Need to know before your first bushwalk...

[cams]

A couple of possums fighting in the trees can make a pretty god aweful noisees too. Got woken up in the middle of the night at Washpool NP a few years ago. My GF was terrified. Then there was this loud thud as at least one of them landed near the tent (must have lost the fight).

[ILUVSWTAS]

I watch to many movies. . Particularly American movies, and I've read online the barking owl can imitate a lady screaming in pain, I hope I never hear that noise again, particularly for real. it was the most frightening thing I've ever heard. At the time i did not know it was the owl i seen, till some locals told me what it was. Imagine having one as a pet.

That was the first time I ever heard of a barking owl, I wish I had known before I was at the top of that peak, I cleared out of there like a rocket. I honestly thought someone was being tortured till I was told it was a barking owl. My 4WD brakes were on fire by the time I got back down the mountain. It's kind of funny now when I think about it, but not at the time.

Is it anything like the screaming caterpiller from the simpsons??

[ULWalkingPhil]

There's also the shearwaters or mutton birds that fly down south during our summer periods to nest on the
Small coral islands of our coast, there not scary unless you get hit by one, many times I've bit hit by one of these birds, feels like a truck has hit you. And they make the funniest of noises all night long. They don't sleep, and there's thousands of them, you literally have to step over them. Just make sure you don't stand anywhere first light and last light of the day or you'll be knocked to the ground. There a big bird and very clumsy on land particularly when they land and take off, they have to get a run up to fly. They fly into your tent as they come in for the night. You don't see them during the day, they spend all day flying out to sea to collect fish for there babies.

[ILUVSWTAS]

We recently camped on Schouten island and the resident Penguins have a roost (is that the right term?) right on the beach where we camped. They are very very noisy.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I love the wildlife, even though at times they manage to keep you awake all night long. I recently spent a whole month on one of our islands to do some research for DERM, worked all night and slept during the day, surrounded by sea turtles, shearwaters and the cute noddies. I don't know if that spelling is correct.

[tasadam]

Just a note (to be serious for a moment) (Sorry, I do that from time to time), a lot of stuff mentioned here will not be of concern to a new walker. If you have any trouble figuring what bits we're serious about and what bits are, for want of a better word, fun... then just ask.
For example, there's no such thing as a dro p be ar (the spaces were added so google doesn't pick that up - don't want to tell the world that, do we)

[ILUVSWTAS]

For example, there's no such thing as a dro p be ar (the spaces were added so google doesn't pick that up - don't want to tell the world that, do we)

You didnt mention Yowies... Do you believe in Yowies Mr Adam??

[frenchy_84]

Yowies are so real. i never do overnight walks because of them

[ULWalkingPhil]

I know what your saying tasadam, in my case I'm serious, I think a new walker on one of our islands would want to know about the Shearwaters when they wake up at first light and return just on dark, I'm not kidding, For safety do not stand on the beach. You will be bowled over and felt like your hit by a freight train. It happened to me the first night I spent on a island of our coast, and I had a helmet on, still got flattened to the ground. I don't know what would have happened if I didn't wear a helmet. I wore it, because that's what was supplied to me for lighting. Upto 100,000 sea birds can be nesting on Heron Island, the island can be walked around in 20 minutes. Not the best place to go bushwalking if your after a long distance hike, but you could just keep walking in circles around the island.

[ULWalkingPhil]

We recently camped on Schouten island and the resident Penguins have a roost (is that the right term?) right on the beach where we camped. They are very very noisy.

I recently camped at North Era Camp at Royal National Park and it was very noisy. I don't know what was worse barking owls or School kids. Sydney school kids are a very interesting species, one of the most interesting I've ever encountered.

[Marwood]

Not to mention hoop snakes and bunyips.

And in Aotearoa you will have to contend with the wily taniwha...

[north-north-west]

I watch to many movies. . Particularly American movies, and I've read online the barking owl can imitate a lady screaming in pain, I hope I never hear that noise again, particularly for real. it was the most frightening thing I've ever heard. At the time i did not know it was the owl i seen, till some locals told me what it was. Imagine having one as a pet.

That was the first time I ever heard of a barking owl, I wish I had known before I was at the top of that peak, I cleared out of there like a rocket. I honestly thought someone was being tortured till I was told it was a barking owl. My 4WD brakes were on fire by the time I got back down the mountain. It's kind of funny now when I think about it, but not at the time.

Wimp. Back when I still had some hearing I heard a pair of Devils mating. Or killing one another - I don't think there's much difference. Your barking owls are a lullaby in comparison.

[TenderPaw]

Drop bears? For a couple of moments I thought that they were real... Good one!

Again, thanks for your posts!!!

I so pumped about walking new lands, meeting new folks...

Talk you all later.

Joel

[Greenie]

Don't say you weren't warned.. Here is the trailer for the upcoming movie on the subject http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CGGrID2 ... r_embedded