Weather

10 mm or rain in the gauge. Overcast with early drizzle. Diminishing later. Minimal breeze. Water has been over lower parts of bank but now falling again. Track moist with numerous shallow puddles. Moon Phase 3rd Quarter – 3 days.

Wildlife Report

Planned to go on Patrol early this morning but waited until drizzle appeared to have ceased and took umbrella in case.
Was pleased to spot a Green Ringtail Possum in a tree along Bunya Street marking the front boundary of one of the Creek side dwellings and this set the tone for the day.
“Popeye” the Green Ringtail Possum was again present in the tree next to the suspension Bridge and was being inspected by visitors from Townsville under the guidance of my neighbour.
At the Other Side I checked the Spotted Catbird nest and observed that the erect tail was again present.
Two Eastern Water Dragons were photographed at the Horseshoe rocks and at the Upper level.
Another Green Ringtail was in the dense foliage of a tree close to Snodgrass’s Pool and with some difficulty I was able to establish that this was “Whitespot”.
An interesting feature today was that many of the very noisy Cicadas were today on the stalks of flowering grass in the adjoining pasture. I identified Red Roarers, Grass Faeries and Green Barons confirmed with photos. There were also numerous nymphs of the Grass Faeries.
At The Log Jam a solitary Saw-shelled turtle was on one of the few logs available.
At the lower level near Platy’s Pool the Green Ringtail Possum was again present and as I photographed him I noted waves emanating from under the large Syzygium Tree.
A Platypus soon appeared and was followed up the creek to the base of Picnic Peninsula where he had a good scratch and brush up on the branches of the recently fallen tree before continuing upstream.
The large Golden Orb-weaver Spider was photographed near No 5 of the overhanging bushes.
The Fairy Gerygone nest was still intact but not occupied this morning.
After crossing the Highway Bridge without any further sightings I checked out Nick’s Camping Area where I took a few shots of one of the Bush Stone-curlews.
I crossed the Highway to check the second Spotted Catbird’s nest which was still occupied.
As usual I scanned the surrounding trees and noticed an aberrant bump in an unfamiliar tree and it took only a minute to find that it was a single Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. I suspect that this is the mother seen in this spot several times with her joey which has now been sent off to make its own living.
On the way home along Bunya Street I again disturbed a pair of Masked Lapwings who I presume have a nest somewhere in the vicinity.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

Spotted Catbird. Ailuroedus maculosus

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

Red Roarer Cicada. Psaltoda aurora

Grass Faerie. Parnkalla muelleri

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Golden Orb-weaver Spider. Nephila pilipes

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. Dendrolagus lumholtzi

Masked Lapwing. Vanellus miles miles