Saturday 17th July 2021. 1400 – 1515

Weather

No rain. Scattered cloud but mostly sunny. SE Breeze, brisk at times. Track dry. Water level steady. Moon First Quarter.

Wildlife Report

Pleasantly cool to be out walking this afternoon.
Photographed a Brown Cuckoo-Dove along Bunya Street.
At the entrance to Allumbah Pocket I found two male Green Ringtail Possums. “Piratical Pete” the old warrior was in his regular tree at the corner of the informal path to the Storage Shed while “Popeye” a younger rival was in a tree close to the left corner of the tarmac parking bays. No visitors were on hand to see them but several were later told where they might find them.
The Mistletoe clump was vacant today so the next sighting was among the rocks close to Snodgrass’s Pool where a moderate sized Eastern Water Dragon was mounting guard. High contrast light conditions made vision and photography difficult but after examination on the computer I am reasonably certain that this was “Scarface” with his facial ulcer now almost healed.
A small Saw-shelled Turtle was on a sloping log in Snodgrass’s Pool with a larger specimen afloat.
A clump of Mistletoe in the Bottle Brushes between Full Tide Island and Log Jam Peninsula was in full flower and worthy of a photo. I have seen Brushtail Possums in this spot before but they were missing out today.
A much larger Saw-shelled Turtle was on the far bank at Platys Pool and others were seen on a log near the Overhanging Bushes and the tip of Picnic Peninsula.
My regular Golden Orb-weaver Spider was still on station just below Highway Bridge. I am surprised that he has lasted so long.
The regular Brushtail Possum was in the same spot near the centre of the span but looking at me over his shoulder today.
I had been told by several visitors that they had seen a Platypus in the Viewing Pool and was amazed to find it still entertaining visitors though at rather long range.
Two very small Saw-shelled Turtles were occupying “Tensing Turtle’s” log today.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove. Macropygia phasianella

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

“Pete.” I’m tired and want to be left alone.
It’s really annoying to be woken up!
“Popeye”. Rear view in a new location.
Seems to have a large tick on his nose and engorged mosquitos on his ears.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

“Scarface” with facial ulcer almost healed.

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

At Snodgrass’s Pool
On the bank at Platys Pool
Opposite Picnic Peninsula
On the sloping log in Platypus Viewing Pool

Mistletoe.

Flowering Mistletoe in Bottle Brush

Golden Orb-weaver Spider. Nephila pilipes

This spider seems to be surviving very well at only 1.5 metres from the path at eye level.

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Look for the pink nose if you are having trouble spotting him

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

A couple of long range shots just to confirm the sighting!