Tuesday 12th May 2020. 1100 – 1215

Weather

No rain. Patchy cloud with sunny periods. Winds East. Gusty at times. Track dry. Water clearing an level falling slowly.

Post

After planting out veggie seedlings and doing a few garden chores decided that a stroll along the Creek with Thomas was the order of the day.
A small Saw-shelled Turtle was sunbaking on the Stepping Stones as we crossed the Suspension Bridge and this set the order of the day as we saw four similar juvenile turtles at various spots along the walk and a larger specimen in the Platypus Viewing Pool.
Two Turtles were at the Log Jam although one did not wish to be photographed and took to the water.
Very noisy at this point as one of the properties along the far bank has had the tree loppers in for 2 days and they have still not finished. Fortunately not too much difference visible from the Creek.
In the larger trees between the Overhanging Bushes a Pacific Baza was minding his own business although a group of smaller birds were unsettled by his presence and took very little notice of us. Photographed not only the Baza, but a Silvereye, a Spangled Drongo, and a Willie Wagtail all within a few metres.
The final pair of juvenile Turtles were on a small log on the downstream side of Picnic Peninsula.
As we arrived at the pool under the Highway Bridge a Platypus dived. It soon surfaced and we stayed for 10 minutes as it continued to feed and then adjourned to shallows under the bank for a late morning scratch and tidy up.
As previously noted, “Tensing” Turtle was perched on the observation post in the Viewing Pool with as usual another Turtle waiting at water level.
After visiting a Bush Stone-curlew at the Car Park we deviated to the fig tree on the far side of the vacant lot and were confronted by our accustomed rear end view of the Chocolate Brushtail Possum.
As we burrowed into the undergrowth seeking a better viewpoint, a Green Ringtail Possum was startled and sprinted up the tree where I lost sight of it. Fortunately it stopped to check us out and I was able to photograph him as well.
The walk was completed by a view of the resident Bunya Street Curlew in his regular spot.