Mission Beach Cassowaries
  • ABOUT CASSOWARIES
    • Cassowary ID and tracking >
      • Sightings maps
    • World Cassowary Day 2015
  • NEWS
  • Information
    • Developments
    • Thorsborne Trail NOT FOR SALE >
      • MARGARET 'T' AO 1927-2018
    • Walking tracks
    • Birding
    • Lot 66/Garrett Corridor
    • Publications
    • Mission Beach Naturally >
      • Community Identity
    • Heritage
  • Photo Gallery
    • Fauna >
      • Cassowary
      • Birds
      • Mammals
      • Reptiles
    • Flora >
      • Flowers
      • Plants and trees
      • Fungi
    • Scenic
  • Contact
    • Privacy policy

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.

Picture
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. 
Picture
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.




Comments are closed.
    Mission Beach Cassowaries facebook page
    Follow the lives of individual cassowaries on facebook

    Picture
    Friends of Ninney Rise
    Ninney Rise
    - the inspiring
     conservation history of Mission Beach

    Lot 66
    a Mission Beach buyback success story
     


    Picture
    Russell Constable's blog is packed full of information about Ella Bay and region

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    January 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All
    Ash
    Birds
    Boat Bay
    Bush Tucker
    Butterflies
    Cassowaries
    Cassowary Coast
    Cca
    Coquette Point
    Cowley Beach
    Crocodiles
    Cyclones
    Cyclone Yasi
    Development
    Flowers
    Flying Foxes
    Frogs
    Fungi
    Insects
    Johnstone River
    Little Terns Nesting
    Mahogany Glider
    Mangrove Dieback
    Marine
    Mission Beach
    Port Hinchinbrook
    Rainforest Fruit
    Sediment Runnoff
    Snakes
    Spiders
    Threats
    Tourism
    Tully Heads
    Turtles
    Wildwatch
    W P S Q Tully Branch


© All content on this website (except where otherwise stated) is copyright Mission Beach Cassowaries All Rights Reserved If copying or publishing  content or information from this site please credit and link to Mission Beach Cassowaries Inc. website Except where otherwise credited, all photos on this website are copyright and must have permission to reproduce