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