Every month, we here at Treeswift Wildlife & Nature try to compile a report of all the mammals we have recorded across our various tours and outings. Below is the summary of tours in October 2022 that had notable mammal sightings, all of which took place in Victoria, Australia. Feel free to skip right to the end for a simple summary of total species (31x).
Wilsons Promontory – Wildlife Photography Weekend (13x species):
A two-day photography course for 10x participants in which we track down wildlife and work on photography techniques, setting, and work with wildlife in a natural setting. Highlight for mammal watching included our nocturnal class.
Mammal Summary:
- 2x Short-beaked Echidna
- 1x Southern Brown Bandicoot (observed by Thermal Scope and briefly seen in red light)
- 2x Koala (mum and baby on first night)
- 66x Common Wombat (throughout the park, a major hazard on the roads after dark)
- 2x Common Ringtail Possum (spotlighting)
- 1x Mountain Brushtail Possum (great views in Lilly Pilly forest at night)
- 1x Common Brushtail Possum (in Banksia forest at night)
- 97x Swamp Wallaby (conservative count, utterly abundant)
- 61x Eastern Grey Kangaroo (abundant in open areas)
- 1x European Rabbit (only 1x seen within the promontory)
- 1x White-stiped Free-tailed Bat (only bat identified, though dozens seen. Photography focussed weekend, so the Echo Meter Touch remained relatively unused, though large numbers of microbat observed)
- 45x Brown Fur Seal (observed at the Cape Liptrap Colony)
- 1x Indochinese Hog Deer (seen well spotlighting, considerably feral population here)
Port Fairy – Wildlife Photography Weekend + Extension (16x species):
A two-day photography course for 10x participants followed by a 2-day extension for only 4x pp, in which we track down wildlife and work on photography techniques, setting, and work with wildlife in a natural setting.
Mammal Summary:
- 80~ Koala (abundant through the area, seen almost every location)
- 2x Krefft’s Glider (spotlighting)
- 4x Common Ringtail Possum
- 2x Common Brushtail Possum
- 1x Long-nosed Potoroo (viewed briefly by small members of the group, major highlight of the trip)
- 34x Swamp Wallaby (seen at most scrubby locations)
- 100~ Eastern Grey Kangaroo (common in fields, open areas)
- 4x Red-necked Wallaby (visited the population towards VIC/SA border, well seen on dusk)
- 20x European Rabbit
- 1x Black Rat (observed in thermal and then in red light, feeding in wattle trees)
- 300x Grey-headed Flying Fox (visited colony at Warrnambool Botanic Gardens)
- 1x White-striped Free-tailed Bat
- 1x Red Fox
- 2x Brown Fur Seal (seen swimming along cliffs near Portland)
- 3x European Fallow Deer (middle of the road near VIC/SA border)
- 3x Humpback Whale (breaching off Portland)
Greater Glider Fundraising Nocturnal Walk (6x species):
Approximately once per month, we lead a small group on a nocturnal walk to see, learn, appreciate and fundraise for the now threatened Greater Glider. This walk usually has approximately 10x pp and involves a 2.5hr~ walk through Mountain Ash wet forest habitat.
Mammal Summary:
- 1x Common Wombat (relaxed individual walked with our group along the road)
- 1x Krefft’s Glider (great views of single glider feeding low in wattles)
- 26x Southern Greater Glider (24 dark morph / 2x white morph)
- 2x White-stiped Free-tailed Bat
- 1x Chocolate Wattled Bat (only microbat checked with Echo Meter Touch)
- 3x Sambar Deer (skittish, but observed in picnic area)
Private Aussie Icons Tours (13x species):
A 3-day private tour for overseas client interested in birds and mammals. We travelled 900km and visited 30+ locations observing some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife species. The mammal species are listed below:
Mammal Summary:
- 1x Short-beaked Echidna
- 2x Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Phillip Island spotlighting)
- 1x Koala (tough to track down this trip, 1x finally found just outside Melbourne)
- 68x Common Wombat
- 143x Swamp Wallaby
- 144x Eastern Grey Kangaroo
- 22x European Rabbit
- 3,000x Grey-headed Flying Fox (visited well-known colony in Melbourne)
- 1x Red Fox
- 100x Brown Fur Seal (colony off The Nobbies and feeding in surf)
- 2x Indochinese Hog Deer (observed at Wilsons Prom after dark)
- 1x European Fallow Deer
- 2x Short-beaked Common Dolphin (briefly seen fin in feeding flock in surf at The Nobbies)
Private Owl & Mammal Spotlighting Tour (12x species):
A 3-4hr spotlighting tour for owls and mammals east of Melbourne for an overseas couple. Echo Meter Touch used to recorded/identify microbat flying around, all other animals seen/photographed well.
Mammal Summary:
- 4x Common Wombat
- 1x Yellow-bellied Glider (grunting and then flying over our group)
- 3x Southern Greater Glider (all dark morph)
- 3x Common Ringtail Possum
- 4x Swamp Wallaby
- 9x Eastern Grey Kangaroo
- 1x White-striped Free-tailed Bat
- 1x Gould’s Wattled Bat
- 3x Chocolate Wattled Bat
- 1x Little Forest Bat
- 1x House Cat (seen in thermal and then in red light, right in the middle of the forest)
- 26x Fallow Deer
Phillip Island – Wildlife Photography Weekend + Extension (16x species):
A two-day photography course for 10x participants followed in which we track down wildlife and work on photography techniques, setting, and work with wildlife in a natural setting. This was a quieter mammal watching experience, but still with a few good highlights. Biggest dip were the Brown Fur Seal, but morning fog covered the colony.
Mammal Summary:
- 2x Koala (1x spotlighting, 1x during the day)
- 1x Eastern Barred Bandicoot (found in daylight, sitting right out in the open)
- 5x Common Ringtail Possum
- 31x Common Brushtail Possum
- 28x Swamp Wallaby
- 10x European Rabbit
- 1x Brown Hare (sitting out in a field)
- 1x Gould’s Wattled Bat (echo meter after dark)
Private Owl & Mammal Spotlighting Tour (12x species):
A 3-4hr spotlighting tour for owls and mammals east of Melbourne for an overseas couple. Echo Meter Touch used to recorded/identify microbat flying around, all other animals seen/photographed well.
Mammal Summary:
- 1x Koala (eating regrowth almost on the ground in area burnt in 2020 bushfires)
- 1x Common Wombat
- 2x Yellow-bellied Glider (heard at two locations)
- 3x Southern Greater Glider (all dark morph)
- 1x Common Ringtail Possum
- 4x Swamp Wallaby
- 28x Eastern Grey Kangaroo
- 3x White-striped Free-tailed Bat (observed when watching for nightjars, echo meter touch used for all microbats)
- 2x Gould’s Wattled Bat
- 2x House Cat (seen in two locations)
- 35x Fallow Deer (sizeable feral numbers)
- 1x Samba Deer
Private Leadbeater’s Possum Tour (6x species):
A 4-6hr spotlighting tour for the critically endangered and once believed extinct Leadbeater’s Possum. A very difficult night battling 70km+ gusts and rain meant we had to work very hard but were still able to get our targets.
Mammal Summary:
- 1x Common Wombat
- 1x Leadbeater’s Possum
- 1x Yellow-bellied Glider (heard only)
- 9x Southern Greater Glider (1x white morph, 8x dark morph)
- 4x Common Ringtail Possum
- 2x Mountain Brushtail Possum
Total Mammal List – October 2022 Tours
- Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
- Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus)
- Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Perameles gunnii)
- Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
- Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus)
- Leadbeater’s Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri)
- Yellow-bellied Glider (Petaurus australis)
- Krefft’s Glider (Petaurus notatus)
- Southern Greater Glider (Petauroides volans)
- Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
- Mountain Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus cunninghami)
- Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)
- Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus)
- Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)
- Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)
- Red-necked Wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus)
- European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
- European Hare (Lepus europaeus)
- Black Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster)
- Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)
- White-striped Free-tailed Bat (Austronomus australis)
- Gould’s Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii)
- Chocolate Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus morio)
- Little Forest Bat (Vespadelus vulturnus)
- House Cat (Felis catus)
- Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
- Brown Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus)
- Indochinese Hog Deer (Axis porcinus)
- Fallow Deer (Dama dama)
- Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor)
- Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
If you’re interested or have enjoyed reading our Mammal Watching October Report, please feel free to get in touch by emailing us at info@treeswiftwildlife.com or calling us on (03) 7018 2302. Alternatively, you can learn more about our mammal watching tours at this link.
