Tuesday 29th December 2020. 0825-0915

Weather

50 mm of rain in gauge. Overcast with occasional periods of watery sunshine. Light SE breeze. Track damp. Water level up at least 300 mm since yesterday.

Post

Made relatively early start this morning as last time after substantial rain Platypus were numerous. Thomas declined. He hates getting his winkle wet and if you are a Dachshund it is hard to avoid!
Nothing seen until Snodgrass’s Pool where in the first flowering tree the rain had caused a lot of damage to the flowers although there were still a few Christmas Beetles high in the canopy.
In the trees on the opposite side of the track “Popeye” one of my regular male Green Ringtail Possums was roosting happily on a branch.
A few metres further on I spotted the “fizzing” of a Platypus foraging under water and while getting in a suitable position to take photos, another Platypus popped up at my feet. He was startled to see me and made an emergency dive. The first Platypus lay on the surface after surfacing and was observed by a visitor from Sydney with his English partner. We were then passed by a group of a dozen or so visitors, presumably an organised group, who passed by with no more than a passing indication of interest.
I took the couple back to the Snodgrass’s sign where the Platypus continued to entertain us and two other couples, one with a child and all of them had a look at the Possum.
A Pacific Black Duck also joined the party.
The first couple and and I continued along the Creek and photographed Christmas Beetles at another flowering tree near Flood Tide Island.
A single Saw-shelled Turtle at the Log Jam made off before we could take photos. The logs were considerably less visible than yesterday.
At the tip of Picnic Peninsula we observed a Platypus, lying in shallow water with his head and torso on the bank having a good preen and scratch. On viewing the images I noted a dark band around her neck and wondered if if could be some plastic or other foreign material. I have sought advice on this.
While watching this Platypus, a number of Scarlet Honeyeaters visited the flowering tree at this spot and another platypus appeared from Stringers Stretch and paused briefly at our feet. We had two Platypus visible at the same time for several minutes.
At the Narrows I met Grant, one of my regular followers, visiting again with his two sons.
Along Dowling’s Corridor my new mate from Sydney was smart enough to spot another Green Ringtail Possum high in the canopy which provided some more photos.