Nightwalk Sightings Summary Oct - Dec 05 for Mason’s Tours

The sightings have been good during the last three months, considering the dry spell we have had. In fact it has been the driest since 1992, with all the grass dying and Cape trib looking browner than it has in years! Rain on 23 December and since has made the place undergo a quick colour change back to green though.

Snake sightings have been fair, more so during December.
We have seen several Amethystine Pythons, some as long as three metres. These friendly and handsome snakes are common at Cape Tribulation. They get their name from the shimmering amethyst colour they display under light. These are constrictors, and are not venomous at all. The biggest one ever recorded was 8.6m long. Mason’s Tours have several times seen 5m plus individuals on their trails.

Boyd’s Forest Dragon sightings have been poor, up until the rain. These lizards are often found on tree trunks at eye level, which makes for great viewing. Boyd’s Forest Dragons are only found in the wet tropics from Townsville to Cooktown and are a special thing to see here. Since the rain, up to 4 per night have been seen.
Eastern Water Dragons have also quiet until the rain. In fact 2 dead ones were found during the height of the dry. Their bodies were unmarked, but it would seem the dry weather in some way caused their demise. Mason’s have a large permanent stream central to their trails, and thus we see more Water Dragons than other operators. Male Water dragons are harem forming, and much larger than females. We have seen them up to 1.5m long. (Note reptile books measure lizards snout to anus and thus the tail length is left off)
Leaf tailed Geckos have not been seen much. We usually see more of these around May. Their camouflage is really amazing. They are often seen on tree trunks facing downwards, presumably hunting for insects. Once found, they are seen sometimes for several nights on the same tree.
Frog sightings have been excellent since the rain, and most nights the sound of croaking can be heard. So far it has not been wet enough for breeding, but believe me the frogs are ready and waiting!
Some Striped Possums have been seen, on all areas of the tracks. There are still lots of dead trees around after the 99 cyclone, and this means there are many larvae to be found, which Stripey Possums love. We often here the noisy little fellows before we see them, as they make a real racket searching for food.
Croc sightings have been good; the Crocs have been seen on well over 50% of the walks. On several occasions the whole croc has been seen on the surface. The largest seems to be about 2.5m long and is not that worried about us looking at him. The are still three crocs are still in Myall Creek, and we have seen two in a night on occasion. People have also reported seeing crocs on the bank of Myall Creek during the day.

Native rats have been active; the lack of really heavy rains means their numbers have been staying high. In particular there are lots of Melomys about, and we usually find these by listening for the chewing sound as they use their sharp teeth to open seeds. These same sharp teeth can wreak havoc in your house, and Melomys are fond of moving in with locals!!!
We have also been seeing Bandicoots regularly, and there seems to still be a healthy population of Northern Brown Bandicoots in the valley. Long Nosed Bandicoots have also been seen a bit.

Hope to see you on a Nightwalk in January, February or March!!!