A phascogale drops in‏

Words and pics by Paul Oates

A local Phascogale dropped in this evening and checked out the insects on the fly wire. It's not an easy animal to photograph as its nocturnal and very quick and agile. I've been trying to photograph one for at least a couple of years. If you think it's a 'dear little thing', unfortunately, a family of them have taken up residence in our roof and as we are ready to go to sleep, they wake up, scrabble around and exit the roof.

They only return from their nightly pursuits as dawn breaks and run around inside the roof on top of the ceiling above our heads. Grrrrr.... When they leap from a height, they use their fluffy tail as a parachute to slow them down. That can be very disconcerting when they drop in on your nice quiet 'sundowner' on the verandah at sunset. Ah! Living in the country. Nothing like it.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@