I’ve seen the Southern Brown Bandicoot in the front garden three times now. It never gets old. I find myself standing as quietly as possible and have to remind myself to breathe! The largest bandicoot we have seen by far, this darling potters about, digging a little and grazing.

The first time I saw Brown Bandicoot was last week, it just hopped out from beneath the hedge and started grazing in-between a juvenile pademelon (about half grown) and a Mama pademelon whose pouch almost touched the ground. Mama pademelon, always on high alert, wasn’t fazed at all. She didn’t flinch, which makes me think that the pademelon and the bandicoot know each other and familiar with each others movements. Pademelons are very cautious around us humans and are likely to scatter at any noise or unfamiliar movement. Mama pademelon is even more alert now that her joey barely fits in her pouch and hops in head first, often with its tail sticking out. I had been standing at the window watching this sweet Mama as she guarded her joey sleeping in the sunshine, and well positioned amongst some clumps of self seeded daisies that had grown so tall they were leaning over like a protective shield.

I didn’t take any photos. It would have meant running to find the camera, most likely disturbing the pademelon and bandicoot from grazing, taking time away from sinking into these precious moments that feel like time stands still, the memory recorded to last a lifetime.

Sending Light & Love,

Jude x