Sunday 12th December 2021. 0850 – 1030

Weather

Sunny with scattered clouds. Light southerly breeze. Track dry. Water level low. Moon First Quarter +1.

Wildlife Report

An early start this morning to avoid the worst of the heat.
From the corner of Bunya Street I could see a number of cars parked and I arrived at the entrance to Allumbah Pocket to be greeted by a follower of Platypus Patrol who had brought her family in the hope of spotting a Tree Kangaroo.
I could see nothing in the trees on either side of the entrance but as we turned the corner on the approach to the Picnic Shelter I was relieved to see a blob in the tree straight ahead.
There was initially some doubt as to it’s identity but it appeared too big to be a Possum and when it moved it’s head it was confirmed as a Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. I remained there for some time trying to get a better view and in the process meeting a couple from Townsville and several others who passed through.
After getting a few passable images I moved on but saw nothing more of interest until I reached Snodgrass’s Pool.
Here I found “Whitespot” the Green Ringtail Possum in the group of trees next to the Sign Board while another GRP which I suspect was her joey was in the trees across the track.
Several honeyeaters including Macleay’s, Scarlet and Dusky were feeding in the blossoms but moving too quickly to be photographed.
I moved on from there alone and a few metres further along the track took a shot of my first Christmas Beetle of the season also feeding on nectar.
Surprisingly there was nothing to see at The Log Jam today and I went on to Platys Pool before spotting the nest of some Black Weaver Ants built in a tree. I have been unable to specifically identify these so any advice would be appreciated.
At the Overhanging Bushes the Golden Orb-weaver Spider previously photographed had disappeared but I found another smaller one close by.
The male Green Ringtail Possum seen several times of late had today moved to a more open perch on another branch of the River Oak Tree.
At The Narrows I again spotted a female Tree Kangaroo with her joey on the opposite bank with their tails hanging down in classic fashion. It was impossible to obtain a good view of their faces, even when I crossed to the village side of the Creek.
While photographing them a Platypus appeared close under the bank and swam upstream and I achieved only an indifferent shot before it vanished.
In the bushes near the mid point of Highway Bridge I found a Coppery Brushtail Possum with a joey again in residence and as usual very hard to photograph.
On the rocks below the bridge the regular juvenile Easter Water Dragon was seen again.
At the Car Park I saw two male Australasian Figbirds fly into one of the Bamboo Clumps while advertising their presence with gusto.
From there I was able to see a pair of Bush Stone-curlews at Nick’s Camping Area but they are still quite timid.
At the vacant lot I photographed a male Cairns Birdwing Butterfly which seemed to be covered with orange pollen, possibly from he overhanging Poinciana Tree.
The Tree Kangaroos proved almost impossible to see from this bank and had I not seen them previously from the other side I doubt that I would have spotted them.
Along Bunya Street the resident Bush Stone-curlews had crossed the road and looked rather disconsolate after the recent loss of their chicks.