JL Tasmania 2015

Tasmanianmammalspottingholiday28thNov–
11thDec2015
IflewfrommyhomestateofWAintoHobartandpickedupthehirecarand
straightawayheadedoutwithgreatanticipationtomyfirstsite
MtFieldNationalpark–2nights(28th/29thNov)
Accommodation–Nationalparkhotel300moutsideparkentrance,wherethe
ownershaveexcellentadviceonnumerouslocalplatypusviewingspots.
Platypus
Species–TasmanianpademelonsseenonRussellfallstrackearlymorning
andlateafternoon.Greatviewsofplatypus1hourbeforesunsetondisused
railwaybridgejustoutsideofnationalpark.Therealactionhoweverstartshalf
anhourafterdarkonthegrassylawnimmediatelyinsidetheparkboundary
(oppositethevisitorscentre)andincludedextremelynumerouspademelons,
commonbrushtailpossums,EasternbarredbandicootsandEasternquolls
(bothfawnanddarkmorphs.)InfactwildlifewassoprolificInearlyfellovera
bandicootwhilsttryingtophotographaquoll!Bothnightsproducedthesame
specieslistedabove.
Easternquoll(fawnmorph)
Brushtailpossum
Pademelon
Easternquoll(darkmorph)
Easternbarredbandicoot
AnafternoondriveuptolakeDobsongavegreatviewsofBennett’swallaby
(redneckedwallaby)onthecircularwalkaroundthelake.Echidnaspotted
lateafternoonatpondsnearNationalparkhotelwhilstlookingforplatypus.
Bennett’swallaby
InterestinglytheWesternquoll(chuditch)ofWAaremorearborealthanthe
EasternquollsfoundinTasmaniawhichwhenpresseddonottaketothetrees
andarethereforehardertoview.Thisisprobablyanadaptationofthechuditch
tothepresenceoftheEuropeanfoxinWAthatisabsentinTasmania.
MariaIslandNationalpark–2nights(30thNov/1stDec)
Accommodation–Convictpenitentiaryforwhichownbeddingandprovisions
areneededastherearenoshopsonMariaIsland.
Species–Steppingofftheferryitisimpossibletomisstheabundantwildlifeof
theisland.IwasextremelyfortunateTasmaniandevilsweredenningunderthe
penitentiaryduringmystayandthedevilcubswereeasytophotographbasking
intheafternoonsun.IcameacrossdevilsbothnightsIstayedatthepenitentiary
astheysetoutontheirnightlyforagingexpeditions.Inadditiontodevils
FlindersIslandwombatsandpademelonswerecommonaroundthe
penitentiaryduringtheday,whilstatnightbrushtailpossumswereeasilyseen.
ThewalkaroundtheNorthoftheislandpasttheairstripinthelateafternoon
producedEasterngreykangaroos(Foresterkangaroos,)Bennett’swallaby
andwombats,whilstadayhiketothesummitofMtMariagaveviewsof
Bennett’swallabyaswellasnumerousechidnaforagingamongstthefallen
timberofthesclerophyllforestinthewarmerpartoftheday.Unfortunatelya
spotlightalongthereservoirtracklookingforlong-nosedpotorooswasrained
offduringthesecondnightontheisland.
Tasmaniandevil
Tasmaniandevil
Foresterkangaroo
Echidna
MtWilliamNationalPark–2nights(2nd/3rdDec)
Accommodation–GladstonehotelthenearesttowntoMtWilliam.
Species–MtWilliamisdefinitelyuptherewiththeotherTasmanianNational
parksbutunfortunatelyallthespeciesviewedatMtWilliamhadalreadybeen
seenatpreviousNationalparksonthetrip.Brushtailpossumsarecommonat
thecampgroundsandwithalateafternoondrivearoundtheroadsinthepark
largenumbersofcommonwombat,Bennett’swallaby,Pademelonsand
Foresterkangaroosareeasytosee.
Commonwombat
BrushtailpossumsarealsocommonontheC843roadintotheparkfrom
Gladstoneafterdark.DuringadaydriveinMtWilliamIcameacrossresearchers
fromtheUniversityofTasmaniatrappingdevils(theykindlyshowedmeonein
atrapfromthepreviousnightstrapping.)DevilsarenowbeingreleasedintoMt
Williamaftertheirrecentpopulationcrashduetodeviltumorfacialdisease
(DFTD.)UnsurprisinglythishasresultedinaloweringofthebothEasternand
SpottedtailedquollpopulationsatMtWilliamduetocompetitionwiththe
devils.HoweverthelocalpolicemanatGladstoneoccasionallystillseesquollson
theGladstonetoBridportroadatnightfeedingonroadkill.
NarawntapuNationalpark–2nights(4th/5thDec)
Accommodation-IstayedatPortSorrellthenearesttowntoNarawntapu
whichisa25kmdrivefromtheNationalparkontheothersideoftheestuary.
Species–PademelonscanbeseenduringthedayatNarawntapuonthetrack
leadingoutfromthevisitorscentretothebirdhide,butasusualduskisthe
highlightofthedaywhenForesterkangaroos,Bennett’swallaby,
pademelonsandwombatscomeoutontotheopenlawnsaroundthevisitorsto
feed.
Grazingmacropods
Foresterkangaroossparring
AnightdriveontheC741toYorktownproducedonlypademelonsbutthereal
highlightoftheareaistheC740.AcoupleofKilometersoutsidethenationalpark
IcameacrossmyfirstringtailpossuminTasmaniaslowlycrossingtheroad.
Ringtailpossum
AlsoontheC740thereisaTasmanianbettongcolonyabout2kmfromthe
intersectionoftheC740withtheB71inthepineforest(frommemorythe5th
trackintopineforestfromtheintersection.)
TasmanianBettong
WhilstthedrivebacktoPortSorellfromNarawntapuisalongoneatnightgoing
60kmperhourIdidgettoseeaSouthernbrownbandicootforagingjust
outsideofthetown.ThefollowingmorningdrivingtoLoonganaIcameacrossa
freshlykilledspotted-tailedquolldeadontheroad(DOR)justoutsidePort
Sorellthathadnotbeentherethepreviousnight,asthiswasthesecond
spotted-tailedquollDORIcameacrossintheareaIconcludethatalthoughI
didn’tseeanylivequollsthisareamuststillbegoodforthisspecies.
Loonganawildernesslodge(Levencanyon)–3nights(6th/7th/8th
Dec)
Accommodation–Loonganawhereyoucanwatchthewildlifefeeddirectly
fromyourcabin.
Species–AllthreenightsatLoonganaIhadextensiveviewsofmultiple
platypusintheriverthatrunsthroughthepropertyonafreeguidedtourbythe
veryknowledgableLen.Alsoontheguidedtourwesawpademelonsand
wombats.
Platypus
Night1–30minsafterduskaspotted-tailedquollcameoutsidethecabinto
feedonthechickenputoutbyLen,satisfiedIhadanearlynight.Duringthenight
IgotuptofindaTasmaniandevilfeedingoutsidemycabinabout1am.
Night2–Unfortunatelythesecondnightwasruinedforallbyaguestrunning
aroundoutsidewithaflashlight,theownerssuggestnotleavingthecabinduring
thenightasitwillscarethewildlifeitforgoodreason.
Night3.–Again30minsafterdarkIwasvisitedbyaspotted-tailedquollwhich
fedoutsidemycabinfor2-3minsthenreturnedtwicemoretocarryoffmore
chickenbeforethearrivalofthedevilswhicharrivedshortlyafter.Iwatcheda
beautifuldevil(sadlywithDFTD)feedoutsidemycabinforover30minsand
wowcouldthislittledevilputitaway.Twowholechickenslaterhewaddledoff
intothenightbellyfullydistendedIassumeveryhappy!
LoonganatrulyisagemofawildlifeexperienceandalthoughIdidn’ttakeany
photosofthenightfeedingitisalloweditwasjustapersonalchoice.
Cradlemountain–2nights(9th/10thDec)
Accommodation–theaptlynamedringtailcabinatCradlevalleymountain
lodge.
Species–primeviewingofaringtailpossumfromthebalconyofmycabinboth
nights.Echidnaonthepencilpinewalk.NumerousBennett’swallaby,
pademelonsonthecradlevalleywalk.NumerousBennett’swallaby(including
longhairedform)andwombatinthetouristvillagewheremostofthe
accommodationissituated.Brushtailpossums,Bennett’swallabyand
pademelonsonthedriveuptoDoveLakespotlightingafterdark.
Bennett’swallaby(longhairedvariety)
Ringtailpossum
SadlythiswastheendofmytimeinTasmaniaandfromhereitwasashortdrive
downtoDevonporttocatchmyflightsbacktoWA.