Wednesday 21 August 2013

Update 21st August 2013 - Kiki's baby now back-riding

A couple of days ago, Kiki turned up with her latest baby back-riding. This is the first time I've seen the baby directly. Here's a photo of the pair.

Kiki with her 9th baby back-riding - 18th August 2013


And zooming in on the baby...

Kiki's 9th baby - 18th August 2013

Some baby possums are (quite understandably) scared of humans on their first encounter and tend to hide behind their mothers or try get back into the pouch, but this one was calm and didn't look scared at all.

A carpet python has been back in box 4. This looks like the same python that was seen in this box two months ago. Box 4 seems more like a python box than a possum box; there hasn't been a possum in this box since 2011.

Carpet python in box 4 - 18th August 2013

Later that day, I saw a python skin in a nearby tree. I subsequently retrieved the skin and it measured a bit over 1.9 m long, but some was missing so it would probably be fair to say it belonged to a 2 m python. The python in the box didn't look over 1.5 m to me, so either it was bigger than it appeared or there is another python in the area.

Wasabi and the other two ringtails have been keeping away, which is very sensible of them, since a 2 m python could probably eat Wasabi, let alone the other smaller ringtails.

I've finally managed to get a photo of the marauding male possum, who still refuses to come close to the house. In this photo, he was sitting 5 to 6 m away in a Camphor Laurel.

Unknown male brushtail - 14th August 2013
A couple of times recently, a young grey butcher bird (at least that's what I think it is) has visited.

Grey butcher bird - 18th August 2013

I'm not sure what education butcher birds receive from their parents, but this one seems to have been taught that if you come close to the house and sing loudly enough, a human will appear. Then you can hop toward them with an expectant look on your face and they will toss you morsels of food. Today, this little butcher bird actually followed me into the house like a possum, despite having been fed only once before.

1 comment:

  1. Just gorgeous - and they are back in Box 7 again today, too (Kiki and her bub). Lots more fearless exploring taking place :)

    Huge python skins are turning up around here, too.

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