NQ Natural History Group Weekend at Ravenshoe

Thanks to Mike and Rosie for the NQ Natural History Group weekend field trip to their property near Ravenshoe up at 1000m. We had a campsite near the Beatrice River, which at this point is just a creek, being near the headwaters of the River. Eventually this flows into the Coral Sea. A lovely waterfall was close by.

Beatrice River Waterfall

In the afternoon we started a bird survey around the camp. Insect traps and spotlighting were on the evening agenda, thanks to David and Buck for organising this. Highlights for us were Herbert River Ringtail Possum, a 1m freshwater eel and a few interesting moths and frogs. Other possums we saw were Common Brushtail ssp. johnstonii (Coppery Brushtail), and Lemuroid Ringtail Possum. The moth Vitessa zemire was the most colourful moth of the evening, it occurs from the Torres Strait Islands down to Cardwell in Queensland. Green Grocer Cicada fired up in the early evening for about 15 minutes. They are said to be one of the loudest in the world, up to 120Db. We can believe that! 

Vitessa zemire - Moth

Unidentified Moth sp.

Moth sp. Creatonotus gangis?

Stony Creek Frog Litoria jungguy (female)

Green Grocer Cicada

We had photographed an interesting red spider, which Greg Anderson co-author of A Field Guide To Australian Spiders Of Australia subsequently said "it is an orb weaver and likely of the genus Eriophora.  It appears to be an immature female". There were many more smaller spiders, but it was impossible to photograph them as it was too windy. 

Orb Weaver (likely of the genus Eriophora) - topside

Orb Weaver (likely of the genus Eriophora) - underside

We stayed an extra day and explored around the Tully Falls National Park in the Misty Mountains, where we enjoyed the view at the Tully Falls lookout. No water has flowed over them since the 1950s when the Koombooloomba Dam was built. The view is still spectacular.

Tully Falls Lookout

Creek at Tully Falls Lookout

Creek at Tully Falls Lookout

In the evening we spotlighted around the camp finding a Leaf-tailed Gecko (red eyeshine), Northern Brown Bandicoot and a Striped Possum.

Leaf-tailed Gecko (file photo)

Northern Brown Bandicoot (file photo)

Striped Possum (file photo)

The only night bird was a Southern Boobook (Little Red Boobook) calling. Next morning we were woken up by a party of Chowchilla calling in the adjacent rainforest, such an iconic sound in the forest. An early morning bird survey added a few species to our list, these included a Fan-tailed Cuckoo and White-browed Scrubwren. The most prolific species was Golden Whistler.

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Golden Whistler - male

So ended a very successful visit to this property and catching up with the group members, especially six of us who knew each other from our Darwin days.

Bird Species at Beatrice River Property 9-11th October 2021. 

Orange-footed Scrubfowl

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Masked Lapwing

Southern Boobook (Little Red Boobook)

Laughing Kookaburra

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Australian King-Parrot

Crimson Rosella

Little Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet

Noisy Pitta

White-throated Treecreeper

Lewin's Honeyeater

Bridled Honeyeater

Fernwren

White-browed Scrubwren

Mountain Thornbill

Brown Gerygone

Chowchilla

Eastern Whipbird

Golden Whistler

Yellow-breasted Boatbill

Pied Currawong

Grey Fantail

Black-faced Monarch

Spectacled Monarch

Pale-yellow Robin

Grey-headed Robin

Red-browed Finch       30 Species