Saturday 19th June 2021. 1435 – 1545

Weather

No rain. Sunny with scattered cloud. No breeze to speak of. Track dry. Water level down 10 mm. Moon 1st Quarter +1.

Moon at 1540

Wildlife Report

Finding myself still able to walk after loading my trailer and taking a massive load of garden waste to the tip I decided to celebrate by taking a walk along the Creek. Thomas is still exhausted after constant supervision of his two new step sisters and having his ear chewed as soon as he tries to rest and so remained barricaded in my chair!
At the entrance to Allumbah Pocket I immediately spotted a Green Ringtail Possum and within a few metres a Chocolate Brushtail Possum in the Mistletoe Clump.
While photographing the latter I met a bloke from Cairns carrying a large telephoto lens and introduced him to both of my friends.
On the to rocks opposite Snodgrass’s Pool where another old friend “Scarface” the Eastern Water Dragon was on a skyline rock and I was pleased to observe that his facial ulcer seems to be definitely healing.
On the fallen tree in the Pool a Saw-shelled Turtle was also photographed.
Nothing then until the Log Jam where a Platypus had kindly synchronised himself with my arrival. After foraging in the Pool for a few minutes he headed upstream and I was able to get some quite good shots in the afternoon sun.
A couple of Saw-shelled Turtles were seen at Platys Pool.
At the Overhanging Bushes a row of Saw-shelled Turtles were enjoying the view from a sloping log and a couple from the Netherlands joined me as I was photographing them.
From the same spot I spotted a moderately large Eastern Water Dragon lying on the branch of a tree on the opposite bank. It was at approximately eye level and must have been 6 metres above the ground!
Before I sent the couple off to look for the Platypus, I was able to show them a small male Green Ringtail Possum which was roosting in No 3 of the Bushes.
Before crossing the Highway Bridge I stopped to photograph the regular Golden Orb-weaver Spider and noticed that three more Orb-weavers were sharing the same clump of Lomandra and there is yet another on the opposite side of the Track.
“Tensing Turtle” was again on top of his branch and I was able to get a better than usual shot of him.
The last sighting of the day was of the family of Bush Stone-curlews enjoying an even more lovely piece of real estate at Nick’s Car Park.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

“Piratical Pete” at the entrance to Allumbah Pocket
View from another direction.
A younger GRP at the Overhanging Bushes

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Chocolate coloured Possum in the Mistletoe Clump

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

“Scarface” on the skyline. His facial ulceration is definitely improving
A better view
On the far Bank opposite Overhanging Bushes

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

At Snodgrass’s Pool
Smaller of 2 Turtles at Platys Pool but the larger specimen looked the wrong way!
You are in my way!
“Tensing Turtle” at Platypus Viewing Pool

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

On the upstream side of Log Jam Peninsula
Afternoon light was good at this spot
Picking up speed

Golden Orb-weaver Spider. Nephila pilipes

This area is becoming a spider village!

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

A magic spot