Sunday 19th September 2021. 1340 – 1505

Weather

No rain. Fine and sunny with some scattered clouds. Variable southerly breeze with gusts to 25 knots. Track dry. Water level low, clearing. Full Moon 21/09.

Wildlife Report

A pair of Bush Stone-curlews were seen in one of the Creekside gardens along Bunya Street and I hope that they will make regular appearances from now on.
No arboreal animals were seen at the entrance to Allumbah Pocket but a group of small birds including a Pale-yellow Robin were hunting in the under story.
“Chocolate” the Brushtail Possum was in the Mistletoe Clump showing her face while the tail and nose of her joey could be seen.
Close to the Bridge supports at The Other Side a large Orb-weaver Spider was photographed and may be a different member of the Nephila family.
On returning to the water side I observed a Platypus dive under the bushes just upstream of the stepping stones but it vanished while my attention was diverted by a Freshwater Snake or Keelback.
I checked the Upper Level finding no Dragons but a Fan-tailed Cuckoo posed on a log and I was pleased to take his photo.
At Snodgrass’s Pool a single Saw-shelled Turtle was occupying the sloping tree trunk while in the tree at the waters edge another Green Ringtail Possum, probably a male, was occupying the spot where I last saw “White Spot”.
While I was photographing them the Platypus caught me up and we continued in loose company all the way to Picnic Peninsula with photos being taken in Snodgrass’s Pool, at Log Jam Peninsula, in Platys Pool and at Picnic Peninsula and I suspect it was he who figured later in a sighting in front of the Platypus Viewing Platform.
Along Dowling’s Corridor I photographed a spider similar to the one seen near Lloyd’s suspension Bridge before recording the Golden Orb-weaver in the Lomandra Clump.
In the bush near the centre of Highway Bridge “Calamity” the Brushtail Possum had her joey lying on top of her and although obviously very tired, he managed to open his eyes long enough for me to record the event.
At the Viewing Platform I started to take photos of a small female Platypus near the far bank when a larger male emerged from the downstream riffle, swam boldly up to her and seized her rudely with his bill. Thus connected they swam a number of slow circles in the pool before she reciprocated by seizing him in similar fashion forming a ring.
This was followed by a violent disturbance of water as they merged into a ball tumbling over above and below the surface for a minute or two during which time they were in part concealed by the overhanging foliage. The male then swam nonchalantly away while she remained in hiding.
{This site does not unfortunately support video but I will post some on the FACEBOOK PAGE.}
I completed my Patrol by checking out the red Possum in the Fig Tree but did not bother to take a photo.