# Tropical Queensland, Wet Tropics pt 3



## moloch05 (Dec 8, 2009)

This is my third and final post of photos from the Mission Beach area of Queensland. This post will include animals from Bicton Hill and from Tully Gorge. Subsequent posts will cover areas from Mackay to the Iron Range (Cape York).

*Bicton Hill* -- My wife and I usually walked here every morning for exercise. The trail passed through rainforest that was drier than that at Lacey Creek. Termite mounds were numerous and I heard and eventually saw a White-tailed (or Buff-breasted) Kingfisher near the lookout one day. These are forest kingfishers that nest in termite mounds. They only visit Australia during the wet summer months before returning to New Guinea.








*Lace Monitor (Varanus varius)* -- I saw a number of these big lizards on Bicton Hill. In the morning, they would sometimes sun themselves right on the trail. Most of the time, they were shy and hard to approach for photos. I quite like the last shot here of the monitor that was warily watching me and never emerged from cover.

























*Major Skink (Bellatorias frerei)* -- These were very common skinks. Unfortunately, I usually only detected them as they ran to their burrows. Major Skinks are large but wary.













*Saproscincus basiliscus* -- A common shade skink that was frequently seen within the forest. The name is a good one and I never saw one basking in full sun. They always were found in shady locations that were often damp.







*Closed-litter Rainbow Skink (Carlia longipes)* -- numerous in disturbed and open areas.






Butterflies, especially skippers, were numerous. Here are photos of a few that I could photograph.
1 -- *Large Banded Blue*
2 -- *Blue Triangle *(a member of the swallowtail family)
3 -- *Tailed Green Banded Blue*, looking very tattered and near the end of its life.












1 -- *Orange Bush Brown*
2-6 -- *various skippers*























*Four O'Clock Moth* -- strange name for a lovely day flying moth.






1,2 -- *Cycads* were abundant on the slopes of Bicton Hill. Some were as large as palms.
3 -- termite mounds. The beautiful White-tailed Kingfishers were using these as nesting sites.













*Tully Gorge* -- This pretty area is about an hour's drive from Mission Beach. The water looks great and is inviting ... but there is the minor problem of large crocodiles that are numerous in the river. My kids and I used to swim in one of the upper pools of the river but that area has now been closed due to croc sightings. I think that crocs probably can turn up anywhere along these rivers since the water level is so high during the wet.











*Green-eyed Tree Frog (Litoria serrata (formerly genimaculata))* -- These are nice looking tree frogs that often perch several meters up in trees.














*Common Mist Frog (Litoria rheocola)* -- These frogs were common along a small creek.







*Australian Lacelid (Nyctimystes dayi)* -- These frogs live along clear, fast flowing streams. They have amazing eyelids but unfortunately, I could not get one to show me these.






















*Wood Frog (Rana daemeli)* -- Our one and only _Rana_. 






*Keelback (Tropidonophis mairii)* -- common colubirds.






Blue-eye Rainbow Fish -- These pretty little rainbows were abundant in one of the small streams.






Regards,
David


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## kupper (Dec 8, 2009)

great photos moloch , No morelia mate?


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## Chris.j (Dec 8, 2009)

Great photos and commentary. Like the photo of the lace monitor.


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## Acrochordus (Dec 8, 2009)

Great report and pictures, really like the look of the Keelback.
Thanks Tim.


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## Banjo (Dec 8, 2009)

Love the pictures mate


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## gecko-mad (Dec 8, 2009)

always a great read mate, awesome pics


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## bredli84 (Dec 8, 2009)

Great set of threads moloch, your posts keep me coming back to this site. Very good photography along with interesting facts make your threads fascinating.

Love the shot of the mosquito feeding on the frog, somehow seems kinda backwards....


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## froggyboy86 (Dec 8, 2009)

Great shots David, good to see the frogs are doing well at Tully. I've swum in the Tully River a few times with no problems - I guess it helps knowing where to swim! 

Aaron


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## moloch05 (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks, all.

kupper, I have Morelia photos but not from that area. There was heavy rain for a few days before we arrived but in general, the area around Mission Beach had been unusually dry. Temperatures were warm at night so I think the generally dry conditions made it difficult to find snakes.


Aaron,
The area where I used to swim was in the pools where they pull out the rafts. This year, a croc has been sighted there and now they have warning signs in the area.


Regards,
David


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