We could hear birds high up in the canopy and some came down quite close but I admire more than ever those who take such great photos of such small birds in light as difficult as this. I got quite close looks at Large-billed Scrubwrens and Brown Gerygones – which the bird book is now calling Brown Warblers.
I always find it interesting to walk through rain forest like this. Where there are gaps in the trees the sun strikes through and creates great patterns of light and shade.
Most of the large trees have buttress roots.
There are lots of Strangler Figs in this patch of rain forest. This tree starts as a vine which clings to a larger tree. In time the host tree is strangled and dies and a huge tree with odd hollows is left.
We saw numbers of Christmas Orchid plants but only one was beginning to show a flower head.
This Goanna was sunning itself along a fallen tree. Apparently these are now called Lace Monitors.
would have been a nice outing Mick. Warbler is easier to pronounce than Gerygone! They'll always be Goannas to me, although I call them Lace Monitors when I think I'd better appear knowledgeable!
ReplyDeleteHi Duncan. I didn't even know they had had a name change until today! When someone said "Lace Monitor" I was looking around for something exotic :-)
ReplyDeleteCool to get a taste of tree change, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteYes,Tony.
ReplyDeleteVery!
Hi Mick
ReplyDeleteNice shots of the rainforest, especially the buttressed trunk. Classic rainforest feature, that.
Re Gerygones and Warblers, as far as I know the old name is Warbler, and the more recent name is Gerygone. They are closely related to Thornbills and Scrubwrens.
The Australian Gerygones are not related to the old-world Warblers. By contrast, the Reed Warbler is, however, one of that group - very different birds.
Cheers
Denis
Thanks Denis, maybe I need to get a new bird book.
ReplyDeleteYou're a long way from the salt marsh there :-) Looks to be a beautiful place judging by your photos. I still call them Goannas. In recent years there seems to be a push to standardise common names. There are so many beautiful common names being lost. I've never understood the point of this. If people want to be precise let them use the scientific name. That's what they are for.
ReplyDeleteHi Mosura - a long way in terms of the environment but a surprisingly short distance in actual kilometers. I doubt that most people driving to Rainbow Beach have any idea this area is so close. I agree about the names!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures of typical rain forest that we have here. I like the last pic of monitor lizard.
ReplyDeletethanks for visiting Tabib. I find rainforests fascinating places to visit.
ReplyDelete