Brush Turkeys

A Brush Turkey has built his mound in the back yard.

The Brush Turkey - 25^th Nov 2015

The last time this happened was when Attila the Turkey built his mound in 2008.

Update 28th Nov 2015

Currently, only Sasha and Farley have been turning up with any regularity. Toto has been seen on and off - she is still living in the ceiling space but doesn't visit the feeding area very often and is probably being kept away by Sasha.

Toto glares angrily out of the ceiling space at Sasha in a nearby tree - 31^th Oct 2015

A Shortage of Baby Possums

Given the last few posts on this blog, you would have thought that this place would currently be overrun with cute baby possums, and you might be wondering where all of the photos are.

Kyoo back-riding on Kiki as they leave Box 4 - 19th Sept 2015

Unfortunately, there hasn't been much to see.

Introducing Kyoo

Kiki has finally brought her new baby to the house. The baby has been named Kyoo (pronounced "Cue"). Kyoo is probably a boy.

Kiki with Kyoo back-riding - 16^th Sept 2015

According to the box cameras, Kyoo has been both entering and leaving the nest box back-riding on Kiki for some time now, so Kiki has probably been deliberately waiting for the right time to introduce her baby to the humans.

The Possum Feeder

[Warning in advance: This is going to be a very lengthy and technically detailed post with no possum pictures in it.]

Over the past few years, I have pondered the best way to address the problem of feeding possums when there is no one at home. It isn't that the possums are dependent on feeding and are going to die if the food source is cut off, but more that they're part of the family and I want them to feel cared for when there's no one at home.

The Possum Feeder, ready for use

The eventual solution was to build the automatic possum feeder shown here.

Another New Baby Possum!

Last night, Ruby arrived with a baby riding on her back.  The baby has been named Red, because he or she looks very red in person.

Ruby with Red back-riding - 2^nd Sept 2015

Ruby is the first ringtail to bring a back-riding baby to the house since Gumdrop around the end of 2011.

Update 26th August 2015

Sasha's baby has been named Puck. Puck is a little boy possum.

Puck (left) and Sasha (right) - 19^th Aug 2015

Sasha's Baby

Sasha's baby is now out of the pouch and back-rides on Sasha when she is visiting.

Sasha's Baby - 10th August 2015

The baby doesn't have a name yet and its gender is unknown.

Extra Bonus Baby Possum!

If you have been watching the box cameras today, you might have been confused, because in the last entry I described Kiki's baby as being 'at the "starved frog" stage of development', and yet there was a large and fully furred baby possum frolicking over its mother in Box 1.

Sasha's baby in Box 1 - 8th Aug 2015

What has happened is that Sasha is using a possum box for the first time, and her baby, which is much further developed than Kiki's, is coming out to play.

Baby Possum Time Again!

Kiki and her 13^th Baby - 4^th August 2015

Recently, Kiki has been visiting Box 7, and her latest baby (No. 13) has been seen out of the pouch for the first time. The baby was only out very briefly - it's still at the "starved frog" stage of development and probably get cold very quickly - and the screen shot above was the best I could capture.