No rain. Clear sky with some haze. Light variable breeze. Track dry.

Thomas and I checked out Allumbah Pocket as usual, noted the absence of the Brushtail Possum and realised that we were in turn being inspected by a beautiful Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. Spent several minutes taking images from varying directions. While doing this I heard a sound suggestive of an animal entering the water and fired off 3 reflex shots which turned out to show an Eastern Water Dragon swimming across the creek. The pick of the pics is included as it is rarely possible to photo Dragons while swimming. Two more Eastern Water Dragons and a Saw-shelled Turtle were in the vicinity of the Memorial Bench where we met a young couple from Germany and directed them to the Tree Roo. They in turn reported seeing a Water Rat (Rakali) and we were able to confirm this with three fleeting sightings just upstream from Platypus Bend. It was only about 150 mm long excluding tail, and must therefor be a juvenile which has recently taken up residence in this area. Several more Turtles were seen at the Log Jam. We had almost given up hope of seeing a Platypus when one appeared under the Highway Bridge and spent 10 minutes feeding in our company. The light conditions under the bridge are challenging but I managed to obtain a few passable images to prove the sighting.

Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo. Denrolagus lumholtzi

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

No Rain. Sky clear but with moderate haze. Southerly breeze gusting to 20 knots. Track dry.

Allumbah Pocket Brushtail Possum bright and alert today with both eyes open and taking an interest in surroundings. Four Turtles in vicinity of Memorial Bench and the regular Eastern Water Dragon on the landward side of the path. A Varied Triller and a Black-faced Monarch flitting about feeding at Platypus bend but not keeping still for long enough to be photographed. Half a dozen more Turtles at the Log Jam and another dog owner admired Thomas. Saw a new butterfly later identified as a Scarlet Jezebel. A larger Saw-shelled Turtle was on the upstream side of Picnic Peninsula. A Platypus was close against the bank on the near side of the creek but then crossed to the far bank and conducted a comprehensive scratch, including her back, on the mud bank. She then returned to the near bank and continued, A couple from Devon were enjoying the spectacle and I managed to exhaust my battery. The Bush Stone-curlew Family were still on the block next to The Doctor House.

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosuras vulpecula

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Scarlet Jezebel Butterfly. Delias argenthona

Platypus. Orniothorhynchus anatinus

No rain. Hot and sunny. Breeze gusty at times. Track dry.

Cody opted to stay home in the cool. Thomas and I found an Easter Water Dragon on the rocks near Memorial Bench and at the Log Jam there were three Saw-shelled turtles, none very large. Met a couple from SW Germany who wanted to show me a Tree Kangaroo, which turned out to be a Green Ringtail Possum. Was able to put them straight and also to introduce a pair of Filipino blokes now living in Townsville and a tour group from the Daintree. Thomas was rewarded with some well earned pats!. No Platypus seen but a Pale-yellow Robin found me at the Narrows. The Bush Stone-curlew family were again near The Doctor House.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Pale-yellow Robin. Tregellasia capito

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Sky clear but hazy . Hot with warm SW breeze, gusty at times. Track dry.

Both canine companions with me again today but too early for Water Dragons and Turtles to be up and about. First sighting of the day was a male Green Ringtail Possum in the large River Oak between Platypus Bend and Log Jam Peninsula. He was having a bit of a stroll around and exposing himself! There has been a clear out at the Log Jam with many of the smaller branches removed which has improved the water flow but might upset the Turtles. There will be more competition for available perches and they may have to climb even higher on top of each other! More birds around today and took some shots of Lewin’s and Scarlet Honeaters enjoying the flowers on either side of Log Jam Peninsula. Another Green Ringtail Possum was at Overhanging Bushes. Directions to see the Possums were given to several visitors including a delightful young couple from The Netherlands. I hope they all managed to find them. The Bush Stone-curlews were back next to the Doctor House but in a slightly less exposed position.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Lewin’s Honeyeater. Meliphaga lewinii

Scarlet Honeyeater. Myzomela sanguinolenta

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Sky clear apart from high altitude cloud in the West. Hot and sunny. Light breeze. Track dry.

Cody tired of Thomas being constantly mentioned in dispatches and elected to come today. Not the best choice as he and Thomas were the only non-human mammals seen on today’s walk! The Golden Orb-weaver remains in the same spot at Allumbah Pocket and from day to day seems hardly to move. A Saw-shelled Turtle was on one of the Stepping Stones and two Eastern Water Dragons were observed on the rocks between the Memorial Bench and Snodgrass’s Pool. A solitary Turtle at the Log Jam took to the water before I had lifted my camera although a larger specimen in the water decided to take a look. The birds fortunately came to the rescue today and in short order photographed a Black-faced Monarch, a Rufous Shrike Thrush and a White-bellied Cuckooshrike. Finished with a Rainbow Lorikeet in the Queensland Umbrella Tree in our garden.

Golden Orb-weaver. Nephila ssp.

Saw-shelled turtle. Elseya latisternum

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Black-faced Monarch. Monarcha melanopsis

Rufous Shrike-thrush.Colluricincla megarhyncha

White-bellied Cuckooshrike. Coracina papuensis

Rainbow Lorikeet. Trichoglossus moluccanus

No rain. Scattered cloud. Very hot in the sun but cool breeze noted in the shade of the trees. Track dry.

The Magpie Larks have obviously hatched in the Police Station yard. One of the chicks was standing on the edge of the nest and loudly demanding to be fed. No Brushtail Possum around today. A large Eastern Water Dragon was on the rocks on the right side going down the slope to Memorial Bench. A Green Ringtail Possum was in the tree opposite Snodgrass’s Pool and decided to move giving me a view of his underside. The Powder Puff in front of his tail suggests that this is a male! Fleeting glimpse of an unidentified animal in the pool which I suspect may have been a Water Rat or Rakali. At the Log Jam there were five Saw-shelled turtles today and while photographing them a Platypus turned up and spent several minutes foraging in front of us. He spent a minimal amount of time resting on the surface making photography difficult. Thomas was disappointed not to meet any members of his admiration society today but you can’t be lucky all the time.

Magpie Lark. Grallina cyanoleuca

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

No rain. Scattered cloud. SE breeze. Track dry

Stacks of Turtles today and I use the term advisedly! Thomas and I started by checking out the Allumbah Pocket Brushtail Possum who was showing further improvement with one eye open. While looking for possible Green Ringtail Possum roosts a Spectacled Monarch entertained us and was photographed in return. A group of visitors had gathered at the Memorial Bench and were observing a stack of three Saw-shelled Turtles but had not noticed the Eastern Water Dragon on the other side of the track. There was another stack of three Turtles at the Log Jam together with four more on separate logs. A group of Scarlet Honeyeaters were feeding together at Platy’s Pool and I obtained some indifferent images. Finished up as usual next to the Doctor House where the family of Bush Stone-curlews were still in residence.

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Spectacled Monarch. Symposiachrus trivirgatus

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Scarlet Honeyeater. Myzomela sanguinolenta

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No Rain. Cloudy with sunny periods. Humid. Moderate SE breeze. Track dry.

Thomas and I on deck today and found the Brushtail Possum in residence again at Allumbah pocket. A Saw-shelled Turtle was on a rock close to the Memorial Bench while an Eastern Water Dragon was further along the track opposite Snodgrass’s Pool. Half a dozen more turtles were at the log jam – why would four of them chose to occupy the same log? Once again no Platypus active and no Green Ringtail Possums. The family of Bush Stone-curlews seem to have settled on a regular home on the block next to The Doctor House.

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Overcast and humid. Light breeze. Track dry.

Cody again feeling fragile. Thomas and I observed a distant Bush Stone-curlew in one of the gardens along Bunya Street and then checked out the Golden Orb -weaver Spider at Allumbah Pocket. No Possums around today. An Eastern Water Dragon was on the usual rock across the track from the Memorial Bench. Between there and Snodgrass’s Pool a Freshwater Snake swam along with us for some distance. Four Turtles were sun bathing at the Log Jam while two more were in the water. A Platypus was digging in the far bank in the Narrows and had collected a small crowd of people and a forest of long lenses . He swam across the creek and resumed the antisocial behaviour before crossing the creek again and vanishing behind a curtain of overhanging roots. A juvenile Water Dragon was on a rock under the Highway Bridge and a large Eastern Water Skink came to join it. The family of Bush Stone-curlews were favouring another clump of Golden Cane Palm in the block next to The Doctor House.

Golden Orb-weaver. Nephila Spp

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Freshwater Snake (Keelback). Tropidonophis mairii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Scattered cloud. Light but cool breeze. Track remains dry.

Thomas and I on Patrol today and nothing startling to report. First sighting of the day was an Emerald Dove on the way down hill to the Memorial Bench followed by a large Eastern Water Dragon on the other side of the track. A pair of Spangled Drongos were taking water from the creek while on the wing near the Log Jam Peninsula and perched long enough for me to photograph them. Only two Turtles were on the Logs today. No sign of a Possum or a Platypus. Another juvenile Water Dragon was under the Highway Bridge. The family of Bush Stone-curlews were again in the paddock next to The Doctor House but near a different clump of Golden Cane Palm.

Pacific Emerald Dove. Chalcophaps longirostris

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Spangled Drongo. Dicrurus bracteatus

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius