We started tonight’s shoot in The Knoll at the regular time. While still in the picnic area I filmed a 2 ½ metre Carpet Python slowly on the move. It looked as if it had almost recovered from its latest meal. The night was mild and there was much to see if not to film. We had just begun our return when for the first time ever we saw an eel in the pool beyond the bridge over Sandy Creek. Our previous night walk in the park was little over a month ago, just after rain had revitalised the rainforest, but the pool was almost without water and the creek was little more than a trickle. Further rain, culminating in over 200 mm in two days a week ago, had transformed the scene. But mystery surrounds the sudden presence of the eel which was a good metre long, indicating that it must have been in these waters for a considerable time.

Dan and I checked Joalah for bats during the past year or two, Dan as recently as a few months ago.  The camp had moved on, until Dan saw bats returning to roost at about 3 am during our midnight walk. Today I returned to Joalah to check the situation. In the past one could smell the bats from quite a distance. This time I saw them almost as soon as I smelt them. They were nearer the bridge over the creek than previously, still hanging from the tops of palms some 50 to 60 feet above the ground. Until I check the footage I won’t know if I have better close ups than first time round. Still, it is good to know the bats (Grey-headed Flying Foxes) are back.

For over 2 years I wanted to begin a night filming walk at midnight to see if there was any noticable change in the line-up of creatures we saw. Realistically one walk could not be conclusive. Dan and his partner Amanda had agreed to participate which effectively meant scheduling the walk during school holidays. The year before last they were travelling which limited their availability. Last year I was without my camera for the duration of the holidays and beyond. Postponed from January 12 due to rain, our first and probably only midnight walk after 110 walks starting at 7.30 pm, occurred today. We chose Joalah because that is where the sequence of filming the rainforest at night began. It was appropriate that Jaap joined us because he was on the very first walk. The night was hot and sticky. After good recent rain and current warm temperatures, distressed rainforest was a receding memory. The midnight start in a way meant recommencing the record. Accordingly I decided to  film creatures of which I already have sufficient footage, such as a Spiny Rainforest Katydid, a Brown Huntsman Spider, a Leaf-tailed Gecko, Giant Water Spiders, a Long-finned Eel and a Net-Casting Spider…. Read Complete Text