Total Eco Adventures

On Saturday 17th Dec 2011  we conducted a spotlighting tour through The Bower at Broulee on the NSW South Coast. With excited guests and outside clients we began with a quick chat about the local environment, the local coastal Bangalay Sand Forest endangered community and what we might expect to find.

We were treated to an number of our nocturnal australian wildlife beginning with a chorus of frogs dominated by Peron's Tree Frog (Litoria peronii) along with Common Eastern Froglets (Crinia signifera) and Dwarf Tree Frog (Litoria fallax). We then saw some large goanna tracks - likely a Lace Monitor (Varanus varius).

Many microchiropteran bats flew around us and a number of Swamp Wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) made themselves known in the bushes.

When we returned our gaze to the trees we found Ringtail Possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), excitedly an threatened Yellow-bellied Glider (Petaurus australis) and even more excitedly a Feathertail Glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) gliding between trees - photo from Sydenham, S. & Thomas, R. Pygmy-possums [online] www.kidcyber.com.au (2000).

We played some Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) and Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) calls on the way back to the car to try and elicit a response with no success, although something big 'took off' from behind us which we heard but missed seeing - save it for next time..

A great night was had by all and some good interest sparked in our beautiful nocturnal critters.