Saturday 28th March 2020. 0915 – 1025

Weather

9.5 mm of rain. Scattered cloud with sunny periods. Wind SE to 15 knots. Track wet with many puddles and muddy areas.

Post

Yesterday stone, today diamonds or close to it.
Many butterflies around at the moment although difficult to photograph because they flit around on the wing and seldom stay still long enough when they land. Saw a Bordered Rustic Butterfly along Bunya Street which was kind enough to to settled for long enough.
Nothing seen today at Allumbah Pocket or The Other Side.
Just past the Memorial Bench, stopped to check out White Spot’s favourite tree. Could see no sign of her but noticed a suspicious blob in a different part of the canopy. We went up the path alongside where I could definitely see an animal but under high magnification the fur did not look like either of the endemic Possums.
Thomas and I retraced our steps and made our way in to the base of the tree where I could clearly distinguish a Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo! Conditions were far from ideal as the foliage was not only dense but thrashing around in the wind at the top of the tree so it was a question of taking bursts of images when conditions seemed favourable. After taking a number of shots she turned towards her right from where a well grown joey appeared and proceeded to climb all over her. I think that I got some good images.
While changing view points I also got a shot of a White-headed Pigeon which remained in the tree throughout.
Leaving the Roos, we almost immediately found and Eastern Water Dragon on the rocks near Snodgrass’s Pool but unfortunately no Green Ringtail Possums were around.
On to the Log Jam where a Saw-shelled Turtle had climbed to the top of a concrete block which is leaning against the far bank and a moderately large Water Dragon was on the bank close by.
A Black-faced Monarch was photographed on the upstream side of the Peninsula and in the trees near Platy’s Pool I took shots of a Yellow-faced Honeyeater before keeping my distance from two young women taking the walk.
At the base of Picnic Peninsula I had a long range photographic chat with a young man who I hope managed to find the Tree Roos.
Having seen no sign of a Platypus I had another go at the Insectivorous Bats under the Highway Bridge.
A juvenile Water Dragon was on the rocks under the Bridge where a waterfall was running yesterday.
I though I was going to be let down by the Bush Stone-curlews but I eventually found them occupying the Beer Garden. No one else is using it!
On the way past the Medical Centre we noticed a lot of noise from a flock of birds at the far end of the vacant block which turned out to be a mob of Metallic Starling which of course had their photos taken.
This bough us close to a fig tree bearing a terrific crop and there in a fork the back of the Chocolate Brushtail Possum was on view. The tail end as once might say.