Townsville: A Birding Paradise

After a week of birding, Townsville’s avian diversity still overwhelms me. My 1997 copy of The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, written by Graham Pizzy and illustrated by Frank Knight, lis...

Ross River Parkway and Growing Bananas

This morning, I ran and walked in greater comfort than two days ago, the humidity level lower, a welcome breeze stealing away perspiration. The Ross River curled big and lazy in early light, its banks...

Dingo Control, Birding at JCU, and Wallace’s Line

In mid-morning, Vilis and I met Chris Johnson in the biology building at James Cook University. Chris introduced Vilis to his office and showed us a map of Australia speckled with black dots. The dots...

Stingers, Crocs, Tree Ants, and Mozzies

At 5:30 a.m., while I sat on the toilet, a 15-centimetre-long pale green gecko clung to a vertical wall beyond the open door of the loo. The soft-skinned reptile’s toes were splayed wide, its tail a...