Port Douglas - Nature adventure part 3

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Part 3 of our adventure was with Brett's half day tour to Kuranda. Most travelers go up the sky rail and down on the train. As we had been on the Kuranda Rail Gold Class previously, we arranged for Brett to pick us up at 4.00pm at Kuranda opposite the Butterfly Sanctuary.

If you love nature and challenging photography, put aside an hour or more for the sanctuary, and have one of the sanctuary guided tours which includes the breeding nursery etc. Very informative and you will see some less common moths there as well.

We have visited numerous museums where there are drawers of dead bugs - this is over 2000 living butterflys, and there lies the challenge for photo buffs. Butterflies rarely fly straight, glide to a rest as do birds, and the prettier the butterfly, the less they flash thie colourful upperside wings, and barely pump their wings when resting. The Ulysses is a classic example - dull under wings, and radient blue upper side which flashes brilliantly while in flight. The way I see it, if you have an inexpensive camera, just take lots of photos and let chance give you a good one or two. If you have a very classy camera, do the same but with rapid repeat shots turned on.

For many butterflies, this is not so much of an issue, so to get them, wear a top which has bright pink and white patters. Their vision is more like we see under a UV lamp, so this combo of colours works wonders. Marg had such a blouse on, and for an hour had many visitors land to sat Gidday. Marg says it felt unique - a gentle wind flutter as they landed, and a very light touche fell as they stood or walked on the blouse.

Enjoy the photos, and when in Kuranda - have a go at getting your own great photo of living flying works of art.

Our granddaughter Rebecca loved the ulysses, and thought it was like the butterfly on Dora the explorer.

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Photos

Cruiser Butterfly
As seen in Mossman Gorge

Poser
This butterfly just sat and waited for the photo to be taken

Gian Moth
This female has no mouth or stomach.She hangs around, mates, lays her eggs and checks out.

Lazy afternoon
Took a long time.

View from Sky Rail 3
At end of dry seaeson - low flow. The rains are just starting, so in a few weeks this will be a thunderous scene of tumbling churning water.