Australia, Cape York, Iron Range NP

[moloch]

Greetings,

Last November, I went on a trip for three days to the Iron Range National Park. This park is located near the northern end of the Cape York Peninsula. A 4x4 vehicle is required for the drive but the main north/south road is in good condition unless it rains. The road that branches to the east and eventually reaches the Lockhart River is more difficult. We were delayed for a couple of hours on our return journey due to a road train that had become stuck in one of the river crossings.

The Iron Range NP was long on my wish list of places to visit. The forest of the park is really an extension of New Guinea into Australia. Many plants and animals are found only in these rainforests in Australia although they may be more widespread further to the north. For my friend and I, the real attraction was the chance to look for a Green Tree Python, the most beautiful of the pythons in Australia.

Here is a Google Earth Map that shows the location of the Iron Range:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/CapeYork.jpg


The drive to the park passed through dry, open eucalyptus forest. The grassland understorey is burned at the end of the dry season to improve the feed for cattle. Notice anything in the first photo below??? (hint, right centre)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/habitat_Frilled1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/habitat_CapeYork12.jpg


The Iron Range itself was a mosaic of rainforest and eucalyptus woodland:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/habitat_CapeYork15.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/habitat_GreenTreePython1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/habitat_CapeYork17.jpg



Some parts of the park were covered with heath lands:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/habitat_CapeYork4.jpg


... beach area near Lockhart River, an aboriginal village.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/habitat_CapeYork8.jpg

[moloch]

Now, a few butterflies ....

My visit coincided with the end of the dry season. I saw a few butterflies but most were in very poor condition. I don't know how some of these could still fly!


We found this Red-banded Jezabel (Delias mysis) at night while searching for reptiles. This is a common butterfly in northern Queensland but they tend to remain high where they are hard to photograph.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/butterfly_jezabel2.jpg


Scarlet Jezabels (Delias argenthona) are also common in the north.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/butterfly_jezabel1.jpg


I was very happy to see this Australian Harlequin (Praetaxila segecia), our one and only metalmark. This species is restricted to Cape York. Its behaviour was much like the Harlequins that I observed at Taman Negara. It was nervous and frequently flew from shrub to shrub in the forest interior.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/butterfly_harlequin1.jpg



This is a Black-eyed Plane (Pantoporia venilia), another Cape York endemic (left) and a White-banded Plane (Phaedyma shepherdi), a species widespread in coastal eastern Australia.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/butterfly_CapeYorkAeroplane1_400.jpghttp://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/butterfly_aeroplane1_400.jpg



Hamadryad (Tellervo zoilus) are members of ithomiinae. They are distasteful to birds and they have a rather slow flight in the forest understorey.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/butterfly_hamadryad1_400.jpghttp://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/arthro_hamadryad1_400.jpg



This Lurcher (Yoma sabina) was at the end of its life but it was exciting to me. It was another specialty of the far north and my first sighting of the species.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/butterfly_lurcher2.jpg

[moloch]

A few snakes

Green Tree Python
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/GreenTreePython2a.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/GreenTreePython3.jpg


Scrub Python
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/Scrub3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/Scrub2.jpg



Northern Death Adder

... such a cutie!
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/DeathAdder10_800.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/DeathAdder6.jpg


King Brown Snake
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Mulga2.jpg

[Blue Nawab]

wow moloch, your focus and likings are for the reptiles, so many snakes ...:omg: Which are poisonous, which are not?:sweat:

[atronox]

Nice shot of the Praetaxila. Some spp. are mimetic.

[Sky Blue]

You must be a snake lover with so many snake photos, usually for us we will just run :D

And thanks for sharing the Australian butterflies, I always thought there're only a few small one there.

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you for these photos.

I believe that the Delias mysis is ssp. waterhousei (male). It is only found in the northernmost part of Cape York. There are two other ssp. found in Australia, the nominate ssp. D. m. mysis is found further down the Queensland coast, and D. m. aestiva is found in Arnhem Land. I think that this species is called Union Jack in Australia, is that right? (There are 13 ssp. of tis species in all)

There are two ssp. of D. argenthona in Australia ( and a third in southern Papua New Guinea). The one you have seen is the nominate ssp. The other, D. a. fragalactea is found in Northern Australia, in a large area around Darwin.

CherHern, I would strongly recommend that you do not get too close to the Death Adder or the King Brown. Both are considered in the top 10 of most dangerous snakes in the world, I believe!

[Peacock Royal]

Wow, very beautiful scenery shots and an informative intro to the Iron Range National Park - hope I have a chance to visit this place.

Is there a snake in the first photo ?

Pretty butterflies there as well. David, thanks for sharing these shots.

[Common Mime]

A lizard or something? :thinking:

[Commander]

David's avatar? :thinking:

[Common Mime]

David's avatar? :thinking:David? :hmmm: :embrass:

[Commander]

David? :hmmm: :embrass:

Dun scratch head too hard. Wait hair all drop... :bsmile:

See here (http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/showpost.php?p=93228&postcount=165).

[Common Mime]

I was looking at this David... (http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10100) :bsmile: :cry: :-(

[moloch]

CherHern,
As Les indicated, we are lucky here to have a good chunk of the top ten snakes! The family Elapidae (cobra family) is the dominant group here with about 100 species. Most, however, are not dangerous and nearly all of them are shy and happy to "run" away given the chance.


Thanks, Aaron. The Riodinids are one of my favourite families. I have photos of some really ones from Peru that I will post later on.

SoonChye,
I do enjoy reptile photography and most of my trips in the last 5 years have been organzied around snakes/lizards that I hoped to find.

We do have some nice butterflies but just not the numbers or varieties that you are used to. Our birdwing is quite dazzling. Ulysses Swallowtails are about as gorgeous as the Morphos in the New World.


Thanks very much for the info, Les. In November, my family and I will head up to Mission Beach in northern Queensland. Mission Beach is a good place for the tropical butterflies and I will try to get better photos of the Delias and others. Both species in this post are common in the gardens where we stay.


Thanks, Federick, but it was not a snake.


Chee Ming, You are correct! I will attach photos below. It was a big male Frilled Lizard, a spectacular dragon.


Thanks, Khew.


Regards,
David

[moloch]

Here is the Frilled Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii). I did not annoy it but they put on a great display when threatened.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Frilled1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Frilled3.jpg


Ring-tailed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus)
... a cute little kid:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/RingTailedGecko1.jpg
... and an adult:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/RingTailedGecko5.jpg


Northern Velvet Gecko (Oedura castelnaui) -- These are lovely creatures.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Oedura_castlenaui2.jpg



Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) -- one of the larger species in Australia.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/Varanus_var1.jpg


Northern Death Adder (Acanthophis praelongus) -- These snakes look like a viper but they are members of the elapid family (cobra relatives). They bury themselves beneath leaf litter and then use the brighly coloured tails as lures to try and attract birds, lizards or small mammals.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/DeathAdder7.jpg

[Common Mime]

Nice nice nice! All are nice shots!

Did a search, Frilled Lizard is beautiful indeed!

[moloch]

Butterfly habitat:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/habitat_CapeYork2.jpg


Common Crows (Euploea core) are one of the most common butterflies in the far north.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/butterfly_Crow1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/butterfly_Crow2.jpg


... a "battered and bruised" Blue Argus (Junonia orithya). It was amazing to me to see so many butterflies that were in terrible condition like this.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/butterfly_argus1.jpg



Palm Cockatoo -- these lovely birds are another Iron Range specialty.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/bird_PalmCockatoo2A.jpg


Sulphur Crested Cockatoo -- big noisy parrots that seem to be everywhere in Oz.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/bird_SulphurCrested1.jpg


Eclectus Parrot -- a highly cropped shot of a pair. These are beautiful birds and the sexes look so different. The female is red and purple but the male (on left) is mostly green with patches of red. In Australia, they are part of the New Guinea contingent and are moderately common at the Iron Range.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/bird_Eclectus1.jpg


Rainbow Lorikeets and Pale-headed Rosellas -- In the evenings, we saw many species dropping to this pond to drink. After Taman Negara, I think of these as "puddlers" like all of those colourful pierids!
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/bird_rainbow1.jpg

[Common Mime]

Love the last shot! So beautiful!

[Bluebottle]

David, thanks for sharing. I enjoy your photos and post.
And this cute little guy seems to give you a cheeky smile :bsmile:


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Oedura_castlenaui2.jpg

[Blue Nawab]

Wow David, lots of interesting reptile photographs and butterflies too. The snakes photographs were really fantastic, how far were you when you were taking those poisonous snakes. Must really be very sharp in detecting them as they are all camouflaged and buried in the leaf litter? Like the lizard shots. :cheers: Thanks for sharing...more please...:bsmile:

[atronox]

Thanks, Aaron. The Riodinids are one of my favourite families. I have photos of some really ones from Peru that I will post later on.

Thx David, i just marvel at how they're so variable and that there's no fixed form, esp those South American ones where u have those that look like nymphalids(Euselasia spp.) and those that look almost exactly like moths(Caria spp.).:grin2:

[moloch]

Thanks, all.

Chee,
The birds at the waterhole were very nice. I think that we saw 15+ species stopping by for a drink.


Loke,
Yes, it does look like a smile. I think that they are one of the most beautiful of the Aussie geckos.



CherHern,
The death adders were on the road at night. Once in the leaf litter, they are virtually invisible. I find most of the snakes by night driving ... driving slowly on moonless nights. Snakes will often rest on the road at night to absorb some of the retained warmth. Also, they are much easier to see when they are on the move on an open road.

I stay out of strike range but get as close as possible. For big snakes like the King Brown, I stay a meter or so away but get much closer to the smaller species like the death adders.


Aaron,
I saw a gorgeous green Caria a couple of times along a forest stream but I could never get close enough for a photo. What a stunning species! Other riodinids included a couple that vaguely resemble in size and shape the dragontails. A fair number of the riodinids would land beneath leaves so were hard to photograph.


Regards,
David

[moloch]

Here are a few more photos of Cape York.

Cycads were common in places:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/habitat_Cooktown5.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/plant_Cycad1.jpg



Carlia storri -- Skinks are the abundant reptiles in Australia. We have more 427 species at the moment but new ones are discovered or species are split every year.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/Carlia_storri4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/Carlia_storri3.jpg


Fire-tailed Skink (Morethia taeniopleura) -- a little rock dweller.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/Morethia1.jpg


We saw a couple Brown Tree Snakes (Boiga irregularis). There are relatives of this species in Singapore and Malaysia. These are rear-fanged colubrids but are not dangerous to people (unless you let the snake chew on your finger for awhile!).
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cooktown/Nov2009/Boiga_irregularis2.jpg


... odd little scorpion
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/scorpion1.jpg



Crocs are common in the north. It is important to be careful whenever near creeks and rivers like this:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/habitat_CapeYork13.jpg


Regards,
David

[butterfly_effect]

great great stuff! Thanks so much for sharing:)

[Silverstreak]

David ,

Thanks for sharing your fantastic records of Australian flora and faunas with us!!

They are eye-openers for most of us here who have not have the chance to do some Australia bush walk.:)

Though I have been to a number of places in Australia during my tour of duty, unfortunatly , I did not have the opportunity to really explore them and that was also before the nature photographic bug bit me!

I hope in the near future I can spend sometime down under and do some exploring.

Cheers!

[moloch]

Thanks, butterfly and Sunny. I hope that you can come back again with your camera. Australia is a huge place and there is so much to see.

I will finish this Cape York thread with a few more shots of animals and habitats along the road to the Iron Range.


Northern Velvet Gecko habitat:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/habitat_CapeYork6.jpg


... and the gecko:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/Oedura_castlenaui8.jpg


Glaphyromorphus nigricaudis -- another skink. This one was active at night in the rainforest.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/Glaphy4.jpg


Two-lined Dragon (Diporiphora bilineata)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Diporiphora_bilineata5.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p1/Diporiphora_bilineata3.jpg


a buck kangaroo at a waterhole with a Great Bowerbird and Bar-shouldered Doves.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/kangaroo1.jpg


another Brown Tree Snake:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Cape%20York/Nov2009/p2/Boiga_irregularis1.jpg


I hope that you have enjoyed these photos. I will start a thread of the Wollongong area where I live before long.


Regards,
David

[atronox]

Aaron,
I saw a gorgeous green Caria a couple of times along a forest stream but I could never get close enough for a photo. What a stunning species! Other riodinids included a couple that vaguely resemble in size and shape the dragontails. A fair number of the riodinids would land beneath leaves so were hard to photograph.
Must've have been rly exciting.
I think if i were to go and if i'd seen one for the first time i'd probably freak out!xD
The dragon tail-like ones, i suppose u mean Chorinea?

[moloch]

Hello Aaron,

The following riodinid is what I thought to be like a dragontail. It is Rhetus arcius and a real beauty.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Peru/Jan%202010/butterflies/butterfly_RhetusperianderBlueDoctor.jpg


I also saw what I think to be R. periander. It had a similar pattern to the above butterfly but it only remained on top of the leaf for a moment. When I lifted my camera, it zipped to the undersurface. It was disappointing not to be able to capture the lovely colours of the butterfly.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Peru/Jan%202010/butterflies/butterfly_Arc2.jpg


Regards,
David

[Commander]

Wow! What a stunning butterfly! :omg:

[Silverstreak]

What a beauty!!!!..........never in my wildest imagination a riodini could spot such tails and colors!

David many thanks in opening our eyes!!!

:cheers:

[moloch]

If you would like to see some great photos of the Frilled Lizard, look at the bottom of this thread. Henry takes some incredible photos!

http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=645

Regards,
David

[Banded Yeoman]

The riodinid is some kind of beautymark