Saw-shelled Turtle (Myuchelys latisternum)
Saw-shelled Turtle (Myuchelys latisternum)
Visited: year round
Recommendation: The rainforest walk at Malanda Falls is fabulous for great access to rainforest birds and a resident population of Tree Kangaroo.
I always like coming to Malanda. The visitor's centre always seems to have helpful staff and the rainforest walk opposite always productive. They have walked me over there in previous visits to show me Tree Kangaroo. I have them myself at times but could only get shots of an armpit. Not an award winning photograph but good to see them anyway. The falls that people visit the area for are a little disappointing and the surrounding recreational area run down and a bit miserable. Lucky I was only really interested in the rainforest.
A little way in and there is a viewing platform over water (must be a creek connected to the falls, I never thought about it before). As soon as you arrive, the turtles surface hoping for some food. When they realise you aren't going to, they sink in a sulk. Around that area I always seem to find a Pied Monarch. The light is terrible in the forest so my photos are never of great quality which is a shame as they are such beautiful birds.
Pied Monarch (Arses kaupi)
At certain times of the year, the catbird's strangled call reverberates around the area. On some visits, there seem to be a lot of them, calling and chasing each other around. Their focus is often on each other and not me makes it easier to photograph them.
Spotted Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotis)
There are other animals in the forest and the easiest to find is the forest dragon. You just have to stare at a lot of trees until you spot one. This is a Boyd's Forestt Dragon and I always think he looks like an alien toy.
Boyd's Forest Dragon (Lophosaurus boydii)
I stayed at the local caravan park and was amazed to see my Diamond Doves wandering around with the Peaceful Doves. I thought they were dry country birds so I didn't expect them here. Just as I finished photographing them, 3 loud birds flew into the tree above me. Barred Cuckooshrike. Rare and difficult to find, I have only ever seen them once. I was over the moon to see them. They only stayed for a minute or 2 and then away. I was just thankful to the doves as I was all set up for photographing them.
Barred Cuckooshrike (Coracina lineata)
Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata)
This patch of rainforest is great to see some wet enivronment specialialists, although photography is very challenging in the gloom.
Yellow-throated Scrubwren (Sericornis citreogularis)
Grey-headed Robin (Poecilodryas albispecularis)