds cross all the narrow winding roads between Bingil Bay and Garners Beach.
I hope these bored people can survive not hurting themselves or the local wildlife before they grow up and become responsible. Would not be a good memory to have hit an animal while joyriding on the road.
Just managed to photo a channel-billed cuckoo which briefly landed close by making its piercing screeches. Thanks to Helen and Russ for identifying it for me. Down from Indonesia looking for a nest to lay its eggs to let some other unsuspecting bird hatch and raise its chick. A friend of mine told me the story of a very, very large cuckoo chick which was driving the neighbourhood mad with its constant squawking for food while it was being frantically fed by a much smaller magpie. There is a great website with recordings of bird calls here. Scroll down to listen to the channel-billed cuckoo.
Blackie is doing a circuit stopping at the bird bath every day again after being absent for a few weeks. His scat has few native seeds and shows the pond apple is fruiting. The large fleshy fruit will provide a good sized souce of food but it also means the seeds of this very invasive exotic tree will be efficiently distributed through the native forests.
The forest floor is tinder dry and every movement of wildlife can be heard. Even the crack of a tiny twig has the now not so small Blackie bolt upright alert and listening.
The forest floor is tinder dry and every movement of wildlife can be heard. Even the crack of a tiny twig has the now not so small Blackie bolt upright alert and listening.
The dryness means we get to see some of the wildlife that can normally move about wihout being heard like the
resident yellow spotted goanna and two lace goannas.
resident yellow spotted goanna and two lace goannas.
The big one is about 6 feet long seen here looking very healthy and in the process of losing its skin.
There is a little less haze around today from the fires in the tablelands. The dryness is a little nerve wracking with the high risk of fire excerbated by the ample fuel left behind by cyclone Yasi. I hope it rains soon.
There is a little less haze around today from the fires in the tablelands. The dryness is a little nerve wracking with the high risk of fire excerbated by the ample fuel left behind by cyclone Yasi. I hope it rains soon.
Rainforest Rescue is appealing for funds to rehabilitate habitat corridors at Mission Beach. They are working with land care group Terrain and local landholders on identified habitat linkages in the Mission Beach area. Rehabilitation of exsiting habitat corridors will further identify important areas for management such as where cassowaries are known to cross roads regularly.
Rainforest Rescue has a respected history for rainforest protection through their ongoing Daintree buyback campaign and programs in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. We welcome their attention, with a new campaign, to help rehabilitate cassowary corridors at Mission Beach. Please help
Rainforest Rescue has a respected history for rainforest protection through their ongoing Daintree buyback campaign and programs in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. We welcome their attention, with a new campaign, to help rehabilitate cassowary corridors at Mission Beach. Please help
