I am having coffee again on the veranda here in the stillness of the morning. I am listening to critters amongst the leaf litter and my bat buddy’s wings as he passes over my head hawking moths (I just heard him that instant I was wrote the word, moths). The Laughing Kookaburras started early today. Every morning they have begun “singing” for a few moments at about 5:45, but today it was 5:32. God, I love this place. I am so grateful.
Yesterday we headed south toward Sarus Cranes and we found them. We also made a stop at the famous Curtain Fig Tree in Yungaburra (impossible to capture in a photo, picture the tree in the movie, Avatar). There we found another lifer bird. We had missed Bower’s Shrike-thrush on the mountain the other day and Robert spotted one near the tree. Sweet!
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| Sarus Crane (in the middle) with Brolga |
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| Bower's Shrike-thrush |
We also picked up the wild and “tickable” Helmeted Guineafowl south of Mareeba. And then... after several failed attempts over the years. I finally saw a White-browed Crake. Yes, I had missed that bird on a few occasions, but this one in Julatten came out for me and I am grateful!
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| White-browed Crake |
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| Helmeted Guineafowl |
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| Black-necked Stork just because they are so cool |
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| And a Lemon-bellied Flycatcher just because. |
As the sky once again lightens, time slips through my fingers and the day beckons to me to get out amongst it. I will post these photos and go. I am so very grateful. I must learn to slowdown... just a very little, and let the joy wash over me a bit more.
Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.
