Gratitude For Safe Travels

Yesterday and today are what I used to call when I was touring, “road days.” Days of getting from point A to point B on the way to point C or D or whatever. We drove from Waikerie, SA to Broken Hill, NSW. We also stopped in Mildura, VIC where we did some shopping at a couple of places. So the drive took most all day. But I just realized, we were in 3 states in one day! I am grateful.

       

 

We were driving from Mildura to Broken Hill, which is about 300 kilometers of absolute nothingness (but good bitumen road). The speed limit is 110kph and Matilda is not comfortable doing much over 100. She is the very definition of “built for comfort, not for speed.” About a third of the way to BH, we were passed by a small group of middle-aged motorcyclists with colorful three-wheelers and little trailers and such. Maybe fifteen minutes later, I notice a huge column of red dust rising by the road ahead and I thought, “One of them has wrecked.” Yep.

We arrived on the scene and a huge golden bike with a trailer was upside down, stuff was strewn everywhere and the other bikers were gathering around. There was one guy on the ground, conscious, but definitely injured. Lynn started down the embankment as another woman ahead of her ran in saying, “I’m a nurse!” Lynn was going to assist if need be, but it was just a matter of keeping the guy lying down and quiet. There is no mobile service there and a couple of other vehicles took off toward Broken Hill to try for signal. We tried our CB radio to no avail. We headed on and a few kilometers up the road, we met one of the others who had successfully reached emergency services on his mobile. And for us, that was the end of that. I am so very, very grateful for every day that we travel (and live) safely.

Further up the road, two beautiful Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos were feeding in the scrubby stuff just off the highway. Those were life birds for Lynn on Monday! I snapped a couple photos as they flew off. I love the Pink Cockatoo… I am grateful.
         

They did not raise their amazing crests, but look at that underwing!!

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Our Growing Community

I began writing this in the Babbler camp at 4am yesterday morning. We arrived in Gluepot Reserve about 10:30am Monday after the 50k drive on the dirt, sand, rock and mud road. The road in is not as good as it was in 2012 when I was last there, but it’s still drivable. There was a very bad mud area in the Taylorville stretch, but Matilda truly made me proud. She is 2WD but she has clearance, determination and heart. I am grateful!

 

Turn right and shake, rattle and roll for 50k.

Once we were into the reserve itself, we were greeted by White-winged Fairy-wrens at Gypsum Dam area. They are one of the most beautiful of a very beautiful group of birds. I am grateful.
     

White-winged Fairy-wren, not the easiest of birds of which to get a good photo. So beautiful.

         

As we were looking about that area, we noticed a couple birding back down the road. I walked over to see what they were seeing and we met Lindy and Nick. We told them about the White-winged and they wanted to see them. We showed them where the wrens were, chatted a bit, then headed on to the Visitor’s Centre. Lindy and Tony soon showed up there as well. Then we all ended up over at Long Dam, where we saw Lynn’s Lifer Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo as a pair flew along the far side of the dry dam. Yes, she has now beheld the “pink cockatoo!” I am grateful.

We birded the dam area with Lindy and Nick and amongst the dozens of Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters we saw some Australian Ringnecks and one Mulga Parrot (another lifer for Lynn). As we were heading back to the vehicles, there was a small flock of birds moving about the scrub and I said, “Look, Whitefaces.” which turned out to be a lifer for our new friends (and we told them about Lifer Pie of course). I am grateful.
     

Southern Whiteface

We parted company and Lynn and I headed back to our campsite, but stopped by the visitor centre to check the board first. As we were talking to Ranger Suzi, Lindy and Nick showed up and told us that they had left a note for us at our campsite telling us that they had heard, then seen, two Gilbert’s Whistlers 3.1 k from our camp. We went. We saw. Lynn got another lifer. I am grateful.
     

An immature Gilbert's Whistler, a lifer for Lynn.

Now Lindy is a facebook friend. The circle grows wider. We are grateful members of a wonderful community. We share information and enthusiasm, elation and disappointment, knowledge and experience. We share of love of being “amongst it.” We are diverse, yet so similar. We are birders, and twitchers, and birdwatchers. We are the Birding community. We are genuine and passionate and I am grateful.

Here are some more photos from our two days at Gluepot. Stay tuned, I will keep y’all posted…

Matilda at the Gluepot Reserve visitor's centre

Babbler Campsite

Splendid Fairy-wren

They are indeed...

White-browed Babbler

A Weebill looking oddly (almost creepily) seductive. They do have such personality.

A backlit, long shot of Lynn's lifer Crested Bellbird. We heard them over and over and finally saw this one at the top a tree. They are quite ventriloquistic.

Matilda and me getting amongst it.

     Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Bonus Blog: Those Wacky Weebills

Here is a short Blog before we head into Gluepot Reserve later this morning and lose all contact with the outside world. The smallest bird in Australia is the Weebill. They average just about 3- 3 ½ inches long. It gets its name from its small bill (it’s a wee bill) and its song also sounds a bit like it is saying, “weebill.”

They do not wobble and they don’t fall down (American toy reference. There was a toy called a Weeble in the 1970’s and it was shaped like an egg. It could not fall over). These wee birds fly around in noisy, very busy little groups. I stopped to photograph a few yesterday and after looking at the photos (backlit though they are) decided to post this. They are not glamorous Aussie birds, but they are the smallest and they certainly have personality! I am grateful for Weebills.
                     

I love the expression on the face of the left Weebill. His beak looks like a nose.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Wyperfeld and Hattah, Amongst It Again

At Wyperfeld NP yesterday, once again following Philip Peel’s information, I got two life birds, White-backed Swallow on the way in and Redthroat on the Discovery track. I am very grateful. And as we have been woefully slack about Lifer Selfies, here we are just after the White-backed Swallows. I am grateful!

Lifer Selfie (two for me, four for Lynn!)

Speaking of lifers, as this journey progresses, Lifer Pie can’t be a regular thing. I am down yet another belt-notch and want to stay that way (I am grateful about that as well). So we’ll celebrate multiple lifers at once, and only occasionally with food.

A really attractive Black-shouldered Kite

Tree Martin with a leaf

Tree Martin going home

Lifer for us both... Redthroat!

Australian Ringneck (mallee) Not a lifer for either of us, but a stunning bird.

Lynn's lifer Regent Parrot, backlit but gorgeous!

Shingleback Lizard (I think)

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, very cute

Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo that we almost missed. Matilda can stop on a dime... sort of.

And as important as photos are in this blog, I am making a conscious choice to make sure the emphasis is where I want it, on the birding experience, not the photo. I want to rejoice in these birds, and yet I have occasionally caught myself feeling the… “Oh no, I didn’t get a shot of it!” It happened this morning as Lynn got her lifer Mallee Emu-wren in Hattah Kulkyne NP on the Nowingi Track. We got good looks at this incredible bird, but I did not get a photo. And I let it bother me. I am grateful that I realized that, and I will be working on it.

We were there in the middle of nowhere and a vehicle stops ahead of Matilda (she was blocking the track) and Tim Bawden got out. He even shared a Lifer Selfie for Lynn’s Mallee Emu-wren and Lynn’s lifer Chestnut Quail-thrush (I got that photo). I am grateful, for birds and birding friends!
   

Lifer Selfie with Tim Bawden

Matilda in her element... she may be 2WD but she gets amongst it.

Lynn and Matilda on the Nowingi Track... amongst it indeed.

                             

Lynn's lifer Chestnut Quail-thrush... so lovely!

Gorgeous Chestnut Quail-thrush

Super cute Weebill

Now we’re in a caravan park in Waikerie, after a trip to Woolworths that included a Collared Sparrowhawk in a tree right beside Matilda!

           

Collared Sparrowhawk by the Woolworths

Collared Sparrowhawk

I am trying to get this posted because in the morning we head into Gluepot Reserve… no mobile service, no electricity and no water. It is the very essence of being “amongst it.” It is one of the best places for “it” that there is. More to come in a few days… I. Am. Grateful.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Getting Amongst It

It is 4:30 am and I am having coffee made with water heated in a pot on the little gas stove in Matilda. I can see my breath as I write this. We are in our first “dry camp” at the Kiata campground in Little Desert National Park, Victoria. There is no external power for heat or kettle. It is beautiful here… scrubby, rough, Australian gorgeousness. Emus abound. We arrived late Wednesday afternoon, following a quick stop in Horsham where we saw an absolutely stunning Bush Stone-curlew, which was another lifer for Lynn.
   

Bush Stone-curlew... they are gorgeous.

Bush Stone-curlew, look at those eyes...

While chosing a spot, we watched one of the largest Echidnas I have ever seen amble across the track. They are known to amble. Echidnas do not hurry. The campground was almost deserted (two other caravans). After we parked Matilda, we went walk-around birding. Within an hour we had found Lynn a sweet Southern Scrub-robin, as well as lots of White-browed Babblers. Both were life birds for Lynn. I am grateful. The dawn chorus has begun and as my friend Philip Peel said, I need to get amongst it!
   

Coming back from the drop-toilet "facilities." There is always a slight fear that somehow my phone or my keys will leap out of my pocket and "drop." I know it is an irrational fear, so I just ignore it.

It is now 3:45pm and we are plugged-in at a decent little caravan Park in Nhill ($24 powered site senior rate, I ain’t proud) and I am having a non-alcoholic beer and writing and doing photos. We are here for the night and there is free wifi that works! I have already had my Lifer Pie in the form of chips (fries), my go-to treat food. Yes! I got two lifers today (following Philip’s directions). I got Black-eared Cuckoo at Kiata this morning and Rufous Fieldwren at Little Desert this arvo. Both were such sweet birds! I saw the Fieldwren at two different sites. I am grateful! I am happy. I am birding. I am amongst it!

Black-eared Cuckoo

Black-eared Cuckoo

Lynn and Matilda in Little Desert across the street from the Rufous Fieldwren.

Rufous Fieldwren, we heard it before we saw it...

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

First Day of Birding On The Road

If I were doing a big year, I would bird like a maniac. All those who know me know that I can bird with a passion. We are taking this easy, but still keeping a list. Yesterday we saw our 100th species on that list. I have seen more than that in a day of hard birding, but we’ve mostly been spending time with family and getting Matilda ready. I am very grateful for it all.

Yesterday morning began with a walk around this beautiful caravan park in Anglesea. We picked up a few birds that we had not seen this “year.”
   

The precious and ubiquitous Superb Fair-wren (female or plain male).

Singing Honeyeater

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

The always wonderful Red-browed Finch

Then we drove our house to Point Roadknight, one of the most beautiful places I know and a consistent spot for the endangered Hooded Plover. We saw two. They are precious. We walked around the point and had a couple of Great Cormorants and Pacific Gulls as well as a flock of Crested Terns. And in the middle of them all was a Black-faced Cormorant. Not a bird I expected to see there. I am grateful.

         

Hoodies!

Black-faced Cormorant, an unexpected bird... (Pacific Gull behind him).

Then we headed to Aireys Inlet and ticked off a few more birds and even found Lynn a lifer! We ended up seeing several Crescent Honeyeaters walking in the beautiful forest near Distillery Creek Picnic area (where we ate lunch… still getting used to birding from “home!”). I am so grateful.
     

Masked Lapwing showing why it has been called the "Spurred Plover." Look at those spikes on its wings!

Often seen and usually taken for granted, the Pacific Black Duck, beautiful, yes?

Lynn's Lifer Crescent Honeyeater! We saw several including one beautifully colored male, but this was her first and the only one I photographed.

Today we begin to journey inland and up. I will certainly attempt to keep this blog up to date. I know the challenges of internet connection will present themselves as well as just time itself. This is a much more quickly written blog than usual (I just banged this out, so to speak). So don’t always expect wit and clever writing (ever). Just remember, I am very grateful to be able to do this and share it with you all. Yes I am.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

We've Only Just Begun

(Sorry for the Carpenters earworm) but we have just barely started. We are in Matilda for the first time in a real caravan park. We are in Anglesea on the Great Ocean Road. This is our two-night test camp. I am grateful.

The first of many places Matilda will be camped.

Power: it's what makes the heater work.

The heating and cooling device and some books.

There’s been a lot to be grateful for lately. The kind of grateful that often gets missed, I mean the coming together of things in fortuitous ways. For example, my car guy has an auto electric guy that he wanted to look-over Matilda’s power systems. He found some inadequate wiring and two non-functioning pieces of equipment that would otherwise have been missed (and created real problems). Then when the transformer he installed proved to be too small, he drove down from Melbourne on Saturday to switch it out for a larger one. Yes, on a Saturday.

He also suggested a cabinetmaker who could cut a board for me (a board on the back bed needed replacing). Julian, the cabinet maker, ended up making that board for us, as well doing a beautiful job of cutting down our too large oval table into a more usable rectangle. And he made a cover to fit over the sink. This all worked out because my car guy has an electric guy, who knew this woodworking guy. I am grateful.
     

The new sized table and on the left the corner of the sink cover, good stuff.

So, we are in process (and that is life, yes?). We are learning how all this works. We are learning that we have way too much “stuff,” and not enough data on our mobile plan. We are learning that two 60-somethings can fit (and possibly) sleep together on an undersized, double bed after years of Queensize and Kingsize beds. We are learning many things and I am grateful.

We have no idea what we're doing.

Wow. I just watched a small mob of about 6 Kangaroos playing (punching each other and kicking, but it looked like in good fun) behind a volleyball net. When you see Kangaroos playing on your way to brush your teeth. Your day can’t suck. I am grateful.
   

I walked over to take their photo after I wrote about them. They are just lazing around now.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

A Very Special Bird

I have written about special birds before. Not a nemesis bird; that is a different species altogether. This is a special bird that you have wanted to see for a long time and for more reasons than it just being a cool, beautiful life bird. I saw one of my Special Birds yesterday and I am grateful!

I first got into birding here in Australia in early 2009. My Australian son-in-law, Rob also did some birding and when we were visiting them in Melbourne (without our own car back then) he would tell me tales of a wondrous, mystical land called, Chiltern. It was not really far away, yet it held such wonders as the Turquoise Parrot and… the legendary, endangered, yellow-black-and-white magnificence that is known as the Regent Honeyeater. In my opinion, this is God’s own Honeyeater. Although sadly at one time it was called the Warty-faced Honeyeater. I trust whoever named it that was drummed out of the animal naming business never to insult another living creature. So to me, the Regent Honeyeater represents my birding beginnings as well as being a wicked cool honeyeater. I am grateful for it.

As Matilda is being tweeked for our coming journeys, we drove the Prius up to Chiltern Monday afternoon. We arrived in the area where we were to look for the birds the following morning with Dean Ingwersen of Birdlife Australia. And regardless of the 20% chance in the forecast, it was pissing down rain. Lynn and I gave it a good go and spent well over an hour squishing around and not seeing Regents. So we packed it in then had a lovely night with friends in Rutherglen (fifteen minutes from Chiltern).
       

Raining, getting dark, and I am following BSBO!

The next morning we were back in the Box-ironbark forest to meet Dean. And in just a few minutes, the man I have come to call the “Regent Honeyeater Whisperer” was pointing out a beautiful pair of Regent Honeyeaters. I was, and am, very grateful. Thank you Dean!
     

The Lifer-Selfie with Lynn and Dean!

Almost ready to go off into the forest... again... in the rain.

     

Regent Honeyeater!

The flashes of yellow when they fly are gorgeous!

I love this bird.

         

A Very Special Bird indeed.

We saw a total of six Regents. We watched two pairs as well as observing a female constructing a nest! We also met a lovely young lady from the UK who is working on her Doctorate on their breeding patterns. It was a glorious morning. And yes, it continued to rain although not very hard and I was able to have the camera out and grab some recording shots. I will definitely be back, hopefully next autumn on a sunny day and I’ll get a few more photos. BUT don’t get me wrong, I am happy as the proverbial clam that I got these and that I saw the birds. I am very grateful!

   

The markings on their backs are so beautiful.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.   

Quick Trip Quick Blog

It was going to be about two hours tops. There is nothing in my world that makes time pass more quickly than birding. Lynn too has also remarked how quickly time goes by during this, my favorite of all outdoor activities. In our busy weekend it seemed we could take a couple of hours for a quick pop over and have a look along Point Wilson Rd. A friend had seen Purple-crowned Lorikeets there recently and had gotten some amazing, eye-level photos. I figured it was worth a “quick” look-see.

Point Wilson Road (technically Twenty Nine Mile Rd off the end of Pt. Wilson but you get the idea).

No Lorikeets were seen, but it was delightful. Point Wilson Rd. runs along the edge of the WTP so you know I was in my Happy Place (one of them anyway). I was not on a photo quest. There will be tons of photos to be taken in the coming months. I did take a few during the two hours that grew into, let’s be honest, three hours. I mean… I had to stop and look at how much the Banded Lapwing chicks had grown in just three days! They are easily half again as big! They are cute as and I am grateful. Here are a few photos...

Mr. Red-rumped Parrot

Mr. Red-rumped Parrot

Mr. Flame Robin

Brown Falcon leaving

Beautiful immature Black Kite

immature Black Kite (not very black is he?)

He was eating something small off the road. We never did see what, probably some sort of insect

I love Banded Lapwings and their children.

Banded Lapwings and one of their growing kids.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Being Granddaddy (No Birds Were Seen In This Blog)

Yesterday was exhausting and exhilarating. No, I was not chasing some awesome birds through the brush. I was in the house being ridden, pulled, pushed, sat upon, climbed upon and delighted by some of my grandchildren. Grateful much? Indeed I am, with all my heart.

William, my two year old youngest grandchild was doing some serious digging in the sandbox. Emily, Delilah and I played a lot of Hide and Seek. Incredibly we played this game in mostly three rooms, one of which was a bathroom (difficult to hide in, although Delilah managed to lie in the tub in such a way that I did not see her). She is the master of this game. She can fit herself inside a shelf for heavens sake!

   

She begins to emerge from the shelf.

Emily and I drew pictures of the shells for a while, but the most fun was just playing pretend. We pretended the floor was lava again. That is always fun and you get three lives, but you can be alive again and get three more. I will not go into the details of the rules. Delilah makes them up as we play. As I have said many times, “She is the boss of me.” And really, I am grateful.

Emily drawing pictures of some of the shells.

At the end of the day, we all had a delightful dinner at the local pub. I split my usual parma, a savory indulgence called the English Spuddy (a parma with a layer of mash over the top and gravy on the side) with my grandson, Judah. That made for a fully satisfying meal without the “oh-my-god how did I eat that whole thing” feeling that I usually have after one. I am very grateful. It was a wonderful day. I am a birder, singer of silly songs and a few other assorted things, but I do dearly love being granddaddy.

Delilah and Granddaddy dressed for the pub.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

WTP Yeah You Know Me

I know the WTP and it knows me. The WTP is the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee, Victoria. I am by no means the master of this birding nirvana, in my opinion Steven Davidson deserves that title as much as anyone could. But it is my favorite place to bird in the world and I know it pretty well. If I had to choose a spot as my Home Patch, this is it. I was back there for a few hours yesterday and I am grateful.

Lynn and me at Gate 8 of the WTP. We didn't even go into that section as we ran out of time.

It was chilly.

I’ve stated that once I have shrugged off this mortal coil, I would like my ashes scattered at the Western Treatment Plant. I have been assured by my loving family that someone will flush me down a toilet in Melbourne and I will indeed end up there. Seriously, I love the place. It is where I became a birder. I can trace the beginnings of my real birding passion and enthusiasm back to an afternoon at the WTP in early 2009. That is awesome. I am so very grateful.

Young Whistling Kites messing about.

A couple of Great Cormorants sharing a tree with Little Black Cormorants.

We had some good birds yesterday, nothing unusual, but all very wonderful. The best bird of the day was just before we began. A pair of Gang Gang Cockatoos flew right over us as I was loading the car. I heard them calling first. Their squawking sounds like twisting an inflated balloon only really loud. So the Little Big Year list began on 20 August 2015 with a modest (considering where we were) 52 species. We birded the joy of the birds, the list being secondary. That is my intent for this year, but we will see.

                         

Banded Lapwing adult hanging out in the paddock on Beach Road.

Three Banded Lapwing chicks in the paddock.

Black Swan cygnets by mom or dad's ruffly back end.

Black Swan and cygnets

I love Zebra Finches.

Zebra Finches

Zebra Finch spill on aisle four...

Somewhere beyond cute there is a land where Zebra Finches live...

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Circle of Love

I know this is a bit “hippie-dippie,” but there is a core of friends which we sometimes refer to as the Tribe. This core for me is based mostly in birders, musicians and other artistic oddballs. Surrounding this core is also a wonderful circle of friends that I may not know quite as well, or be quite as close to, but they are here in my heart as well.

I love these people because they are real. They are genuine. They are living who they are. Some may not be working at their dream jobs, or living their ideal lifestyles right at this moment, but they are genuine. They are real and we really like each another. This is the circle of friends, the circle of love. I feel it wherever I am on this planet. And I am so grateful.
   

And we were here above the clouds just a couple of hours from Oz with the sun rising on tomorrow.

If I were a talented cartoonist, I would draw Lynn and me waiting in the seating area of an airport gate with a huge group of sort-of “ghost figures” gathered around us, supporting us, caring about us, loving us. They (y’all) truly are there with us in spirit. I have written about Far-Close Friends, this is all part of that same connection and love. I am grateful for this above all things.

Life has some strange, often bizarre, occasionally heartbreaking changes to throw in our paths. Yet things are the way they’re supposed to be. And I am so grateful that we have ended up a part of this Community, this Tribe, this Circle of Love.

Yes, you have all been with us and will continue to be with us in my thoughts and my heart on this journey. We learned that the Qantas flight from Dallas to Sydney is the longest non-stop flight in the world and it is on the largest commercial airplane in the world. So there was no problem accommodating our Circle of Love! I am grateful beyond words. So I will stop writing now.

               

After more than 15 hours, we are finally getting close to Oz.

Closer... and we still have to fly from Sydney to Melbourne and then drive to Torquay.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Never Forget: John Young Found the Night Parrot

           

John Gould's lovely illustration of Night Parrots from the 1860's. John Young produced the first photographs of living Night Parrots.

In 2013 John did what no one else had been able to do. He rediscovered the Night Parrot. John Young’s accomplishment cannot be overstated. He put in fifteen years and tens of thousands of his own dollars into tracking down this elusive bird. Of course no one can "own" a species, but John has as good a claim to doing that as anyone could. He found the Holy Grail of Australian birds and there are many of us who will never forget that. I for one am very grateful.

My friend John Young and me laughing (of course).

There has been much news lately about these parrots. The capture and tagging of one of these incredibly rare birds, and the creating of a conservation reserve to protect the area that John found has created a flurry in the media.

A Google search of news of the Night Parrot produced these and more.

Some of these articles have been poorly written, several copying lines from each other such as referring to John Young’s stunning, clear first photos as “blurry images.” Sadly, the Australian Geographic article was one of the worst. We cannot allow John to be minimized to a footnote in the story of the Night Parrot. Perhaps the reserve should be named the "John Young Conservation Reserve?" Regardless we should always remember John's amazing accomplishment.

This article is one of the "better" ones: ABC Night Parrot


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

And The Birds Shall Lead Us

I have called it our Great Adventure, our Big Adventure and our Little Big Year. We are close to its beginning. Lately I’ve been saying, our Grand Adventure. Whatever we call it, it is going to be amazing. I also have no delusions about it being easy or comfortable. We will do our best to route our travels so as to avoid extremes in weather. We will be brand new to this lifestyle and we have so much to learn, but learn we will. Many thousands of Aussies our age and older (often referred to as the Grey Nomads) live in their motor homes, campervans and caravans traveling full time. And if they can do it, we damn sure can! I am so grateful for this opportunity. Just wow.

     

We have large foldable maps of Oz, so I reckon this beauty will remain on the wall of the kitchen here in the US awaiting our return.

Once again, I will mention that we are not, and I am not, doing a full-on Birding Big Year. BUT we are birding our way around Australia… for a year… I would be an idiot not to keep count of the species for that 12 month period. So, it is a big year list without the craziness of a big year effort. We will not be flying across Oz to chase vagrants… ever. But we will bird as we travel the whole of Australia. Over the year we will have circumnavigated (and bisected) this amazing continent. We will see many of the wondrous Australian iconic sights. And yes, the birds shall lead us. Grateful much? Indeed I am.

     

And the Birds shall lead us...

I cannot live without purpose. I would honestly wither and die. So the birds, and yes the “list” is the carrot ahead of the cart for me in our coming adventure. It is the underlying “purpose.” I have no delusions of grandeur for achieving a high big year number; as I have said, I am not doing that! I have a simple goal to see a lot of birds and that is plenty enough of a carrot to dangle ahead of me. Such is birding, listing, and the joys of making your own rules. I am grateful. 

The planning table is all (mostly) packed up. That's 12.5 lbs of weight there in maps and notes (5.6 kilos).

I will continue to Blog and Facebook about our travels as regularly as time and internet permit. So please come along with us and share in this adventure. Many of you will already be there in our hearts anyway. I am grateful.

As Carl Sagan said, “Be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides." I plan to make the most of this opportunity!  And occasionally (and only occasionally) there will be ice cream!

Coffee carmel cookie ice cream, yes it is insanely delicious.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Gratitude Retrospective: Ian Gillan Part 2, R. Bruce in England 2004

In Part One (scroll down to July 27 if you missed it) we had decided that I would do a tour in England, specifically in southwest England where Ian lives. So in early December of 2004, I arrived in the UK and I was driven to Ian and his wife, B’s lovely home in Lyme Regis, Dorset. He had arranged for his friend, Steve Black to put together a pub tour that would end with a show at Steve’s performing arts theatre in Axminster, Devon. I am very grateful to them both as well as for Terry Stacey’s help with sorting the PA.
 

Sally, Ian, Steve and me

Ian and me figuring out the mobile phone I would be using.

It’s an odd feeling, especially looking back now as I have my heart spread across two countries and two hemispheres. But I remember feeling a pull, a connection there. I am not into the whole ancestry thing, but I am mostly English and Welsh and I reckon my roots are there. I could feel it.
 

My roots.

It is difficult for me to believe that it has been over ten years now. It does not seem that long until I try and remember details. I am struggling. But I don’t need to remember too many details, as I have said, this blog is, “Short, easy to read and has pictures.” So I am going to rely heavily on the photos. I am grateful that I have them (twas all "point and shoot" back in the day). Here are just a couple of the pubs on the tour.

     

The Ship Inn Pub

On stage at the Ship Inn Pub

Yes, it is the Nags Head! A lovely little pub in Lyme Regis.

At the Nags Head

Yes, I did have a blast! There were great shows, wonderful people and wonderful new friends. You can’t be in southwest England without visiting Stonehenge and Glastonbury. Thank you Steve Cross for being such a fun tour guide! I am grateful.

Stonehenge and me

The iconic shot of Stonehenge. Even right by the motorway, it is still awe inspiring.

Saint Michael's Tower on Glastonbury Tor

Glastonbury Abbey

The Chalice Well in Glastonbury

I remember returning to Steve Black’s flat after a gig and eating fish and chips while watching “Sherlock Holmes” on TV with Steve and Sally. Now that’s an English evening, mate!

Steve's flat was just around the corner. Convenient indeed.

I fondly remember sitting by the fire after a delightful supper with Pat and Steve Campbell and talking (mostly listening) about King Arthur with Steve (and by the way, yes most men in that region do seem to be named, Steve).
 

Steve Campbell by the fire discussing the Arthurian legend. I had a great time.

And I had a wonderful time at B and Grace’s combined birthday party with the pirate theme!

Steve Black and me as Pirates!

The birthday girls (I wish I had not just gotten the back of B's head) but there they are.

And I will never forget hiking with Ian on the Undercliffs. I even stood on the Cob (a jetty like breakwater) as Merle Streep did in “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” which was filmed in Lyme Regis. I am so grateful for all these experiences and these wonderful memories of them.

Ian, my hiking guide on the Undercliffs.

Standing amongst the boulders of moss covered chalk on the Undercliffs.

Standing on the famous Cob at Lyme.

The finale of the tour was at Steve Black’s performing arts centre, the “i.e. Theatre” with a sold out show that broke the house attendance record. That is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am grateful.
 

The i.e. Theatre SOLD OUT.

The audience at the i.e. Theatre. I love them to this day. Just look at those wonderful faces!

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Far-Close Friends

A few weeks ago Kenn Kaufman told me that he was going out of Hatteras on a pelagic with Brian Patteson the 7th and 8th of August. He wanted to stop by for a visit if it was convenient. Of course it was convenient. Kenn is one of my friends, yet we have spent very little time actually together. He is on my short list (that most of us have) of people that we know we love even though we do not see each other very often. So it was a treat to spend the day with him yesterday. We had big fun and I am very grateful.

    

Kenn, Lynn and me in our yard and yes, I am using a selfie-stick.

   

Looking at Long-billed Dowitchers among other things (one of the few times when I was sure that they were Long-billed as opposed to Short-billed).

I do love this guy.

Long-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus jumping.

Long-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus on tip-toes.

The two “worlds” that I have mostly inhabited as an adult are the entertainment world and the birding world. What these two worlds have in common, other than an accepted level of madness amongst their inhabitants, is that the actual home bases of these people can be scattered far and wide. One ends up with close friends who live far away. It sounds oxymoronic, but we all have far-close friends. They live across the country or across the ocean, but we keep them in our hearts. This is not an exaggeration. They are in my heart as a part of my very being. I can sit here in coastal North Carolina and feel the closeness of these far away friends. Of course it is even better when we can get together in person, but when we are apart, we are not ever completely apart. I am so damn grateful.

And again, thank you to Facebook, and other modern technologies that allow us to keep in touch while our physical bodies are separated. I can, and have, Facetimed with Far-Close friends in the US from the bush in Oz. And it’s free! It’s the same with iMessage. It is free to another iPhone anywhere in the world. I am very grateful and will continue to keep in touch.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Short, Easy To Read, And Has Pictures

I am famously ADHD. I even wrote and recorded a song regarding this called, “ADD Cowboy.” When I am reading, I hate long paragraphs and long lists. As I said yesterday, I write this blog for “me.” It is my own exploration, but sharing is a part of it. In a message to a dear friend, I summed up the style of this blog with one phrase.

"Short, easy to read and has pictures."

If you are interested in following my journey (metaphorically and literally) as we travel around the whole continent of Australia over the coming year, please stay tuned here. I will always connect Facebook to the blog, but I may stop "double posting" it. We will see.

I am grateful for this social networking that allows me to share this exploration of living gratitude. I will share my hopes and fears, my joys and occasionally my disappointments on this journey. I will always write from my heart. These posts are me, and I learn more about myself as I write them. “Genuine” is a word that I love. Above all things, my desire is to live genuinely… to learn, to progress, and to share my journey from my heart. I am, and will continue to be, grateful.

Here is a last look at the planning table, before I begin packing it up. Once again I will say, Great Adventure indeed! I am so very grateful!

     

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Sharing

The horizontal, golden, morning light shines “lightdows” into the trees behind the house and yet there’s a soft rain falling at the moment from an unseen cloud overhead. The forces and events that mold, shape and guide our lives are not always visible to us. Our abilities to change, grow and adapt keeps us in process, keeps us alive. I remember hearing Dylan’s line, “He not busy being born is busy dying” when I was twelve years old and I got it. The lyric spoke to me at that young age. I am grateful.

We are less than two weeks from our departure for “The Far Side of the World,” as it was referred to by Patrick O’Brian and others… “The Land Down Under,” as it was referred to by Men At Work and others, or just Oz, as many people call it these days. That is a play on the abbreviation AUS, but fitting as it is certainly far, far from Kansas. It has Flying Foxes rather than Flying Monkeys, but it is truly another land. The pre-packing has begun.

     

I have read the Patrick O'Brian series many times. Rereading them is like visiting with old friends.

We will be spending the majority of the coming year in Oz traveling. And most of that traveling in Matilda, our little Toyota Hilux motor home. Yes, it is small and we must limit our belongings. This is difficult for a man who has at least 30 “favorite” t-shirts. But it will all get sorted and when we arrive, what will fit will fit, and what won’t will be stored. The Great Adventure will begin the end of this month and I am so grateful.

I have over a dozen PRBY Apparel t-shirts alone. This is pre-packing sorting. All will be well.

Our little Matilda, tucked away in Torquay awaiting our return. She has her new solar panels on the roof.

This blog will follow our travels as it follows my life. My search for gratitude in living will continue and I will share it here. I truly enjoy sharing. I always have and I reckon I always will. For those who are interested, you are invited to read along as we go. There are some of you who will already be wherever we are; so secure are your places in my heart. I am grateful for you all and I look forward to sharing this coming year (and more) with you. Great Adventure indeed!

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

I Am An Adopted Aborigine

The current background photo of this Blog is a shot of me taking a photo of two Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeons in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.
           

Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon, Petrophassa rufipennis that I am photographing in that photograph.

In 2012, while birding in the region, Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow took us into Arnhem Land. She is an adopted Aborigine (you can read about her in her wonderful book, “Quiet Snake Dreaming”) and we went to visit some of her relatives in Gunbalanya (or Oenpelli).

   

Lynn waving as we walked to the lagoon in Gunbalanya.

We had a lovely day, spending much of the time with Una, Denise’s “daughter-in-law” (name related to the adoptive nature of the relationship). I loved Una immediately. It was one of those connections I have written about before. They just happen and you know it when they do, and I am grateful.

Una and me. It was as if I had known her for years.

We visited Una’s daughter and met her beautiful grandson (and their Water Buffalo). Then as we were about to leave, it was made known to me that Una had adopted me into the tribe. She decided that I was family, and it was as easy as that. I was humbled and honored. In the time we had spent together, Una had “taken my measure” and wanted me as family. That is as deeply wonderful a compliment as I can imagine receiving. I am a member of the Ngalanbali clan of the Kunwinjku people and I am grateful.

 

Una's grandson, such a beautiful baby.

A Water Buffalo and me. It was one of the most solid creatures I have ever petted.

So in my limited understanding of the nomenclature, Denise is my Yabok (my elder sister- not regarding actual age) and I am her Dada (younger brother). As Denise’s brother, I am Una’s “father-in-law.” She refers to me as mamma Bruce and I call her mamma Una. I do not truly understand the exact relationship, or even the meaning of these names; I just know that I am honored to be a part of Una’s family. I do not make a big deal out of this in general, but I cherish this honor and decided that I wanted to share it here in my blog, because why? Because I am grateful!

My Yabok Denise and my Mamma Una, I can hardly wait to see them!

Yes, I will be seeing Una and Denise again next year when we travel the Northern Territory in early autumn. I can hardly wait! I am very grateful.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Bare Eye to Bear Eye

I refer to our U.S. home as Between the Sandbar and the Swamp… the Sandbar being the incredible Outer Banks of NC, and the Swamp being the wondrous Alligator River National Wildlife refuge. Our cottage sits overlooking Croatan Sound, ten minutes from being at either of those places. I am grateful.

I truly love this cottage, but I have been far too much inside lately, far, far, far too much. So yesterday morning, after my eye drops (they do eventually taper off) I spent the rest of the morning in ARNWR. I wasn’t going to any sort of doctor appointment, or having any procedure done, I was having an injection of nature. This is my heart medication. It is an anti-depressant. It is a quality of life necessity for me. I needed to get out into it and I am grateful.

As I entered the refuge from the east side, I saw for the first time, bears on their namesake road, Bear Road. A mom and cub(s) who disappeared into the woods before I was anywhere close to them, but a good sign for the morning. As it is mid-summer, I wasn’t expecting a lot of birds. I was really more bearing than birding.

I drove further in and was greeted by a few beautiful, and a bit silly, Northern Bobwhites bobbling around on the track. This female was more cooperative than most, but user error in my camera settings over exposed most of the shots. After a little adjusting, this one is pretty good though. I am grateful.

Northern Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus Female

Deeper into the refuge there was a Turkey Vulture in the top of a dead tree asking to have its photo made. I obliged. They really are beautiful in their vulturine way. I enjoyed looking at this bird with my “new” eyes and I did have a new appreciation for one of our most common birds. TUVU, I am grateful for you.

  

Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura

Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura

Then there were bears. I went down to River Road, the area of Alligator River NWR where I usually see more bears and it did not disappoint. A mom with twins was on the edge of the road and I crept the car down to where I could take a few photos. They meandered into the edge of the woods and I crept further forward until I could look down into the bush where they had gone. They were still right there, just across a small ditch close to the road. I was able to slip out of the far side of the car and get some photos without crowding them. Mom seemed unconcerned with my presence and continued munching on grasses. Then one of the cubs climbed a few feet up a tree to have a look at me. I will never forget that beautiful encounter. We were eye to eye. There seemed to be curiosity in those beautiful, dark eyes looking at me, and my eyes, with their newly restored clarity looked back with curiosity and appreciation. I savored the beauty and phenomenal cuteness as we beheld each other, bare eye to bear eye. I snapped a few more photos and let them be. I am so grateful. 

American Black Bear, Ursus americanus

Momma in the bushes.

Peek-a-boo...

As cute as it gets.

Bare eye to bear eye... we beheld each other and I am grateful.

Birds. Bears. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.