Thursday 8th April 2021. 1400 – 1510

Weather

5 mm of rain overnight. Bright and sunny with scattered cloud increasing later. Few showers during the afternoon. Track damp. Water level steady.

Wildlife Report

Needed a bit more exercise after cutting grass this morning. Thomas exhausted so set out alone after a false start due to lack of memory card!
Along Bunya Street I spotted a large Paper Wasp nest in one of the Creek Side gardens and closer examination revealed that the wasps were primarily yellow in colour with orange /red stripes on the abdomen. I haven’t identified them as yet.
“Piratical Pete” the Green Ringtail Possum had moved today to a tree nearer the Yungaburra Volunteers storage shed but could see no sign of the female.
The Flying Foxes were still in the trees downstream from Lloyd’s Bridge but not as many as yesterday
A complete lack of Tree Kangaroos today which was disappointing after yesterday but hardly surprising.
A moderately sized Saw-shelled Turtle was occupying a rock near the Memorial Bench accompanied by a much smaller mate. The Turtles were out in force however on the recently fallen tree at Snodgrass’s Pool and a similar crowd were double stacked on top of the concrete slab at the Log Jam. Made me wonder if they were having a Picnic Outing.
Had a brief view of “Scarface” the Eastern Water Dragon at the path to the Upper Level near Snodgrass’s Pool. Managed to get a good view of his face again and the ulcerated area is definitely decreasing in size to the extent that I was unable to see his teeth today!
A White-headed Pigeon was photographed nearby as I was checking for roosting Possums.
Along Log Jam Peninsula I photographed a leaf completely covered by scarlet beetles with blue/green heads and legs. I saw a similar specimen on tomatoes recently at home and thought it was one of the Harlequin Bugs.
At Platys Pool a Platypus was busy foraging along the far bank but fortunately came closer and I was able to record a couple of good shots.
A juvenile Water Dragon sprinted away from the track on Picnic Peninsula and stopped to hide in the grass.
The Golden Orb-weaver Spider neighbours were now on either side of the path near the Highway Bridge.
In the bushes along the lane leading to Bunya Street I noted a couple of small brown birds foraging. The photo is provisionally identified as a Large-billed Scrubwren.