tasmanian mammal spotting holiday 28th nov – dec...

Tasmanianmammalspottingholiday28thNov–11thDec2015IflewfrommyhomestateofWAintoHobartandpickedupthehirecarandstraightawayheadedoutwithgreatanticipationtomyfirstsiteMtFieldNationalpark–2nights(28th/29thNov)Accommodation–Nationalparkhotel300moutsideparkentrance,wheretheownershaveexcellentadviceonnumerouslocalplatypusviewingspots.Platypus

Species–TasmanianpademelonsseenonRussellfallstrackearlymorningandlateafternoon.Greatviewsofplatypus1hourbeforesunsetondisusedrailwaybridgejustoutsideofnationalpark.Therealactionhoweverstartshalfanhourafterdarkonthegrassylawnimmediatelyinsidetheparkboundary(oppositethevisitorscentre)andincludedextremelynumerouspademelons,commonbrushtailpossums,EasternbarredbandicootsandEasternquolls(bothfawnanddarkmorphs.)InfactwildlifewassoprolificInearlyfelloverabandicootwhilsttryingtophotographaquoll!Bothnightsproducedthesamespecieslistedabove.

Easternquoll(fawnmorph)

Brushtailpossum

Pademelon

Easternquoll(darkmorph)

Easternbarredbandicoot

AnafternoondriveuptolakeDobsongavegreatviewsofBennett’swallaby(redneckedwallaby)onthecircularwalkaroundthelake.EchidnaspottedlateafternoonatpondsnearNationalparkhotelwhilstlookingforplatypus.Bennett’swallaby

InterestinglytheWesternquoll(chuditch)ofWAaremorearborealthantheEasternquollsfoundinTasmaniawhichwhenpresseddonottaketothetreesandarethereforehardertoview.ThisisprobablyanadaptationofthechuditchtothepresenceoftheEuropeanfoxinWAthatisabsentinTasmania.MariaIslandNationalpark–2nights(30thNov/1stDec)Accommodation–ConvictpenitentiaryforwhichownbeddingandprovisionsareneededastherearenoshopsonMariaIsland.Species–Steppingofftheferryitisimpossibletomisstheabundantwildlifeoftheisland.IwasextremelyfortunateTasmaniandevilsweredenningunderthepenitentiaryduringmystayandthedevilcubswereeasytophotographbaskingintheafternoonsun.IcameacrossdevilsbothnightsIstayedatthepenitentiaryastheysetoutontheirnightlyforagingexpeditions.InadditiontodevilsFlindersIslandwombatsandpademelonswerecommonaroundthepenitentiaryduringtheday,whilstatnightbrushtailpossumswereeasilyseen.ThewalkaroundtheNorthoftheislandpasttheairstripinthelateafternoonproducedEasterngreykangaroos(Foresterkangaroos,)Bennett’swallabyandwombats,whilstadayhiketothesummitofMtMariagaveviewsofBennett’swallabyaswellasnumerousechidnaforagingamongstthefallentimberofthesclerophyllforestinthewarmerpartoftheday.Unfortunatelyaspotlightalongthereservoirtracklookingforlong-nosedpotorooswasrainedoffduringthesecondnightontheisland.Tasmaniandevil

Tasmaniandevil

Foresterkangaroo

Echidna

MtWilliamNationalPark–2nights(2nd/3rdDec)Accommodation–GladstonehotelthenearesttowntoMtWilliam.Species–MtWilliamisdefinitelyuptherewiththeotherTasmanianNationalparksbutunfortunatelyallthespeciesviewedatMtWilliamhadalreadybeenseenatpreviousNationalparksonthetrip.Brushtailpossumsarecommonatthecampgroundsandwithalateafternoondrivearoundtheroadsintheparklargenumbersofcommonwombat,Bennett’swallaby,PademelonsandForesterkangaroosareeasytosee.

Commonwombat

BrushtailpossumsarealsocommonontheC843roadintotheparkfromGladstoneafterdark.DuringadaydriveinMtWilliamIcameacrossresearchersfromtheUniversityofTasmaniatrappingdevils(theykindlyshowedmeoneinatrapfromthepreviousnightstrapping.)DevilsarenowbeingreleasedintoMtWilliamaftertheirrecentpopulationcrashduetodeviltumorfacialdisease(DFTD.)UnsurprisinglythishasresultedinaloweringofthebothEasternandSpottedtailedquollpopulationsatMtWilliamduetocompetitionwiththedevils.HoweverthelocalpolicemanatGladstoneoccasionallystillseesquollsontheGladstonetoBridportroadatnightfeedingonroadkill.NarawntapuNationalpark–2nights(4th/5thDec)Accommodation-IstayedatPortSorrellthenearesttowntoNarawntapuwhichisa25kmdrivefromtheNationalparkontheothersideoftheestuary.Species–PademelonscanbeseenduringthedayatNarawntapuonthetrackleadingoutfromthevisitorscentretothebirdhide,butasusualduskisthehighlightofthedaywhenForesterkangaroos,Bennett’swallaby,pademelonsandwombatscomeoutontotheopenlawnsaroundthevisitorstofeed.

Grazingmacropods

Foresterkangaroossparring

AnightdriveontheC741toYorktownproducedonlypademelonsbuttherealhighlightoftheareaistheC740.AcoupleofKilometersoutsidethenationalparkIcameacrossmyfirstringtailpossuminTasmaniaslowlycrossingtheroad.Ringtailpossum

AlsoontheC740thereisaTasmanianbettongcolonyabout2kmfromtheintersectionoftheC740withtheB71inthepineforest(frommemorythe5thtrackintopineforestfromtheintersection.)TasmanianBettong

WhilstthedrivebacktoPortSorellfromNarawntapuisalongoneatnightgoing60kmperhourIdidgettoseeaSouthernbrownbandicootforagingjustoutsideofthetown.ThefollowingmorningdrivingtoLoonganaIcameacrossafreshlykilledspotted-tailedquolldeadontheroad(DOR)justoutsidePortSorellthathadnotbeentherethepreviousnight,asthiswasthesecondspotted-tailedquollDORIcameacrossintheareaIconcludethatalthoughIdidn’tseeanylivequollsthisareamuststillbegoodforthisspecies.Loonganawildernesslodge(Levencanyon)–3nights(6th/7th/8thDec)Accommodation–Loonganawhereyoucanwatchthewildlifefeeddirectlyfromyourcabin.Species–AllthreenightsatLoonganaIhadextensiveviewsofmultipleplatypusintheriverthatrunsthroughthepropertyonafreeguidedtourbytheveryknowledgableLen.Alsoontheguidedtourwesawpademelonsandwombats.

Platypus

Night1–30minsafterduskaspotted-tailedquollcameoutsidethecabintofeedonthechickenputoutbyLen,satisfiedIhadanearlynight.DuringthenightIgotuptofindaTasmaniandevilfeedingoutsidemycabinabout1am.Night2–Unfortunatelythesecondnightwasruinedforallbyaguestrunningaroundoutsidewithaflashlight,theownerssuggestnotleavingthecabinduringthenightasitwillscarethewildlifeitforgoodreason.Night3.–Again30minsafterdarkIwasvisitedbyaspotted-tailedquollwhichfedoutsidemycabinfor2-3minsthenreturnedtwicemoretocarryoffmorechickenbeforethearrivalofthedevilswhicharrivedshortlyafter.Iwatchedabeautifuldevil(sadlywithDFTD)feedoutsidemycabinforover30minsandwowcouldthislittledevilputitaway.TwowholechickenslaterhewaddledoffintothenightbellyfullydistendedIassumeveryhappy!LoonganatrulyisagemofawildlifeexperienceandalthoughIdidn’ttakeanyphotosofthenightfeedingitisalloweditwasjustapersonalchoice.

Cradlemountain–2nights(9th/10thDec)Accommodation–theaptlynamedringtailcabinatCradlevalleymountainlodge.Species–primeviewingofaringtailpossumfromthebalconyofmycabinbothnights.Echidnaonthepencilpinewalk.NumerousBennett’swallaby,pademelonsonthecradlevalleywalk.NumerousBennett’swallaby(includinglonghairedform)andwombatinthetouristvillagewheremostoftheaccommodationissituated.Brushtailpossums,Bennett’swallabyandpademelonsonthedriveuptoDoveLakespotlightingafterdark.

Bennett’swallaby(longhairedvariety)

Ringtailpossum

SadlythiswastheendofmytimeinTasmaniaandfromhereitwasashortdrivedowntoDevonporttocatchmyflightsbacktoWA.