Wednesday 12th January 20221350 – 1505

Weather

20 mm of rain in the gauge. Overcast and drizzling intermittently throughout the day. Appeared to have cleared a little after lunch and managed to complete Patrol without opening my umbrella. Light variable breeze. Track wet with numerous puddles. Not much mud. Water level risen another 75 mm. Moon phase First Quarter + 2 days

Wildlife Report

Nothing seen along Bunya Street and more unusually nothing at Allumbah Pocket.
My first sighting of the day was at the upper level near Snodgrass’s Pool where an Eastern Water Dragon was taking his ease.
Cicadas were again noisy and in the Gum Trees along the fence line I sighted several Red Roarers and a few metres farther on a number of a smaller species which I believe to be Grass Faerie Cicadas.
In the vicinity of Flood Tide Island a male Cairns Birdwing Butterfly came to visit and as I was starved of sightings I took his photo.
I saw nothing then until Platy’s Pool where a Coppery Brushtail Possum was again asleep in the Mistletoe Clump.
I also spotted a large Saw-shelled Turtle on a tree growing out from just above the waterline on the far bank.
At The Narrows I saw the tail of a Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo hanging down in one of the trees on the far bank and with a bit of effort I was able to obtain a reasonable view which I showed to a couple from Newcastle who were visiting their son and his children in Bentley Park.
While crossing the Highway Bridge I found the Coppery Brushtail Possum with her joey in the bush near the centre.
Two juvenile Eastern Water Dragons were also seen on the rocks below.
I walked across the paddock to visit the Bush Stone-curlews who were being a bit standoffish at Nick’s Camping Area.
I ended the Patrol by obtaining a slightly better view of the Tree Roos from the Yungaburra side of the Creek