Huge storm clouds and thunder resulted in only 1.5 mm of rain. Sunny with scattered cloud. No breeze. Track damp.

Greeted this morning by a Pacific Black duck swimming in front of the picnic area at Allumbah Pocket. The regular Eastern Water Dragon was on the usual rock across the track from the Memorial Bench. At Platypus Bend the pair of Orange-footed Scrubfowl were again digging in the leaf litter on the far bank. A very nice Black-face Monarch came and performed in front of me when approaching Log Jam Peninsula. No turtles to be seen on the logs but a Litter Skink came to check us out. While leaving the Peninsula a male Green Ringtail Possum was seen climbing the trunk of a tree. He clearly did not like being seen in the open and managed to climb to a point where he was obscured at least in part by surrounding foliage.
Near the Overhanging Bushes, a Platypus caught sight of me while lying on the surface and exercised an emergency dive before retreating to the opposite bank.
A group of Bush Stone-curlews were on guard round one of the rock islands in the paddock behind the Car park and the pair seen yesterday were in almost identical position in a neighbours garden.

Pacific Black Duck. Anas superciliosus

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Orange-footed Scrubfowl. Megapodius reinwardt

Black-face Monarch. Monarcha melanopsis

Litter Skink. Lygisaurus spp

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

3.5 mm of rain since yesterday. Sunny with a band of mackerel clouds right across the sky. Humid. No wind. Track damp

It goes without saying that this mornings Patrol was not as exciting as yesterday and in fact most of today’s action was along Bunya Street.
Walking down our drive I noted a bird perched at the very tip of a dead tree in the garden of the house opposite. I couldn’t recognise what it was but low and behold, it turned out to be another Oriental Cuckoo. A few metres along the street, a family group of Barred Cuckooshrikes landed right next to us and enabled a good close up picture. The final offering in Bunya St was at the end of the walk when a pair of Bush Stone-curlews were taking a rest in the house next door to the Oriental Cuckoo sighting!.
Nothing was at home at Allumbah Pocket but the long tailed Eastern Water Dragon was opposite the Memorial Bench. No Platypus today and a singular lack of mammals of all sorts.
At the Log Jam a Saw-shelled Turtle was present briefly before taking a dip. An interesting sight on another branch was what appeared to be a winged Turtle preparing for take off! Closer inspection revealed a Tiny Turtle with a leaf on his back which projected like wings on either side. In keeping with the season it was even decorated with a Christmas Tree!
The pair of Pacific Black Ducks seem to have adopted the Creek at present and were seen again at Picnic Peninsula. At the Figbird commune their tree is now starting to bloom and taking on the appearance of a Flower Bower.

Oriental Cuckoo. Cuculus optatus

Barred Cuckooshrike. Coarcina lineata

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Pacific Black Duck. Anas superciliosus

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

3.5 mm in rain gauge since yesterday. Sunny morning with cloudless sky. No wind increasing to light southerly breeze later. Track damp.

Wow! If this is Friday 13th can we have more of them!
Thomas and I set out reasonable early after unloading half a trailer full of scoria and doing some landscaping. We usually start later on Fridays because the Volunteers are hard at work with maintenance on the walk and it tends to be rather crowded and noisy from power tools. Reaching the far side of Lloyd’s Suspension Bridge, I exchanged banter with my neighbor who was using a backpack powered blower, noticing as I did so that there was a Possum behind her in a tree on the creek bank. Further investigating confirmed a Green Ringtail Possum although it was impossible to find a viewpoint to reveal who it was. I suspect Mum with joey but could not confirm. A group of men were at The Other Side loading a trailer employing various tools but decided to go ahead and check the tree next to one of their storage sheds and picnic table. To my surprise the spot recently occupied by the Chocolate Brushtail was today taken by a Green Ringtail Possum! Again a facial view was hard to obtain so I don’t know which one (or two). We saw two more Green Ringtails further on, one near the large River Oak between Platypus Point and Log Jam Peninsula and a final beauty in number 4 of the Overhanging Bushes who provided by far the best images. It’s not often that I see at least 4 Green Ringtails in one morning!.
To add to this there was a fine large Eastern Water Dragon close to Snodgrass’s Pool in which was a Platypus and a pair of Pacific Black Ducks. These were all within 50 mtrs of the maintenance activities!
There was no other major excitement to report but we photographed a Rufous Whistler, a distant Bush Stone Curlew in the Paddock, a very cheeky juvenile Willie Wagtail and one of the long suffering male Figbirds. There was also a juvenile Water Dragon under the Highway Bridge.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Pacific Black Duck. Anas superciliosa

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Rufous Whistler. Pachycephala rufiventris

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus gralarius

Willie Wagtail. Rhipidura leucophrys — juvenile

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

No rain overnight but overcast and showery this morning with fresh breeze. Track damp.

About to give up on Allumbah Pocket this morning when a Spectacled Monarch arrived at the Picnic Area and enjoyed his breakfast Cicada in front of us. After watching him, Thomas and I moved on and met one of my regular corespondents at the other side. Compared notes and she had seen one Platypus.
We found two Eastern Water Dragons on the rocks between the Memorial Bench and Snodgrass’s Pool. The Logs at the Log Jam were bare and there were no Platypus to be seen. At the overhanging bushes we saw a nice Green Ringtail Possum which appeared to be single. On the second image however I note the curl of a tail which looks too small for a Possum of this size and think that this could be Mum with the pouch baby hanging out it’s tail.
No Curlews in sight but a Pair of Pacific Black-ducks were enjoying a swim on the Platypus Viewing Pond. A Figbird was enjoying the view from the tip of the Bamboo while another was confined to nest duties.

Spectacled Monarch. Symposiachrus trivirgatus

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archerii

Pacific Black Duck. Anas superciliosa

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

Rain overnight 3.5 mls. Overcast with sunny periods. Gusty wind to 15 knots. Track damp.

Nothing at Allumbah Pocket this morning but found the Chocolate Brushtail Possum in his haunt at The Other Side. Thought that there were no Eastern Water Dragons around until one jumped out of the rocks almost under my feet and took up position on a rock across the path. A very attractive Dragon too.
At Platypus bend a pair of Orange-footed Scrubfowl were busy as usual scratching up dead leaves in a reclusive manner. Managed to get pics of them after a short wait. A family group of Barred Cuckooshrikes arrived in a nearby tree along the track and posed for me. At the Log Jam there were four Saw-shelled Turtles two of whom decided to take a swim but not before they had been photographed.
Apart from that it was a quiet afternoon but the Figbirds were still going about their daily business at the commune.

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Orange-footed Scrubfowl. Megapodius reinwardt

Barred Cuckooshrike. Coracina lineata

Eastern Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres Flaviventris

7.5 mls of rain overnight. Drizzling with intermittent sunny periods. No breeze. Track moist. No puddles.

After spotting the Brushtail Possum roosting in the mistletoe at Allumbah Pocket, Thomas and I met Jacob from Ipswich traveling with a friend from Korea and invited them to join us on patrol. Saw one of the regular Eastern Water Dragons on the rocks near the Memorial Bench. Couldn’t find and Green Ringtail Possums today. On to the Log Jam where a couple of Saw-shelled Turtles took instantly to the water but within a few metres a Platypus surfaced and put on a virtuoso performance. He remained in almost the same spot for at least 10 minutes, repeatedly diving and resting between for long enough to be photographed. The visitors love it! Photographed a Pale-yellow Robin and a Pacific Emerald Dove along the track but didn’t find anything else. Life at the Figbird commune continues as usual although the chick from the bamboo clump seems to have fledged.

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Pale-yellow Robin.Tregellasia capito

Pacific Emerald Dove. Chalcophaps longirostris

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

No rain. Sun just coming up. Few clouds only to the east. No breeze. Track damp.

Nice and cool when Thomas and I set out and soon spotted the Curlew family along Bunya Street. Unable to positively identify the chick but believe it to be lying down and partly concealed by the bushes. At Allumbah Pocket the Brushtail Possum was back in the mistletoe clump near the Picnic Shelter and a Spotted Catbird flew into the Milky Pine Tree on the creek bank. I assumed it was too early for the reptiles and saw none on the first section of the walk but at the Log Jam one of the perches was occupied by a moderate sized male Eastern Water Dragon resting after his morning dip. No Turtles were seen.
A Green Ringtail Possum was roosting in No 4 of the Overhanging Bushes and I am fairly sure that this was the female with young in the pouch seen on the past 2 days. Nearby a Platypus was feeding along the far bank but the light was not conducive to good images. Saw another Platypus along the upstream side of Picnic Peninsula but working downstream and another just below the Highway Bridge.
There were numerous Curlews in the tussock grass behind the Car Park with a few White Ibis. The usual activity was observed at the Figbird commune although fewer birds were on the nest. Perhaps feeding at this hour. A final Bush Stone-curlew was in the yard of a house almost opposite mine. His eyes appeared half closed, probably because he spent most of the night wailing!

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Spotted Catbird. Ailuroedus melanotis

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

No rain. Sunny with few scattered clouds. Already getting hot. No breeze. Track damp.

Early start this morning after getting up at 0530 to do some landscaping before the bees woke up and started harassing me!
Thomas and I checked out Allumbah Pocket but again nothing to see. Just before the far side of Lloyd’s suspension Bridge saw a juvenile Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo in a small tree just to the downstream side. Tried to find a better viewpoint but surrounding foliage made life difficult. I am posting the best I could do. While moving around also spotted the Mother and joey Green Ringtail Possums in their tree on the same side of the bridge and less than 10 mtrs from the Tree Roo.
Had a look around for the Brushtail Possum without success and while doing so Thomas was approached by two dogs running free of their female owner. Fortunately to significant aggression but when advised that they were supposed to be on leads the owner chose to ignore me.
The other Green Ringtails were absent today and it was, I thought, rather early for Water Dragons. A couple of Saw-shelled Turtles were already sun baking at the Log Jam.
A Platypus was seen feeding along the far bank near the Overhanging Bushes and we watched her for several minutes. She made an attempt to climb the bank, falling back into the water, but was obviously in the wrong spot! A couple of metres up stream she tried again and climbed easily up to a burrow into which she disappeared. The opening of the hole was barely noticeable and I would not have picked it in a million years as Platypus burrow!
Nothing further seen along the creek but several Bush Stone-curlews were in the paddock behind the car park along with Australasian Swamphens and a small flock of Magpie Geese. Checking later on the computer found that I had also photographed an Eastern Water Dragon! Checked the Yungaburra side of the creek along The Narrows where I have previously seen a Tree Roo. Not in luck today but did see a pair of Orange-footed Scrubfowl.

Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. Dendrolagus lumholtzi

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius + Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Heavy rain during night but only 8 mls in the gauge this morning. Sunny with a few scattered clouds. Humid. No breeze. Track damp.

Hot walking along the road to Allumbah Pocket where there was nothing on view. Looking for more potential possum roosting sites we checked the trees which shelter the Volunteers Hut and picnic table at The Other Side and who should be there but the chocolate brown Common Brushtail Possum. His colour is most unusual, and having seen and photographed him on a number of occasions this is not a trick of the light or an aberration of my camera or software. It is recorded that on the Tablelands Brushtails can be orange to charcoal in colour rather than the grey with gingery shoulders of animals on the coast. Behaviour is also different in that it is common in my experience to see Brushtails roosting on branches like the Green Ringtail during the day while they are reported elsewhere as spending the day in a den or at least a sheltered place.
As usual there was an Eastern Water Dragon in the vicinity but today on an isolated rock out in the open where the contrast made photography difficult. Next checked out the Green Ringtail Possum who was in the same tree as yesterday. Took several images and it was not until reviewing them on the computer that I discovered a small face peeping out of her pouch. Probably having his first view of a human! I was able to show her to a local Mum with her two children who happened to be passing and while chatting a medium sized and rather disheveled brown striped bird landed on a nearby branch where it continued to be harassed by a pair of Willie Wagtails! After changing perches several times it was still long enough to get a photo which showed it to be a rare hepatic morph of the uncommon passage migrant, the Oriental Cuckoo.
Stopping on the way to photograph a Black-faced Monarch and a pair of Pacific Black Ducks, went on to the Log Jam where there were two Saw-shelled and one Krefft’s Short necked Turtles. Along the upstream side of the Peninsula a rustle in the branches revealed a Green Tree Snake, or in this case the blue variant which seems to be more common in this vicinity. He continued to climb the tree giving me more photo opportunities. Met a couple visiting from the Netherlands and gave them directions to find the Possums. Hope they were lucky!
Regrettably no Platypuses were seen. The Eastern Water Skink was again under the Bridge. A number of Bush Stone-curlews were sharing the paddock with Australasian Swamphens. The Figbird commune was jumping as usual and the chick in the bamboo clump was still hungry!

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Oriental Cuckoo. Cuculus optatus

Black-faced Monarch. Monarcha melanopsis

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle. Emydura krefftii

Green Tree Snake. Dendrelaphis punctulata

Eastern Water Skink. Eulamprus quoyii

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

Very light shower yesterday afternoon. Sunny. Scattered cloud. NW to NE breeze to 10 knots. Track dry.

All the action seems to be at the northern end of the walk at present although nothing at Allumbah Pocket. Thomas and I spotted two Eastern Water Dragons between the Memorial Bench and Snodgrass’s Pool, one male and one female. No Possums immediately visible but after snooping around the general area found a single Green Ringtail Possum in one of the smaller trees on the upper level. Another new spot!
No Platypus again today, no Turtles and no Spiders. Did manage to photograph a Scarlet Honeyeater at Platy’s Pool and a Spectacled Monarch at Picnic Peninsula. A couple of Curlews and Australasian Swamphens could be distantly seen in the paddock. While checking them out met a group of Russian tourists with a guide and pointed them in the direction of the possum while Thomas enjoyed a pat and stroke! The Figbird chick appears to be still hungry and shouting for mother. Another male Figbird was found sitting on his nest.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Scarlet Honeyeater. Myzomela sanguinolenta

Spectacled Monarch. Symposiachrus trivirgatus

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris