Sunday 27th December 2020. 0840 – 0935

Weather

11 mm rain in the gauge. High level cirrus cloud with lower level cumulus driven by SE Trade Wind. Sunny periods. Track damp. Water level has risen slightly after several showers over Christmas.

Post

Thomas an I set out quite early this morning to settle down our digestive tracks after several days of over indulgence and try out my new 100 – 300 mm Panasonic Lumix lens.
On the way along Bunya Street sighted a Bush Stone-curlew in one of the creek-side gardens and the benefits of 12 x magnification were immediately apparent.
Met some neighbours and fellow Dachshund owners at Allumbah Pocket before photographing a Brush Tailed Possum in the Mistletoe Clump in the tree near the Picnic Shelter.
Met another couple, also with dog, at the far end of the Suspension Bridge and went on to The Other Side where a Spangled Drongo was calling loudly from a tree top.
In a large tree near the exit from the grassed area a Brown Cuckoo-dove was taking a spell.
At Horseshoe Rocks an Eastern Water Dragon was in residence. Conditions were very dark but manged to record an image of sorts. (Should have used the built in flash!)
Approaching Snodgrass’s Pool is the first of a number of similar trees which are now in flower and this was being visited today by a mob of North Queensland Day Moths with several pairs performing their mating dance. European Honey Bees were also in evidence as were a few Christmas Beetles but these were too high in the tree to photograph.
Moving towards Platypus Bend, the buzzing of Beetles and Bees could be heard from a similar tree with more advance flowers and I photographed both. I would be interested to have an identification of both the Tree and the Christmas Beetle if AG or any other viewer could help.
At the Log Jam a couple of Saw-shelled Turtles were displaying themselves and continued to do so as a pair of Pacific Black Ducks swam past.
At Picnic Peninsula the granddaughter of the aforementioned Dachshund owner introduced herself and was kind enough to make Thomas’s day. She and her partner are visiting from Sydney.
While talking to them a pair of Lewin’s Honey Eaters appeared on the scene and were photographed at two separate locations.
Along the narrows I was fortunate enough to find a Platypus foraging very thoroughly along the bank and was able to get some good shots.
The new lens appears to do what I wanted and I am sure that I will be continued to be pleased with the results.