Monthly Archives: January 2012
Varied Triller
The Varied Triller is yet another common bird of the Mission Beach rainforests. This bird is a member of the Cuckoo-shrike family and its diet is similar to its close relatives, insects and caterpillars. The latter are eaten by way … Continue reading
Red-capped Plover
The Red-capped Plover is a distinctive small shorebird present all year round along our beaches. They may be seen scurrying back and forth as the tide comes in and recedes as they attempt to collect anything tasty that may freshly … Continue reading
Giant Brown Mantis
The insects of the rainforest are sadly often neglected! Thus, today’s blog mentions 2 of our common local residents. One is the Giant Brown Mantis, seen here with the other, a greengrocer, one of our common cicadas. For their size … Continue reading
Yellow-spotted Honeyeater
The Yellow Spotted Honeyeater is perhaps the most abundant bird in the Mission Beach region. Found in rainforest, home gardens, mangroves, virtually anywhere there are trees or shrubs this confiding and cheerful little bird is well known to all local … Continue reading
White-throated Needletails
White-throated Needletails are a member of the Swift family and unlike our resident Swiftlets, migratory, flying to Asia for the northern summer and returning to southern climates around October. Needletails are moderately common around Mission Beach during the summer months … Continue reading
Brown Tree Snake
Snakes are frequently in the news in Northern Australia and Mission Beach certainly has its share but fortunately most are non-venomous like the Brown Tree Snake. This individual was captured in the ladies toilets at a popular beach earlier this … Continue reading
Brown Booby
Boobies are a common seabird in tropical waters. Known as Gannets in cooler climates the Boobies are all fishing birds with specially adapted bone structure to enable them to dive from great heights. Two species are known from the local … Continue reading
Red Lacewing – Rainforest Butterfly
Mission Beach is one of the most butterfly rich places on the tropical east coast of Australia. Given the rainforest and its botanical diversity butterflies abound and one of the lesser known is the beautiful Red Lacewing. This species is … Continue reading
Frigate Bird
With the exception of Terns, the most commonly encountered seabirds in the tropics are undoubtedly the Frigatebirds. These magnificent flying machines can neither walk on land nor swim on ocean and so spend the greater part of their lives on … Continue reading
