Occasional light showers. Cloudy with intermittent sunny periods. Strong , gusty SE wind. Track dry.

First Platypus Patrol for several weeks without sighting a single Platypus. Fortunately plenty of other activity so still have some photos to show you. First signs of life were 2 Eastern Water Dragons occupying different rocks but in the same area between the Memorial Bench and Snodgrass’s Pool. Another Water Dragon was observing the Log Jam from an elevated position on the far bank and supervising 5 Saw-shelled Turtles including one juvenile. Thomas and I showed them to a German Swiss couple with a relative who lives in Australia and was also able to introduce one of the young Green Ringtail Possum who was today in the 3rd of the Overhanging Bushes. A Bush Stone-curlew greeted me from the front of my garden and a Pacific Emerald Dove was decorating the back yard.

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Pacific emerald Dove (male). Chalcophaps longirostris

No rain. Cloudy with sunny periods. Southerly breeze. Track dry.

Saw nothing until the approach to the Log Jam where we saw our first Platypus moving downstream. Obviously not warm enough for Turtles as only one was present and quickly toppled into the water as we approached. A second Platypus was sneaking down the near bank on the upstream side of the peninsula and provided a few photo chances. A mother Green Ringtail Possum and joey were once again occupying the favourite spot in No 4 of the Overhanging Bushes and a Platypus was observed close by as I showed them to a family with 2 young children visiting from England. Thomas enjoyed a pat and ear tickle. Not a very busy day.

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

No rain. Bright sun with cloudless sky. Fresh breeze from south. Track dry.

Full team on Lloyd’s Bridge had to stop today to observe a Freshwater Snake making it’s way along the Stepping Stones and this was followed soon after by a Platypus in the pool above the stones. Just upstream of Platypus Bend a Saw-shelled Turtle was seen swimming frantically in circles and appeared unable to submerge. A short video was recorded and will be displayed on Facebook. This is very close to the spot where I recently found a sick looking turtle on the path. It was taken by a Wildlife Carer for a Vet check but returned to the creek when nothing significant was found. Two or possible 3 Platypus were seen around the Log Jam and one male appeared to be attempting to initiate contact without success. They provided excellent viewing for a German / Australian family from Melbourne and for the Saw-shelled Turtles on the Logs. A Green Ringtail Possum was seen again but this time in No 1 Overhanging Bushes. They seem to be trying out all of the Bushes for concealment and comfort!

Freshwater (Keelback) Snake. Tropidonophis mairii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

No rain. Bright sunny day but with band of cirrus cloud suggestive of front moving in from the west. Gusty breeze from SW. Track dry

Walking on my own today as neither hound can be bothered. Found a solitary Green Ringtail Possum in tree midway between Platypus Bend and Log Jam Peninsula and 2 others in Overhanging Bushes 5 and 3. Never seen one in Bush 5 before. Saw-shelled turtles in abundance at Log Jam but took to the water after loud rustling in the shrubs on the far bank. This was created by an Eastern Water Dragon who appeared to have missed his footing and arrived in a rush at the waters edge! A Platypus was observed briefly arriving at the Log Jam and others near Picnic Peninsula and in the Viewing Pool. The Bush Stone-curlews have now moved to the trees adjoining the Car Park and still have both chicks safe.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No Rain. Hot sunny day. Cloud free. Light southerly breeze. Track dry.

Delightful surprise to see a female Green Ringtail Possum with “just out of the pouch” joey roosting right beside the Alumbah Pocket side of Lloyd’s Suspension Bridge. The curl it it’s tail is magic. This was followed by a glimpse of a Water Dragon, a swag of Turtles at the Log Jam and elsewhere and 5 Platypus including 2 episodes of mating behaviour. A small flight of Cranes flew over the walk and the Bush Stone-curlews were moving house across the paddock to Nick’s Camping area. Few visitors on the walk today so Thomas missed out on an ear scratch but I got a few good images.

Green ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Cranes / Brolgas. Unable to identify.

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

No rain. Warm sunny day. Few scattered clouds. Light, cool southerly breeze. Track Dry

Thomas and I sighted a Bush Stone-curlew along Bunya St but in a high contrast position unsuitable for photography. Numerous families along the walk and saw no wildlife until the Log Jam where there were a dozen Saw-shelled Turtles and another at Platy’s Pool. The juvenile Green Ringtail Possum was alone today at the Overhanging Bushes. Showed her to a number of visitors including a family from Vancouver and while doing so caught a brief glimpse of a Platypus and a Cairns Birdwing Butterfly flew through the bush! The Bush Stone-curlew was in a similar location near the barbed wire fence, but today accompanied by his mate and two chicks! The athletic Saw-shelled Turtle was again present atop a log in the Platypus Viewing Pool .

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudocheirax archeri

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Overcast. Several light showers during walk. Light breeze from south. Walk slightly damp.

Full team out but not expecting much in view of weather. A Bush Stone-curlew was looking anxious along Bunya Street where the garden was receiving a tidy up. Not warm enough for Water Dragons or Turtles this morning. At the downstream side of the Log Jam Peninsula a Platypus was amusing a group of Mums and children, bobbing up and down and completely indifferent to his audience. He eventually moved round the corner towards the Jam and came so close to me that the camera was unable to focus. Not helped by constant movement and poor light but I managed to get a couple of pics. No sign of any possums. Try again tomorrow!

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

1.5 mm of rain overnight. Patchy cloud with sunny periods. Moderate breeze. Track dry.

Cody has got his mojo back and led Thomas and I on a pleasing journey today. Started with a pair of Bush Stone-curlews along Bunya St. followed by an ostentatious Eastern Water Dragon on the rocks near Snodgrass’s Pool. While watching a Platypus approaching Platypus Bend met Heidi, a follower of this blog, with her family. She was highly impressed by the walk and very excited that she had seen a possum, of which more later. At the Log Jam a Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle who as sharing a log with a very small Turtle, possibly of the same species. At the usual Overhanging Bushes spot there as certainly a possum, but this was a juvenile Common Brushtail Possum who is not supposed to be up and about during the day although I quite often see one along the Walk. I’m afraid Heidi that this was a case of “right tree, wrong possum” but well done for spotting it anyway. At The Narrows a Pale-yellow Robin came to check me out and a few metres on a spotted something in the foliage of a high tree. An animal was was well concealed and the branches were swaying in the wind. I thought I saw the white lines of a Green Ringtail Possum’s back but the whole appeared excessively large. Fortunately the images confirm the diagnosis as there is a definite GRP hind foot on show and I wonder it was in fact a pair of possums accounting for the over all size.

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Krefft’s Short-necked Turtle. Emydura krefftii

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosuras vulpecula

Pale-yellow Robin. Tregellasia capito

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet. Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

No rain overnight. Overcast with brief sunny periods. Cool SW breeze. Track dry

An early start his morning to fit in with family activities. Both canine rangers in attendance. Seemed a quiet day initially with first sighting a Freshwater Snake just before the Log Jam where there was a solitary Saw-shelled Turtle in attendance. A single Green Ringtail Possum was roosting in the Overhanging Bush formerly occupied by Mum and joey and I suspect that this was Mum. She was wide awake and checking me out as usual. A Bush Stone-curlew was in a delightful spot next to a barbed wire entanglement close to the walk entrance at Highway Bridge. The only Platypus seen by me was a distant sighting from the Viewing Platform but I received reports of 3 other sightings from visitors.

Freshwater (Keelback) Snake. Tropidonophis mairii

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirax archeri

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus