Page 8 - Tropic Magazine Issue 28

TROPIC • UP FRONT

In Season

EXPLORE
Tropic’s local guide to the best
of Far North flora and fauna
this February and March.

Words: Nicky Horstmann

SOUGHT-AFTER SPICE
Flora
I find it hard to remember a time we
haven’t had a bird’s eye chilli bush
growing in the garden. Most colonial- 1
era recipe books show this was also
the case in our recent past when extra 1. Bird’s eye chilli
2. Black butcher bird
flavour and zing was produced at
home. Probably the toughest of the
so-called bird’s eye chillies belongs to BRAVE BIRDS
the species Capsicum frutescens and can Fauna
be recognised by its small oblong fruit So, what types of birds eat chillies?
measuring one to two centimetres Fruit eaters of course, maybe some
in length. These chillies have a more omnivorous varieties? But it was hard
rounded end and they sit upright in to believe our eyes when we watched
the plant, distinguishing them from an adult black butcher bird pick a red 2
other bird’s eyes. Their colour ranges chilli and then fly off to feed it to a
from green to red and they do pack a juvenile, before returning to repeat
punch. Whilst it’s handy to have these the exercise a number of times. As if HIGH TIDES
little flavour bombs growing outside, this wasn’t enough, this magnificent Forecast
we have never actually planted one of ambush hunter settled in to gorge on In Cairns, the highest tide of 2021 is
these shrubs. They’ve always been gifts five chillies itself, one after the other, predicted to occur on March 28, with a
from our feathered friends. In fact, before flying off with another delicious height of 3.32m at 8.51 in the morning.
competition for the fruit can be full delight in its beak. In the years this bird However, there are a number of days
on. One day the bush is covered with has been visiting our garden, we’ve seen when high tides are in excess of three
ripe chillies and then the next, they’re it devour grasshoppers, stick insects, metres. So, keep an eye out on these
all gone – even the green ones. It’s no cockroaches, frogs, skinks and even mornings: February 8–13, February
wonder new bushes spring up all over a fledgling willy wagtail, but never 25–March 1, March 8–13,
the place! anything remotely vegetable in nature. March 25–30.

RUSTY’S MARKETS
Bye-bye Bowens
February and March can be a very mournful time for mango eaters.
The Kensington Pride (Bowen) mangoes have disappeared from Rusty’s and
the ten-month wait until they come back looms overhead like the threat of a
COVID-19 lockdown. However, there are other mango varieties as consolation.
I mean, any mango is better than none, right? It’s also the time of year we
welcome back the lemonade fruit. Though it looks very similar, this locally
grown citrus fruit is not to be confused with lemons (or limes). Lemonades are
neither sweet nor sour and are totally refreshing.

8 • Tropic • Issue 28