# Cairns and the Daintree



## sarah_m (Oct 20, 2008)

Hi All, on Sunday we got back from 12 days in Cairns and the Daintree. On previous trips we have been pretty unlucky with only the odd reptile ever seen, but this time the weather was warmer and more humid. It was great!!!!!
Started seeing stuff from our first day there. Spent the first 6 days in and around Cairns then spent a night on the Daintree River before heading to Cape Tribulation for the rest of the trip.

Enjoy, Sarah & Paul







First night in Cairns we saw this Eastern Water Dragon 





Not sure what species this little guy is but we saw him in a palm tree at Centenial Lakes. Was thinking maybe a Tree Dtella?? Any one know what he might be?






Not the best picture but this was a Saw Shelled Turtle at Lake Barraine in the Atherton Tablelands





This Boyd's Forest Dragon was sitting on the lower trunk of a tree in the car park at Lake Barraine





We saw this little _Eulamprus tigrinus _(couldnt find common name) at Mt Hypipamee NP later the same day





Cheating i know, not in the wild, but this was outside the Australian Venom Zoo at Kurranda. Not sure why a venom zoo had this gorgeous little Darwin Carpet as their mascot but anyway...





This little cutie was pretending to be part of the log. Daintree river






Another one. This little guy literally jumped out of a tree onto the path in front of us to grab a worm out of the ground at our feet. He then leaped back into the tree and posed for us






This was a Graceful Treefrog that was sitting in the rain outside our bungalo at the Daintree Eco Lodge. Our first frog, was pretty excited but so far still no snakes.....





I could be wrong but i think this is a juvanile Little Red Tree frog. All the others i found in the book "wildlife of Tropical North Queensland" had much longer legs then this one.





Our first night in Cape Trib we did a night walk. It had been pouring with rain all day, much to the delight of this Whit Lipped Tree Frog.





Another White Lipped Frog further along our walk.





You cant really see his eyes in this pic but our guide told us that this is a Green Eyed Tree Frog, also out enjoying the rain





Next day we went snorkelling. This is a Green Sea Turtle





On the Wednesday we went up to Bloomfield Falls. While having a cuppa naer Wujal Wujal i spotted a snakes tail disappearing into the bush. I only saw the end of it and it was too quick for me to get a photo (rats!)but i am pretty sure it was an Eastern Brown. Anyway, that night we did another night walk. Had'nt rained for a few days and was a bit cooler so the only herp thing we saw besides a bunch of Cane Toads was yet another White lipped Tree Frog.





On the way back to accomadation we did see a beautiful little snake but unfortunatly it was'nt a live one.:cry: We did stop though and move a rocket frog out of the road before he ended up the same way.
On our second last night there we were driving through the forest and we saw a snake sitting in the middle of the road. It was at a very windy bit of road and anyone who has been up there will know there isnt a whole lot of room to turn around or pull over safely.
We did a u turn and did manage to get it to crawl off the road by shinning our headlights on him. It was a very stressful situation and we didnt manage to get a picture before he again disappeared into the bush, but we did all get out of it alive.
As it was dark we didnt get a great look at it but it had a white belly and looked to be a dark gun metal grey, about 1M long and very slender, so i think it was either a Slaty-Grey, a Small eyed Snake or a dark coloured tree snake.
Dammit, still no picture! Strike 2!





On our last night we sat having coffee after dinner at a fancy restaurant (fancy for the rainforest anyway)and by this time convinced we are going to leave without a picture (or good look at) a snake. My eyes kept going to a vine in the tree near our table. It wasnt moving and i was sure it wasnt a snake, but i had to have a closer look anyway, just incase.......





Low and behold, this baby scrub python was sitting there trying to blend in with the background. Yay!!!!! Then my husband tells me he has left our camara back at our resort because he figured there wouldnt be much to see while having dinner. AAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!





So we drover back to resort and returned with the camera. By this time he had moved into this position, and sat quietly as we (and eventually everyone else in the restaurant) took pictures of him. 
Isn't he gorgeous?! This was the highlight of my trip. Thank goodness i went over and checked that "vine"




The next morning (our last day there) as we sat on the deck having breakfast this little Lace Monitor was sitting in the sunshine by the pool until the pool man chased him up the tree.




Not a very good picture but if you look inside the circle there is a common tree snake with a big green tree frog in it's mouth. The two of them struggled for about 10 minutes (the poor frog wasnt giving up easily) until suddenly something dark jumped out of the water below them and pulled the tree snake into the water, the frog swam away, apparently no worse for wear.
We couldnt believe what we had seen! At first we thought it must have been a saw shelled turtle, as we knew these lived in the swamp but a little later we saw a water rat emerge from the water with part of the snake in its mouth It was increadable, who needs Animal Planet?
Revenge of the vermin!





This croc was sitting in the shallows of the Daintree river





This one was sunbaking in Coopers Creek.





Saw these two as we had lunch sitting above a light





This is not a herp but still pretty cool. We were sitting at the Cafe at the Flecker Botanic Gardens and this male Cairns Birdswing Butterfly hatched right next to us!







And finally this _Dysphania fenestrata _larva on a fan palm at Cape Trib. What a trip!!!!!!!!!!!


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 20, 2008)

awesome pics - the Daintree is next on my list!! thanks for sharing they are great.


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## Brigsy (Oct 20, 2008)

Awsome pics looks like you had a great time. Jealous as!!!!


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## BlindSnake (Oct 20, 2008)

Im leaving for FNQ again tomorrow!
We go every year, and then drive back down the coast to NSW.

I was kinda dreading the drive up, but your pics have reminded me of why I put up with days of stinking hot driving!
I cant wait to get there!!

Awesome pics, looks like you made the most of your time there!


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## ad (Oct 20, 2008)

Fantastic pics, that Dysphania fenestrata is amazing, it has baby chondro colour and markings 
Great pics, thanks for sharing
Cheers
Adam


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## sarah_m (Oct 20, 2008)

BlindSnake said:


> Im leaving for FNQ again tomorrow!
> We go every year, and then drive back down the coast to NSW.
> 
> I was kinda dreading the drive up, but your pics have reminded me of why I put up with days of stinking hot driving!
> ...


Have a great time! I already want to go back, too cold down here!
We have been the last 3 yrs but i think next year we will go to Darwin, just for something different.
If you get to it's worth spending a few nights at Cape Trib, 1 day there just isnt enough.
If you do go to Whet restaurant, that is where we saw the baby scrubby


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## centralian11 (Oct 20, 2008)

wow wow wow Thanks for sharing made my night.
Barry


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## RedEyeGirl (Oct 20, 2008)

Great pixcs love the frogs!


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## tattoolizzie (Oct 20, 2008)

Thanks for posting those - great pics. I love that region ...my 1st child was concieved at cape trib - too much info, I know but the whole area means so much to me.


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## moloch05 (Oct 21, 2008)

What a great trip and photos! You were lucky to find so many Boyd's. They are beautiful lizards.

Regards,
David


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## froggyboy86 (Oct 21, 2008)

Great photos, can't wait to head up that way this summer. Did you get any more photos of that brown frog? I think it looks too plain to be a Green Eyed Frog (_Litoria genimaculata_) and it looks more like a brown White Lipped Tree Frog (_Litoria infrafrenata_) ... but I could be wrong! 

Aaron


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## Lozza (Oct 21, 2008)

Wow nice finds - looks like you saw a lot of herps! What an awesome trip, I would love to go up there on a holiday sometime  Thanks for sharing


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## andyscott (Oct 21, 2008)

Very nice pics Sarah. Love the Boyds
Im up there twice a year, Its on of my favorite places on this plant.


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 22, 2008)

This is a green eyed tree frog - i think your guide got a little confused hahaha 
They get their name not because they have green eyes but because of the beautiful green eye brows they have. 
Just a scipit of info for you
Nice find none the less


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## shane14 (Oct 22, 2008)

looks like that was fun


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## wizz (Nov 7, 2008)

ill be up there soon now i can not wight good pics


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