Thursday 31st March 2022. 1355 – 1530 hrs

Weather

No rain. Sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky. Less humid than in recent weeks. Very little breeze. Track dry. Water level falling very slowly. New Moon tomorrow 1st April.

Wildlife Report

It took me a few minutes to find “Mrs Green” the Green Ringtail Possum at Allumbah Pocket today as she had moved across to the North side of the entrance. It was also not very easy to obtain an unobstructed view.
While rounding the bend to the Picnic Shelter a Rufous Shrikethrush flew into a bush straight in front of me and demanded to be photographed.
“Nosey” the other female GRP had returned to her favourite perch alongside the Suspension Bridge and provided some good images.
As I crossed the Bridge I noted that the Spectacled Flying foxes were still in residence down stream.
There was little to be seen at the other side until I reached the path to the upper level near Snodgrass’s Pool where a large Eastern Water Dragon, probably “Scarface”, posed for me. Another very shy Dragon which I often see declined to hang around.
I then spotted “Whitespot” the GRP in one of the Camphor Laurel trees close to the Creek Bank. I was unable to get a view of her Joey apart from it’s tail which was curled up and just visible protruding from behind Mum’s back.
On the far bank several Saw-shelled Turtles were reclining on the sloping log.
At the North end of Flood Tide Island I spotted a disturbance in the partly submerged grasses and a Platypus soon emerged. She swam up the Creek to the other end of the Island where she returned to the bank and performed some serious foraging almost at my feet although my view was partly obstructed by foliage.
At the Log Jam another Saw-shelled Turtle was on top of the concrete slab with another trying without success to clamber up. A small Water Dragon was in the foliage behind.
More Turtles were on the sloping log near the base of Picnic Peninsula.
At Stringers Stretch another Platypus was feeding although all on the far side of the Creek.
Further shots were taken of the golden Orb-weaver Spider at the Lomandra Clump near the bridge.
As I walked beneath the span I was running my hand along the newly erected safety rail and some sixth sense made me stop as I was about to place my hand in a substantial deposit of Bat Scats! The group of Large Footed Fishing Bats in the photo were located vertically above!
I visited the Bush Stone-curlews at Nicks Camping Area with the usual human artifacts in the field of view.
Arriving at the East Bank I saw nothing obvious but as I walked under a low Privet Tree I was alerted by a slight movement and found the Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo with her Joey concealed in the foliage. The Joey was as usual quite lively and I was able to get some good images of both in spite of the surrounding twigs and leaves.
The Golden Orb-weaver in her web nearby looked if possible even more distended and I think she will soon be laying her eggs in the soil below.
The Brushtail Possum was still in the old tree on the bank but not showing an elegant view.
On the way to the paddock a Pacific Emerald Dove flew ahead of me as if demanding to be photographed.
In the Overhanging Fig Tree nearby “Tatty” the Coppery Brushtail was fully exposed but with her paws concealing her eyes. The afternoon sun must have been troubling her.

Green Ringtail Possum. Pseudochirops archeri

“Mrs Green” at Allumbah pocket
Is this a friendly wink?
“Nosey” next to the bridge
“Whitespot” at Snodgrass’s Pool. Her tail is in the foreground. Joey’s tail is in a coil at centre/far left

Rufous Shrikethrush. Colluricincla megarhyncha

Posing at Allumbah Pocket

Spectacled Flying Foxes. Pteropus conspicillatus

Quite a collection of Flying Foxes today

Eastern Water Dragon. Physignathus lesueurii

“Scarface” – a new man!

Saw-shelled Turtle. Elseya latisternum

At Snodgrass’s Pool
At The Log Jam
Opposite Overhanging Bushes

Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Almost at my feet
Moving up stream

Platypus 2 at Stringers Stretch

Golden Orb-weaver Spider. Nephila pilipes

Young female near Highway Bridge
Heavily gravid female with males in attendance

Large-footed Fishing Bat. Myotis macropus

Bat Scats on Safety Rail
The Bats immediately above!

Bush Stone-curlew. Burhinus grallarius

Another tasteful spot

Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. Dendrolagus lumholtzi

Joey and Mum peeping through the foliage
Joey. He has one foot in front of his chin NOT black fangs!
Climbing on Mum’s back
The long suffering Mother. She will have to put up with this for another couple of years!

Common Brushtail Possum. Trichosurus vulpecula

Tasteful view on Creek bank
“Tatty” keeping the sun from her eyes

Pacific Emerald Dove. Chalcophaps longirostris

Posing for a photo