Trail Log 1995-1997 - Lamar at Colorado State University

and barely survived.
Antechinus stuartii, Common Antechinus, the size of a rat, came into the kitchen to clean up the
scraps. Seen eating an avocado. A marsupial carnivore, but it eats avocados anyway. Eats
insects, arthropods.
About 9.00 at night, a visit by her wombat. It is now wild, though she once raised it, after its mother
was killed. It scratched on the outside door, came in, ate two carrots and barley flakes by the fire
for 30-40 minutes. I took several pictures. Vombatus ursinus. A somewhat relict group, most of
them became extinct before humans reached Australia. Now found only in s.e. Australia, a rather
limited distribution. It grazes in her yard at times. She puts up a fence to keep out the kangaroos,
though she has to make a wombat gate because she can't keep it out. It digs under the fence or
tears it down.
We spent the night in the guest house. Cold, but at least warm under the covers.
July 26, Friday. Left at 6.15 a.m., driving out the 5 km. driveway in the dark, though it was light by
the time we reached the gate. Drive back to Canberra. Jane saw one kangaroo on the side of the
road. I missed it. Gas and regrouped at Queanbeyan. Airport, and flight to Melbourne, short flight.
Car rental, and found hotel. Lygon Lodge. Drove to Dandenong Ranges National park, in terrible
traffic. This is about 20 miles east of Melbourne. When we eventually got there there were some
quite impressive tall Eucalyptus trees, Eucalyptus regnans, tall, spectacular for their columnar
appearance. There are 38 species of ferns and fern-like plants here. The park is generally under
siege by the city, but there are determined efforts to preserve it. Return after dark.
July 27, Saturday. Trip to Phillip Island. Drove to Dandenong and the car gave trouble shifting.
So we swapped it for a Ford at Budget Car in Dandenong. Drove on down south. South Gippland
Highway, and thence Bass Highway, then onto Phillip Island. Visited Koala Conservation Centre,
and had quick lunch. These are fenced koalas, though in a large area in natural habitat. Nine
koalas, some on a boardwalk maybe 20 feet high. All asleep.
Drove on to Cowes, and took boat to see Australian fur-seals, Arctocephalus pulsillus. There are
4,000 or so here; which we saw. We saw thousands on the rocks and a hundred or so swimming
in the water beside the boat, popping up to take a look at us. Spectacular. They were so inquisitive
as to suggest that they had at other times been fed, but there was no feeding while we were there.
Seals have no external ears. The Australian sea-lion (Neophoca cinerea) is also on the southern
coast of Australia, but not here, and has external ears.
Lots of cormorants and gulls also seen. Kelp gull. Pacific gull. Pied cormorants, mostly. Little pied
cormorants. Great black cormorant. Silver gulls, seen on grassy Nobbies.
Returned by boat closer in to sea caves.
Went to the penguin parade. Little (Fairy) Penguin. This is the only penguin to make its base in
Australia. They came out of the ocean in groups of 12-15, starting at 5.45 p.m. in the dark. We
saw perhaps 200, some closer in. The waves would come in and knock a whole group over. They
would gather and then run across the beach and into a hill covered with low vegetation where they
had burrows. The males are staking out territories, at this time of year. They had been at sea
feeding for the day. Various ones were seen closer at hand as we returned up the boardwalk.