Hello from the rainforest of Coquette Point,
The rainforest is waiting for rain. The large leaves on the rainforest trees are folded and bent down in a prayer for rain. The summer storms are near and the trees should not need to wait long. This is the longest dry period we have had for five years.
The rainforest is waiting for rain. The large leaves on the rainforest trees are folded and bent down in a prayer for rain. The summer storms are near and the trees should not need to wait long. This is the longest dry period we have had for five years.
The pheasant coucals have left their ground nests and have again taken to the trees. Every evening the birds laboriously climb to the very top of the rainforest to roost. In the early hours of the morning you can hear them call from the tree-tops and the long note ‘ooopp’ wakes the forest sleepers.
(read about the pheasant coucal and listen to its call )
The Indian koel, the’ storm bird’ returned this week from its travels in New Guinea. The koel’s noisy song disturbs the metallic starlings which are generally quietly chirping and chattering like canaries as they select their breakfast feast of fruits.
The figbirds also arrived this week and have joined the starling flock feeding on palm and fig fruits.
With all the fruit I see on trees in the forests one would think the cassowaries, in this area, would not need supplementary feeding. However, their scats still show little rainforest fruit.
Competing for the fallen fruit are the pigs. The pig number have increased dramatically in the Moresby Range National Park. You are more likely to see a pig rather than a cassowary as you drive through the national park on the way out to the Point. This pig was killed by a vehicle last Sunday morning on the Coquette Point road.
Competing for the fallen fruit are the pigs. The pig number have increased dramatically in the Moresby Range National Park. You are more likely to see a pig rather than a cassowary as you drive through the national park on the way out to the Point. This pig was killed by a vehicle last Sunday morning on the Coquette Point road.
The male Emerald Dove has been joined by a female. When he saw her this week he puffed his chest out showing off his purple feathers, he then lightly cooed to her. She moved over to check him out and then decided to go on eating, he looked very dejected. Hopefully he will improve his tactics soon.
Meanwhile the sunbirds are busy building yet more nests. They are frantically flying to and fro with nest building material. Even the native bees have spring-fever and are filling every hole they can find with honeycomb. The photo above is of a one inch water-pipe converted into a hive by the bees. The Major skink has emerged from his winter stupor and is busy hunting for food to replenish his fat supply.
The matriarch cassowary ‘Jessie’ is at the feed station every day. In the morning she always arrives very hungry and with wet feet.
I cut up some coconut for the pig cage, a few of the nuts had apples forming inside. I spread the nuts outside the pig cage and to my surprise the cassowary chick ‘Q’ sat down and started eating the coconut apple.
I cut up some coconut for the pig cage, a few of the nuts had apples forming inside. I spread the nuts outside the pig cage and to my surprise the cassowary chick ‘Q’ sat down and started eating the coconut apple.
The native nutmeg Myristica insipida is in flower. I also saw flowering this week the native gardenia Randia fitzalani and the black bean castanospermum austral
The summer storm will start very soon and the fill that covers the old Jubilee Bridge debris is not grassed over.
The summer storm will start very soon and the fill that covers the old Jubilee Bridge debris is not grassed over.
Although the site was compacted a summer storm will have the power to significantly erode the fill. Runoff into the Johnstone River will be inevitable. It appears that the CCRC did not put any condition for soil stabilisation works other than compaction. The site has been like this for the last six weeks.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
click to enlarge
Your weekly updates are wonderful Yvonne.
I managed to capture this shot of a male emerald dove all puffed up sitting on the branch almost in a trance state and dozing for about 20 minutes until it snapped out of it and flew to the ground.
I was quite close to get this shot without it being concerned.
Liz
I managed to capture this shot of a male emerald dove all puffed up sitting on the branch almost in a trance state and dozing for about 20 minutes until it snapped out of it and flew to the ground.
I was quite close to get this shot without it being concerned.
Liz
