Saturday 1st January 2022. 0855 – 1015

Weather

16 mm of rain inn he gauge. Clear blue sky with increasing cumulus clouds during course of Patrol. Light southerly breeze. Track damp with a few small muddy areas. Water level fallen about 100mm. Stepping stones still submerged. 1 day before New Moon.

Wildlife Report

Almost immediately after leaving home I spotted a flight of 7 or 8 large black and white birds soaring over the village. Through my x 12 lens I could see that they were Pelicans and I spent a few minutes trying to photograph them as the flew swiftly and were frequently obscured by the intervening treetops.
I found nothing of interest at Allumbah Pocket but as I crossed the suspension Bridge I saw a very small juvenile Saw-shelled Turtle on one of the rocks below.
At Snodgrass’s Pool one of the large Syzygium trees is flowering again after the heavy rain and numerous beetles could be heard buzzing in the canopy but were not close enough to photograph.
As I approached the Log Jam I spotted ripples emerging from the foliage overhanging the water. A Platypus soon emerged and continued to forage in the pool for several minutes presenting herself intermittently to have her picture taken. A local couple accompanied by their dogs were also enjoying the experience.
Several Turtles were also feeding in the vicinity and I got a snap of one as it surfaced.
In the mistletoe clump in a River Oak near Platys Pool a Coppery Brushtail Possum was again in residence and showing his little pink nose.
At the Overhanging Bushes I have several times recently seen a pair of Rails either landing in the flowering grasses or in the shorter grass at the edge of the track. Today I saw the pair fly into the paddock quite close to the fence so I waited for a few minutes and was rewarded by one of the birds emerging onto the track where I confirmed it to be a Buff-banded Rail.
This lead me along to the large River Oak close to No 2 Bush where the Green Ringtail Possum was also at home.
I checked out the birds nest close by and today I was lucky enough to see a small bird emerge and think that it was a Gerygone. I hope to identify it in the near future.
While crossing the Highway Bridge I said hello as usual to the resident Coppery Brushtail Possum and to the juvenile Eastern Water Dragon on the rocks below.
From the Car Park I was able to see one of the Bush Stone-curlews at Nick’s Camping Area and found him as usual surrounded by tastefully arranged artifacts while his partner was lying in the grass nearby.