moloch05
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This report covers the area between Cooktown and the Atherton Tablelands. Nick, Holly and I went for a night drive on my final night in Cooktown. The next day, I headed south and stopped whenever I saw interesting habitat. The trip to Malanda in the Atherton Tablelands took most of the day.
This is a view of the Cooktown area at the mouth of the Endeavor River.
Those distant plateaus looked very inviting.
This wetland was on the outskirts of Cooktown. It was a seasonally flooded area that is surrounded by paperbarks. Portions of the reserve had been burned but there was deep leaf litter in some areas and this was attractive to the small skinks.
Magpie Geese were abundant on the swamp as they are in almost any northern wetland:
Green Pygmy Goose -- nicely marked little waterfowl.
Australian Jacana or Lotusbird -- common on the lily pads.
juvie
adult
Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) -- I heard this big lizard run and then climb a tree.
Brown Bicarinate Rainbow Skink (Carlia storri) -- This was the common skink in the leaf litter around the swamp. I rested on the ground and watched this little lizard. After awhile, it must have felt that I posed no threat and it relaxed. Suddenly, it shot over to the base of a nearby tree and captured this spider. The spider was large for the skink and they fought for a few moments before the skink killed and then swallowed the arachnid.
Closed Litter Rainbow Skink (Carlia longipes) -- common around the swamp.
1, 2 Common Crow
3, 4 Blue Argus -- a blue version of a Painted Lady
Black Mountain -- This area was a few kms south of Cooktown. The black hills are not all that extensive but are the home of three endemic herps.
Cycads were abundant here.
Black Mountain Rainbow Skink (Carlia scirtetis) -- I only saw this at dusk this year. The days were hot and the skinks must have been sheltering in their crevices until late in the day when it was a little cooler. These little skinks are bold and curious. They would run right up to me if I stood motionless on a boulder.
Nick and I searched the rocks at night with hopes of finding Black Mountain Geckos (Nactus galgajuga) but this year, we had no success. I don't think that we moved far enough into the boulder field. Nick did find several Ring-tailed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus) including this cute little kid.
1, 2 -- a juvenile
3, 4 -- adult:
Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) -- We saw this snake on the road at night.
Northern Death Adder (Acanthophis praelongus) -- These are such exciting little snakes. This one put on a very nice show by flattening the body.
The highway passed through dry country:
Fire-tailed Skink (Morethia taeniopleura) -- These are pretty little skinks. This one lived on a granite outcrop.
This river had quite a number of interesting fish. I always enjoy looking for the natives even though they are hard to photograph. Australia is home to a host of rainbow fish and some of these are dazzling with ornate fins.
1, 2 -- Coal Grunter
3 -- Spangled Perch
4 -- Rainbow Fish
Regards,
David
This is a view of the Cooktown area at the mouth of the Endeavor River.
Those distant plateaus looked very inviting.
This wetland was on the outskirts of Cooktown. It was a seasonally flooded area that is surrounded by paperbarks. Portions of the reserve had been burned but there was deep leaf litter in some areas and this was attractive to the small skinks.
Magpie Geese were abundant on the swamp as they are in almost any northern wetland:
Green Pygmy Goose -- nicely marked little waterfowl.
Australian Jacana or Lotusbird -- common on the lily pads.
juvie
adult
Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) -- I heard this big lizard run and then climb a tree.
Brown Bicarinate Rainbow Skink (Carlia storri) -- This was the common skink in the leaf litter around the swamp. I rested on the ground and watched this little lizard. After awhile, it must have felt that I posed no threat and it relaxed. Suddenly, it shot over to the base of a nearby tree and captured this spider. The spider was large for the skink and they fought for a few moments before the skink killed and then swallowed the arachnid.
Closed Litter Rainbow Skink (Carlia longipes) -- common around the swamp.
1, 2 Common Crow
3, 4 Blue Argus -- a blue version of a Painted Lady
Black Mountain -- This area was a few kms south of Cooktown. The black hills are not all that extensive but are the home of three endemic herps.
Cycads were abundant here.
Black Mountain Rainbow Skink (Carlia scirtetis) -- I only saw this at dusk this year. The days were hot and the skinks must have been sheltering in their crevices until late in the day when it was a little cooler. These little skinks are bold and curious. They would run right up to me if I stood motionless on a boulder.
Nick and I searched the rocks at night with hopes of finding Black Mountain Geckos (Nactus galgajuga) but this year, we had no success. I don't think that we moved far enough into the boulder field. Nick did find several Ring-tailed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus) including this cute little kid.
1, 2 -- a juvenile
3, 4 -- adult:
Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) -- We saw this snake on the road at night.
Northern Death Adder (Acanthophis praelongus) -- These are such exciting little snakes. This one put on a very nice show by flattening the body.
The highway passed through dry country:
Fire-tailed Skink (Morethia taeniopleura) -- These are pretty little skinks. This one lived on a granite outcrop.
This river had quite a number of interesting fish. I always enjoy looking for the natives even though they are hard to photograph. Australia is home to a host of rainbow fish and some of these are dazzling with ornate fins.
1, 2 -- Coal Grunter
3 -- Spangled Perch
4 -- Rainbow Fish
Regards,
David
