28th September Report

A dry week with only 72 bird species plus 15 mammal and reptile species recorded.

Platypus has been regularly seen in the evening and morning as well as being spotlighted one night as it swam across and down Bushy Creek. A couple of spotlighting trips during the week produced a Green Ringtail Possum with a baby on its back,

Green Ringtail Possum and baby

a brief glimpse of a Feathertail Glider in a coconut palm and a Striped Possum feeding on the blossom high up in a tree, Long-nosed Bandicoots were more common than the Northern Brown which can usually be seen at the feeder. The largest Northern Brown turned up with 5 very large ticks on one side of it, hope it survives (the Bandicoot that is!). Not so good news for the Striped Possum was a report of a Rufous Owl in the neighbour’s yard, they love Striped Possums and last year a visit decimated the population. A Major Skink turned up in the office before being chased out and a Boyd's Forest Dragon made an appearance outside the office.

Birding highlights included the first Black-faced Monarch for the season on the 25^th Sept. another pair of Large-billed Gerygones building a nest, good views of Topknot Pigeons, a pair of Nankeen Kestrel still attending their nest after a few weeks,

Nankeen Kestrel

a Channel-billed Cuckoo stalking a Torresian Crow and an Azure Kingfisher on Bushy Creek. The Masked Owls seem to be dispersing (or have been killed on the Highway as several have been reported) with only a pair seen beside the Rex Highway late in the week. The (Lesser) Sooty Owl was heard on several occasions throughout the week but not seen.