Monday 23rd December 2019. 1250 – 1355

3 ml of rain overnight. Cloudy with brief sunny periods. Intermittent gusty wind from the South. Track damp.

Late start after more shopping and mowing the lawn!
Nil to see at Allumbah Pocket or The Other Side. An Eastern Water Dragon put in a brief appearance at the Memorial Bench but vanished when I raised my camera. First significant sighting was opposite Snodgrass’s Pool where a male Green Ringtail Possum was in the usual tree he was a little feisty and started to climb higher as soon as I appeared but then sat quietly while I took his picture. Hope he didn’t get too upset by several other photographers who were directed towards him.
At the Log Jam there were four Saw-shelled Turtles today, all posing nicely, but then nothing else until the Highway Bridge where an Eastern Water Skink was on the rocks below.
In the paddock adjoining the Car Park a pair of Bush Stone-curlews were standing close to the fence and the female was intent on her morning preen and exercise routine. After preening under her left wing she did some neck stretches and then fully extended her right wing and leg. She looked much more relaxed when finished!
At the Figbird Commune one of my regulars had, I believe, two large chicks on show while Mum sat rather uncomfortably on the edge of the nest. A Magpie Lark is now sharing the tree and sitting on a nest.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

His white powder puff is visible at bottom left.
Doesn’t look too exhausted after the ladies he has been looking after.

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Sharing a log
Interesting posture.

Eastern Water Skink. Eulamprus quoyii

Photographed between the Bridge railings

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Preening under wing.
Now neck stretches
Now the right wing and leg!

Australasian Figbird. Sphecotheres flaviventris

I think that there are 2 juvenile beaks projecting over the right side of the nest. Mum rather uncomfortable on the left.

Magpie-lark. Grallina cyanoleuca

Sharing the tree with 5 Figbird nests !