No rain. Few scattered clouds. Sunny and very hot. Little to no breeze initially. Cool SE breeze developing later. Track dry.

Both dogs decided that it was far too hot and that they would rather occupy my chair in front of the TV! Spent some minutes at Allumbah Pocket looking for alternate Possum roosts without success. 2 Moderate to large Eastern Water Dragons on different perches in the same area as usual. A juvenile Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle was riding a floating log just upstream from Platypus Bend. A barely concealed Green Ringtail Possum was on a branch of the large River Oak just beyond the narrow section of the walk. Saw 2 juvenile Saw-shelled Turtles at the Log Jam together with a couple of medium sized adults and 2 more juveniles at Platy’s Pool. The Turtles must have been breeding well. Two more Green Ringtail Possums were in the Overhanging Bushes (Nos 1 & 4) although neither easy to get a good view of. No Platypus seen today although two sightings reported. Falling numbers in the past few days suggest to me that mating season is over and that the females are now in their burrows incubating eggs.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle. Emydura krefftii

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

No rain. Scattered cloud. Mostly sunny. Light southerly breeze. Track dry.

Cody too tired again today. Thomas and I had a pleasant surprise when the Green Ringtail Possum with the small joey was in the tree at Allumbah Pocket close to Lloyd’s Bridge. Wish I could work out where else she chooses to roost. There was also a large Saw-shelled Turtle on a rock close to the Memorial Bench and a Platypus in Snodgrass’s Pool. Only 3 Turtles at the Log Jam and the one I chose to photograph is a Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle. Met a young couple from Belgium at Platy’s Pool and gave them some spotting tips and directions to find the GRP at Lloyd’s Bridge. Met them again later and they were thrilled pink! Another Green Ringtail Possum was in the Overhanging Bushes. Then ran into a Tour Group led by Thomas who loves to pat my Thomas, in which he was joined by numerous members of the group. Dispatched them to visit the Possum at Overhanging Bushes and also sent an English couple in the same direction when we saw them at the Car Park. The Bush Stone-curlews were at the same group of trees in the paddock although the offspring were concealed by the tussock grass.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle. Emydura krefftii

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Overcast early progressing later to scattered cloud with sunny periods. Light breeze from late morning. Track dry.

The full team took to the track today and found a medium sized Eastern Water Dragon with an extremely long tail on the rocks opposite Snodgrass’s Pool. Half a dozen Saw-shelled Turtles were in residence at the Log Jam and being overlooked by a large Water Dragon on the far bank. A large Turtle was seen on the upstream side of Picnic Peninsula followed shortly after by the only Platypus of the day who was busy feeding in a confined area. Watched her for some time in company with a family group and a visitor from Tokio and got some reasonable shots in spite of her reluctance to approach too closely. A Green Ringtail Possum was found in the trees on the bank near to the Highway Bridge but only wished to provide a rear view. The flock of Plumed Whistling-ducks along the tributary is decreasing in size daily and while checking on them I located the Bush Stone-curlew family who have moved house to one of the isolated groups of trees in the paddock behind the Car Park. Seems a much safer place than some of their previous locations and am hoping that they will remain there.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Plumed Whistling-duck. Dendrocygna eytoni

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Very hot sunny day. Little or no breeze. Track dry.

Thomas and I braved the heat this afternoon and saw our first Platypus at Platypus Bend in company with a family group from Croatia. The far bank was preferred but he did venture close enough for one reasonable image. At the Log Jam we met up with a tour group who had frightened away all the residents apart from a solitary juvenile Saw-shelled Turtle. The group leader was busy organising for them to see a Green Ringtail Possum in No 4 of the overhanging bushes. I gave him my card at out last meeting! Things then quietened down and in the middle of the narrows I suddenly observed 2 Platypuses who were rolling horizontally in unison, breaking the surface intermittently but mainly under water. It was impossible to see their sex or what they were doing and they then vanished. After seeing nothing for several minutes we walked on to the viewing Platform where a male Platypus travelling at high speed emerged from under the the bridge and followed a good racing line until he vanished at the upstream corner. Within a minute another male Platypus followed the same course at similar speed, so I conclude that what I had seen previously was 2 males fighting. A much smaller flock of Plumed Whistling-ducks were seen from the Car Park on the far bank of the tributary.

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Plumed Whistling-ducks. Dendrocygna eytoni

No rain. Hot sunny day without a cloud in the sky. Little or no breeze. Track dry.

Full team out today and before my camera was prepared for action saw a Rail crossing a driveway on the Creek side of Bunya Street. Fortunately it stopped to check us out and proved to be a Buff-banded Rail. The gnarly old Eastern Water Dragon was in a more accessible spot today and posing nicely. Feel he could probably do with a new coat. Two Platypuses were present in Snodgrass’s Pool and circled each other warily without coming close. I suspect that they were both males. The water was extremely calm and amused myself by photographing Water Striders at Platypus Bend. The same old and battered Green Ringtail Possum was perched on a River Oak (casuarina) branch where it traverses the canopy of a neighbouring tree. This is a very typical location which they appear to actively select to the point where I look for this situation when seeking GRPs. It was a bit early for Turtles this morning and none were seen. Birds were again active in the Bottle Brushes and I photographed a Brown Honeyeater. Came upon another Platypus on the upstream side of Picnic Peninsula and tracked him until the start of The Narrows but he resolutely stuck to the far bank until turning back. Possibly having a bad hair day. Finally I was delighted to find the Pair of Bush Stone-curlews, with their family still intact, back near the logs behind the Car Park.

Buff-banded Rail. Gallirallus philippensis

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Water Strider. Family Gerridae

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Brown Honeyeater. Lichmera indistincta

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius.

No rain. Bright sunny day. Light SE breeze. Track dry.

Already very hot and Cody exhausted after shopping in Atherton. Thomas and I found a slightly smaller but very long tailed Eastern Water Dragon on the 3rd rock pile near Snodgrass’s Pool. At the bend leading to the log jam, numerous birds were feasting on Bottle Brush nectar and I managed to photograph a Scarlet Honey Eater. At the Log Jam where there were 8 Saw-shelled Turtles in residence with another 2 on the way to Platy’s Pool. It’s interesting to observe that with a reasonably static number of turtles and a finite number of logs there seems to be and infinite variety of possible poses for them to adopt. The female Green Ringtail Possum with her well grown offspring was in residence in No 4 Overhanging Bushes and a young German couple with a child were just in time to enjoy sharing it with us. We also saw a Pale-yellow Robin. They missed out however on another Green Ringtail Possum in No1 Overhanging Bushes. The only Platypus of the day was at the start of The Narrows but after a brief appearance vanished under the tree roots on the opposite bank. The Bottle Brushes at the rear of the Car Park were doing brisk business with the birds which included a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Scarlet Honeyeater. Myzomela sanguinolenta

Saw-shelled Turtles. Elseya latisternum

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet. Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

No Rain. Sunny with clear sky. Light breeze. Track dry.

Found a family of Bush Stone-curlews in a garden along Bunya Street which Thomas and I took to be a good omen and sure enough there were 2 Saw-shelled Turtles in front of the Memorial Bench and the regular Eastern Water Dragon on the rocks just opposite. Almost immediately a Platypus appeared, came to have a look and then accompanied us to the other side of Platypus Bend. Only 4 Saw-shelled Turtles at the log jam but we were preceded by a group of noisy teens who may have frightened them. Joined a couple watching a Platypus at the upstream side of Picnic Peninsula and saw another at the next bend leading to the narrows. This one put on a real show burrowing in leaf litter under about 150 mm of water and making frequent appearances. No possums seen today but you can’t have everything. The Plumed Whistling Ducks were still lined up along the tributary behind the Car Park and at least 5 Bush Stone-curlews could be seen in the trees at the southern end of the paddock.

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Plumed Whistling Ducks. Dendrocygna eytoni

No rain. Bright and sunny with a few clouds. Light breeze. Track dry.

Not been along the walk this early for sometime so wondering what will be about. Surprised to see a particularly large Eastern Water Dragon on the second pile of rocks past the Memorial Bench. A rather battered looking Green Ringtail Possum was roosting in a large tree midway between Platypus Bend and Log Jam Peninsula. Was very busy washing face and front paws and not in the least interested in me. Two Platypus were seen on the downstream side of the Log Jam, both bobbing up unexpectedly right in front of me allowing only a reflex shot before disappearing at speed. No Saw-shelled Turtles sun baking but a moderately large specimen was seen moving along in the shallows and looking up for air. For the first time I saw what I think was a Spangled Perch swimming in a relatively clear and well lit stretch of water. A Brush Turkey was surveying the width of the Creek apprehensively from a branch before launching into flight. Another Platypus was feeding in Platy’s Pool but never approached very close to me. A flock of Plumed Whistling Ducks with a few Magpie Geese could again be seen from the rear of the Car Park.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Spangled Perch. Leiopotherapon unicolor

Australian Brush Turkey. Alectura lathami

Plumed Whistling Duck. Dendrocygna eyetoni + Magpie Goose. Anseranas semipalmata

2.5 mm of rain overnight. Fine and sunny with scattered cloud. Moderate steady SE breeze. Track dry.

Platypus obviously felt that they had done enough yesterday and provided only a few brief glimpses today. Lots of Saw-shelled Turtles at various locations and a couple of large Eastern Water Dragons on the usual rocks. One of the young Green Ringtail Possums was sleeping in No 3 of the Overhanging Bushes but woke up for company and entertained a family of visitors with a good scratch. Also took photos of a Rufous Whistler which I hadn’t seen for some months, an Australasian Figbird near Quincan Cafe and a Bush Stone-curlew in our front garden.

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Rufous Whistler. Pachycephala rufiventris

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris, male

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

12 mm of rain in gauge this a.m. Cloudy with showers this morning but scattered cloud with sunny periods later in the day. Gusty SE wind. Track damp under foot. No mud.

The Platypus redeemed themselves today as although only 2 were seen they were both in cooperative mood and keen to be photographed. Thomas and I saw nothing until the Log Jam where there were 5 Saw-shelled Turtles including 2 juveniles having a cuddle – if that is possible between turtles. Not warm enough for the Dragons today. A fine Platypus gave me a solo personal exhibition in Platy’s Pool resulting in some good close up shots. I them met up with a NS Welshman and his son who made Thomas’s day with some enthusiastic ear pulling. In return I introduced them to one of the junior Green Ringtail Possums in No 4 of Overhanging Bushes. Several other visitors chanced along and enjoyed the view and a small family group were still with me to see another GRP in Bush No 3. She, however was in “Do not disturb” mode. Somewhere between I got a shot of a Macleay’s Honeyeater. Along at The Narrows another Platypus was entertaining a scattered group of visitors but I managed to insinuate myself and got some entertaining shots. A large lens makes a useful battering ram! Finally saw a Bush Stone-curlew along Bunya Street to round of the day.

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Macleay’s Honeyeater. Xanthotis macleayana

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius