Wednesday 5th January 2022. 0930 – 1105

Weather

No rain. Bright and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky. Cool SW breeze 10 knots. Track damp. Puddles and mud drying up rapidly. Water level fallen 100 mm. New Moon + 2 days.

Wildlife Report

Started a little later today after trimming grass edges prior to mowing.
In the trees to the right of the entrance to Allumbah Pocket I spotted a well concealed Green Ringtail Possum high in the canopy. It appeared somewhat bulky and below the animals tail which is reaching out to a neighbouring branch is what looks to me like a very small tail hanging out of a pouch. Only time will tell.
As I crossed Lloyd’s Suspension Bridge a Spangled Drongo was making a lot of noise but was too distant for a good photo.
In the tree downstream of the Bridge supports, another Green Ringtail was in the same spot as on my last visit but even better concealed and I was quite unable to get a decent image.
I next located the bird’s nest seen last time and almost immediately heard a Catbird squawking behind me. Turning round I located it in a nearby tree and it appeared to be calling in spite of a large beak full of what looked more like food than building material.
I was able to show it to a passing Granny who was having great difficulty in locating her grandchildren who appeared to have vanished.
In the flowering Syzygium tree near Snodgrass’s Pool “Christmas” beetles could be heard buzzing and I did manage to get a rather distant shot. Several Honeyeaters were also present but too busy to be photographed and a few North Queensland Day Moths were also present.
At the Upper Level rocks an Eastern Water Dragon was posing for me.
I was looking out for Cicadas which were again very noisy but instead sighted a small but colourful beetle which I believe is an Eight Spotted Leaf Beetle.
At The Log Jam two Saw-shelled Turtles of considerably different sizes were occupying adjoining logs.
While leaving the Peninsula a White-bellied Cuckooshrike flew into a tree ahead of me and I as soon as I turned from photographing it I saw a Bar-shouldered Dove which appeared to be sitting on a typical ramshackle nest.
The Mistletoe Clump near Platys Pool was still providing shelter for a Coppery Brushtail Possum which was again asleep.
Near No 3 of the Overhanging Bushes my regular Green Ringtail was in one of his alternate perches in the River Oak.
I crept up to the birds nest in Bush No 1 and was thrilled to find a female Fairy Gerygone in residence and presumably sitting on a clutch of eggs.
I walked another few metres and found yet another Green Ringtail in the Camphor Laurel tree which hangs over the Picnic Table. I have been checking this tree out of late since being told that GRPs had been seen there.
At the tip of the Peninsula a Macleay’s Honeyeater was busy in the flowers of another Syzygium tree.
The fifth Green Ringtail of the day, another male, was in the tree on the paddock side of the track next to the fence strainer on the corner.
A few metres further on I met an Indian family now resident in Melbourne who were so enthusiastic that I took them back to see all three of the nearby possums.
On the rocks under the Highway Bridge I photographed a juvenile Eastern Water Dragon. There seem to be a variety of different sized juvenile dragons resident in this corner who compete for sunbathing space and I never know which I am going to see.
At the Platypus Viewing Pool I was about to give up when I saw the bubble pattern indicating a Platypus below and it soon popped up for a few quick shots before vanishing again.
As I left the Car Park I was again seen off by a pair of Willie Wagtails who appeared to be protecting a couple of juveniles hiding in the Bamboo Clump.
My final sighting for today was a White-headed Pigeon which was in the tree often favoured by possums along the footpath to Bunya Street.