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 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.
Little runt walks the hill
I have changed the filling time for the eastern cassowary food station. The sub-adults ‘Big Sis’ and ‘Little Runt’ are turning up in the afternoon and by then nothing is left in the feed station as Dad 4 and his chicks have gobbled it all. The sub adults are still walking the road and I hope by putting food out in the afternoon when Dad 4 moves into the mangroves, the sub adults may be encouraged to stay away from the road. I explained my strategy to the NP ranger this week and was told the cassowaries are’ tricky’ and as an example they were breaking the cable ties on the feed station on Maynard Road. I looked aghast as it is almost impossible, knowing the way a cassowary eats, for it to break the heavy duty cable ties holding the feed stations. To me it was obvious that pigs had found the feed station. I suggested they move the station promptly and put a camera on it. Hopefully that has happened.
Feral pigs are causing me a lot of problems. Early Thursday morning, after I filled the cassowary feed station, I was quietly pollinating the pumpkin flowers when I heard a grunt behind me and suddenly I was surrounded by four pigs. Fortunately the vegetable garden gate was near and I backed into the garden and locked myself in. It was nearly an hour before the pigs left. I rang CCRC pest officer, but there is no longer one. I rang National Parks and was told to ring Terrain. I rang Terrain and was told to ring National Parks. After some discussions I spoke to Peter Uechtritz at Terrain, he is running the Feral Pig programme. We spoke at length and I was told in as many words that because of my submission on pig control and the cassowary that was caught ( and released by me without harm) in the pig cage on my property that all pig control was on hold until new protocols were implemented. I remarked that there was nothing wrong with the old protocols it was just that they were not being followed. Peter decided he did not wish to continue the conversation and hung up the phone.
Dad 1 begs for food
Meanwhile pigs are out of control in the Moresby Range National Park. Every resident at Coquette Point has a story to tell of a recent encounter with pigs. The pigs are causing huge damage in the National Park with pig wallows evident in many places. More importantly the pigs are eating every bit of fruit on the ground, there is nothing left for the cassowaries and they are forced to beg for food at the houses at the top of the hill. See photo. My project this week is to weld up the mother of all pig cages.
The White Ibis have returned and every afternoon this week I have seen a flock in V shaped formation flying from Flying Fish Point towards the Ninds Creek Wetlands these birds are amazing.
Cheers for now,
Yvonne C.
