Thursday 10th December. 0905 – 1010

Weather

2 mm of rain in gauge + a couple of very light showers since. Cloudy with brief sunny periods. Variable southerly breeze. Track damp with water droplets falling from foliage. Water level very low.

Post

Thomas not wishing to get wet feet or other body parts so approached Allumbah Pocket along.
A very well dressed male Australian Brush Turkey was busy constructing a mound just to the left of the entrance and had placed a large swathe of building material across the path. He was not in the least disconcerted by my presence and continued with his excavations while I photographed him.
On starting across the Suspension Bridge I immediately spotted a Green
Ringtail Possum in the Casuarina Tree to the left of the bridge. It turned out to be “Mrs Green” with her joey who declined however to show his face. Photos were not good as a view of them necessitated looking almost directly into the sun but is was good to see them anyway.
No Water Dragons were seen as it was rather early with little sun.
A Rufous Shrikethrush was on hand and keen to be digitally recorded.
At Platypus Bend a small Saw-shelled Turtle was taking a breath and was photographed in case no others of his specious were on show but this proved not to be the case and three much larger specimens were taking the air at the Log Jam.
Small birds were very active around the Overhanging Bushes and a Yellow-faced Honeyeater and a Pale Yellow Robin were photographed.
The regular male Green Ringtail Possum was hidden in the foliage of Bush Number 1 and a couple on a regular visit from Townsville were passing just at the right time to see him.
After leaving them I photographed a Spectacled Monarch on Picnic Peninsula.
Final sighting of the day was a pair of excited Masked Lapwings close to Nick’s Camping Area.