Friday 12th August 2022. 1305 – 1425 hrs

Weather

1mm of rain in the gauge. Overcast with some light drizzle early. No significant breeze. Track dry. Water level falling slowly. Full Moon.

Wildlife Report

Busy doing paperwork this morning but received a call just before lunch from our neighbour who is one of the Yungaburra Volunteers to let me know that there had been a new arrival among our friends along Petersons Creek.
As soon as lunch was over I set out to check it out and on arrival at Allumbah Pocket I soon spotted a Green Ringtail Possum which I think was “Mrs Green” in the trees to the right of the main entrance.
In the tree next to the Suspension Bridge “Nosey”, another Green Ringtail, had returned to her favourite perch and as I had been told she was sitting next to her joey! I took a number of shots without being able see the baby’s face but is was still very exciting.
As I was investigating the Old Boiler House a Platypus made a cameo appearance before departing downstream at high speed between the Stepping Stones.
At the Other Side I took a photo of a female Australasian Figbird of which there were many around today gorging on the fruit of Privet Trees.
In the rocks nearby I saw a moderate sized Eastern Water Dragon peering out at me.
In the adjoining clump of trees “Whitespot” another female GRP was sitting on a branch concealed from most directions by dense foliage.
I walked back along Bunya Street muttering a few uncharitable words and made my way to Nicks Camping area where the Curlews were still absent.
At the Platypus Viewing Platform I photographed a very small Saw Shelled Turtle on the sloping branch.
As I crossed the Highway Bridge I spotted a juvenile Water Dragon on the rocks below with a slightly larger specimen in the undergrowth nearby.
I walked up to the junction of Curtain Figtree Road but saw nothing before returning to the North side of the Bridge where I got shots of a Golden Orb-weaver Spider and a Large-footed Fishing Bat.
I finished by checking the East Bank where Common Brushtail Possums were seen in the Hollow Tree and the Overhanging Fig Tree.
As I returned along Bunya Street a White-cheeked Honeyeater was enjoying the blossoms of a Bottlebrush.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

“Mrs Green” at entrance to Allumbah Pocket
“Nosey” viewed from the Creek Bank. Joey is on the right where a white ear marking and a glimpse of right eye are just visible.
View from Bridge. “Nosey” now looking in opposite direction with baby in front of her.
“Whitespot” hiding her right ear.

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Platypus in process of diving. Eyes and ear cleft are closed while bill is being swept from animals right to left which pulls head below the surface

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

Female at The Other Side

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Peeping out from among the rocks
Juvenile under Highway Bridge

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

From viewing Platform

Golden Orb-weaver Spider. Nephila pilipes

Immature spider with a degree of colour morphing

Large-footed Fishing Bat. Myotis macropus

Solitary Bat under Highway Bridge

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Chocolate Possum in Hollow Tree
Coppery Possum “Tatty”.

White-cheeked Honeyeater. Phylidonyris niger

In Bottlebrush Tree