Sunday 22 April
Up at 5:30 am with the daylight and
birds. I had to get dressed so I could go to the kitchen and make my
coffee.
A lazy morning with another trip to IGA
for some ginger beer and some orange drink. Drinking so much water is
really making my stomach slosh.
Leigha arrived on the morning plane so
after she had settled in we went for a walk. The Kimberley Cafe was
actually open so we had some lunch there. It was as delicious as I
remembered from last year. They open for breakfast tomorrow. We then
went to Coles and IGA for more supplies. At IGA Leigha wanted a
postcard so the manager opened their store next door and took us in
to get one, amazing!
We spent some time chatting to Ryan
(another AG volunteer from Perth). There was a heavy downpour leaving
a very humid hot atmosphere in its wake. Leigha and I both had an
afternoon nap in the heat. We then chatted and eventually turned on
TV. We had bought sausage rolls from the Kimberley Cafe for our
dinner but I did not even finish mine.
I spent a little time identifying my
lizard photos with Ryan then retired to the TV and fan.
Monday 23 April
I woke at sunrise at about 5:30am again
and did a bit more computer work and played solitaire until Leigha
woke.
We wandered down to the Kimberley Cafe
for breakfast with Ryan, bought more supplies and posted a letter for
Leigha. We returned to the room with time to pack and check out ready
for pickup.
Gill and Ian came with two cars. I went
with Gill to do the airport pickup where we met Liz and Mike (two
more volunteers. When we arrived at camp we settled in and had a dip
in the river before lunch to cool down. Anther dip after lunch cooled
me off quite well before we all headed out in convoy to Emma Gorge
and the toad fence.
Our task today was to empty the pit
traps still full of water from the wet season. We found one female
cane toad and various native frogs, lizards and turtles.
On the return journey we saw three
boobook owls on the road in the headlights. Back at camp (now dark)
we sorted out bedding and bags, had dinner then crashed into bed
ready for an early start tomorrow.
Tuesday 24 April
A restless night till about 2am when it
began pouring with rain. Then I slept soundly. When I stepped out of
bed at 5am it was into water but luckily it was only in the track
down the centre of the tent, our bags were all dry.
Daylight saw a campsite that was
extremely wet and the river rising at almost 2cm/hour. Breakfast was
followed by the great cleanup, moving wet tents, adding flys to the
volunteers' tents and rearranging the flooded kitchen tents.
A walk to the crossing revealed that it
was closed and somewhat destroyed so it could be a while before
anyone gets in or out. I had a cattle tick on my leg this morning but
it did not seem to be in too far.
Lunch was followed by a talk about the
toads and toad fence then Simon Cherriman led a walk to the
Wedgetailed Eagle nest up towards Champaign Springs. I got nearly to
the nest but decided not to push on so Ian came back with me and we
did a bit of botanising along the way. By the time we got back to the
river crossing the water had fallen somewhat but was not yet
passable. The crossing will need a bit of work by Rocket (the grader
driver) before anyone is allowed through.
Back at camp I had time for a shower
before dinner. After dinner Simon Clulow gave a fantastic
presentation about his reasons for his frog research. Bed early again
but most welcome.
Wednesday 25 April
Anzac Day
Up at 5am (after a gusty wind all
night) for a brief dawn service for all campers and El Questro staff.
It was interesting to experience the bugle, blue-winged Kookaburras
and silence of the crowd in the half light. Breakfast followed then
by 8:30am we were out on projects.
I was rostered on with Brett but found
it difficult with the lack of direction and focus. We had to set net
traps along the toad fence, I chose the dry half of the fence this
time. Maybe that will avoid the ticks.
Picnic lunch at Emma Gorge with the
other car load and then I went with Geoff and Kim back to the fence.
While Kim tried to toad-proof the cattle grid into the gorge, Geoff
identified the frogs caught in the pit traps and I did the recording.
Back to camp for show-n-tell from all
the animal catches of the day – turtles, two different small
lizards and a young rock rat. We had released all the frogs as they
were identified then disposed of all the can toads via Kim's Stop the
Toad team's drop off box. There was an autopsy of a dead spotted
quoll and more intense Ids of unusual mammals – the Pale Field Rat
(Ratus tunneyi) and a House Mouse (Mus musculus).
After dinner Micko (Manager of ELQ)
gave a talk about the property – about one million acres and 4500
head of cattle.
By the time we went to bed the party in
the next large camp group (the builders working on the Homestead) was
well under way and the noise kept us awake till about midnight when
Robbie phoned Micko to come and do something and Kim went over and
asked them to stop. I am not sure which one worked but I'm glad it
did.
Thursday 26 April
Up early again but a slower start to
the activities. I was to go goanna hunting and tracking. Leigha left
early to the toad fence so I did our washing before my activity.
Our first task was to attach a radio
tracking device to a medium sized goanna and give it time to dry
before release tomorrow. Then we went out to the Chamberlain crossing
and worked our way back via a lot of the campsites to try radio
tracking animals previously released.
At 'Emu' we found one and ran through
long grass to find it – snakes notwithstanding! It had another one
with it when we sighted it that we tried to capture but with no luck.
In the process I trod on the tail of the bigger one and as I jumped
it high-tailed it through the grass and disappeared. At least we were
able to record a position for it. Back to the car to a few more sites
but unfortunately we did not find any more of the monitors with radio
tracking aerials on them. Just near camp Mike hopped from the car and
caught a tiny legless lizard (Delma borea?). Dave then saw a monitor
in the donkey paddock and came to a screeching halt saying 'I want
that animal!' He ran after it but missed. He eventually flushed him
out of the scrub but it ran across the road and headed straight for
the helicopter then under the fuel pump, never to be seen again. We
then headed over the Pentecost at the Station and tracked another of
the tagged monitors. On the way back for lunch Dave headed for the
tip where staff had seen a large goanna. As soon as we arrived one
ran out of the hole, Mike saw another one and Dave and he eventually
caught a huge one with the noose and a lot of cunning. After much
wrestling and groping around in the scrub and long grass Dave and
Mike succeeded in getting hold of it. There was much discussion about
how to get the goanna (Veranus penoptes penoptes – Yellow Spotted
Monitor) back to camp when the decision was made that Mike should
nurse it all the way in the front seat.
Much commotion ensued on our return
when the film crew (Simon Cherriman and Clark) were alerted to our
catch. We were asked to reverse several times to repeat the entry
into camp for filming. Simon Clulow and team had also found a snake
so it had to be filmed as well. Next step was to gut-flush the
monitor (nothing came out) before we enjoyed a very late lunch.
Back out after lunch we saw another V.
mertens near the Chamberlain crossing but after that nothing. We
returned to camp to see what others had found in their exploits.
During dinner Simon Cherriman and Dave
arrived home with a black headed python so it was 'dinner and a show'
for us all. After dinner two groups went out for night work – one
to do toad-busting at Emma Gorge with Kim and one to go Frog Hunting
with Simon Clulow at El Questro Gorge.
I stayed home, as did Ian (AG editor)
and Robbie (camp cook). We caught up on chores and diary, had a chat
and eventually collapsed into our beds with no excess noise from
rain, wind, or loud parties. I have not been wearing my pedometer as
the step counts have been way huge and I keep forgetting to put it on
anyway.
Friday 26 April
After breakfast Team Goanna headed out
to Amalia Gorge to deliver a goanna back after processing. I walked
to the bottom pool but the others had to go just a little further. It
is a beautiful secluded gorge.
Back at camp we then had the job of
taking 3D head photos using 6 synchronised cameras that were linked
to a computer but had to all be refocussed for each of about 8 shots
in case the goanna had moved (very likely). The last one to be done
was the huge monitor we had caught yesterday. I did not get any
photos of this process as I was on camera duty for the task. This
proved to be a popular activity as it was being videoed by Simon for
the documentary. The animal was extremely strong and put on a good
show. By the time we had finished those tasks we were all quite tired
and hungry so lunch at camp was really appreciated.
Our afternoon task was to release three
more goannas along the Emma Gorge toad fence. We then had to track
two goannas in the gorge that had been tagged and released
previously. I gave up walking so turned back towards the car and was
collected by Simon Clulow and Brett who were also on their way back
to camp. I got a lift home with them and spent time in camp chatting
before dinner.
Sean gave his talk tonight about his
results and predictions so far in his toad research along the Daly
and on El Questro.
Last night and tonight have been cool
enough for a bit of extra clothing and a sleeping bag.
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