Genuine Granddaddy

I never knew my grandfathers, but I had two grandmothers who loved me. One was in Wisconsin and I did not see her very often at all, yet even as a little child, I knew that she loved me. My other grandmother lived next door to us and was the true source of nurturing in my younger years. I was certainly not mistreated by my parents, but I was often ignored. “Emotionally neglected” would not be far off the mark, but I had it great compared to many. And I did have my Nana and I am very grateful.

Nana. Pure love. She was way into her 90's here. She was born 1 January 1890. She was 13 years old when the Wright Brothers invented the airplane, then she saw men walk on the moon. Incredible.
I never really knew what my heart was capable of until I was a granddaddy. At this point in time, I reckon I am closest to my fourth grandchild. Many of you already know her as Angel Face. I have known her since she was just over a year old. I have always tried to be the granddaddy that I would have liked to have had. She seems ok with how I am doing. We have a lot of fun and I enjoy her company more than that of many adults. I am truly grateful.

Taken yesterday at her school
I have six grandchildren here. That is a lot and they are spread out amongst three families. They are all precious to me, but I cannot be with them as often as I would like. It is logistically impossible. So of course I see some more than others and that will ebb and flow as they age, and our travels continue. I am grateful for every one of them.
 
My youngest grandchild... they are toy binoculars, but a granddaddy can dream, can't he?
My next to youngest grandchild drawing with her granddaddy (I was an art major).
I am mostly grateful that I can be with them at all. I am grateful that I can show them by example, what I consider to be a genuine life. I place myself on NO pedestal, far, far, far from that. But I have chosen and, with some success, walked a path different than most. Particularly as I have grown older and wiser (it happens) I have learned the true value of living genuinely. If I can live that for my grandchildren, and let them see what that looks like, I will have been as good a granddaddy as I aspire to be. And for that I will be more grateful than I am capable of putting into words.

I wish you all joy with your loved ones. Blood does not make a family any more than brick and mortar make a home. Family is love. May yours flow openly and genuinely between you and those you love.

Birds. Peace. Love. Friends. Family.

More Portland Victoria ~ Olive Whistler

I saw my first Olive Whistler in Toolangi, Victoria on 4 April 2012. It was a positive i.d., but no photo nor much of a look. I heard it, and I saw it and I ticked it. I was grateful. Lynn had never seen one at all, so when Rob Farnes mentioned there was a good chance of seeing an Olive on the road to the Gannet Colony, we gave it a go the next morning. We had only gone along the path maybe 50 or so meters before Lynn (my hearing ear person) heard it. Then I heard it too and then we saw it. It hopped up into some bare branches and gave us lovely looks and did some whistling as well. I am very grateful! What a sweet bird. It is currently my favorite whistler.
         

Olive Whistler in the act of whistling 

Our buddy, Robert Shore (who had been with us viewing the Cape Gannet) had seen Rufous Bristlebirds by the lighthouse the day before, so with the Olive Whistler ticked for Lynn and the year list, we headed over to that windswept point. Eventually, in spite of the howling winds, we managed to see one of the Rufous Bristlebirds that were calling amongst the scrub by the lighthouse. It is now on the year list (oddly, we had dipped on them at Pt. Addis earlier in the year). I am grateful. The view of the ocean by the lightstation was simply stunning. Once again the birds lead us into awesome. I am so grateful!

One of the more beautiful windswept ocean views that I have seen. The bristlebirds were behind me amongst the scrub hiding from the wind I reckon.
And… on our way to Portland we passed through Dunkeld on the edge of the absolutely beautimous Grampian Ranges. I took Lynn’s photo in front of the world famous Royal Mail Hotel. We were too late for brekkie and too early for lunch (and we did not even get a look at the prices). We picked up a nibble from the local bakery though, and headed on to our date with a Cape Gannet. I am indeed grateful for this wondrous journey.
       
My bird girl in front of the Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld, Victoria.


Birds. Peace. Love. Getting Out Amongst It.

New South Wales Down To The Coast Of Victoria

Early last Friday morning before the heat went crazy, we headed up the mountain to Barren Grounds Nature Reserve in New South Wales. The temperature eventually went over 40C - about 105F, but it cooled off nicely in the evening. BG is one of my favorite places. It is beautiful and birdy and I love it.
Troopy seeking the shade in the car park at Barren Grounds.
The habitat there is classified as a 'hanging swamp plateau'. This is because it has large areas of heath and swamp and it is elevated up on a plateau. It also gets a lot of rain. I must say that it is definitely my favorite hanging swamp plateau! We were there and I am grateful!
Looking out across the plateau
My birding partner in one of the more forested areas by the car park.
I have been to Barren Grounds several times. I got my lifer Pilotbird, Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird there on past visits. Lynn had also gotten the parrot and bristlebird there last March, so on Friday we were hoping to find her a Pilotbird and that we did. I am very grateful.
   
Eastern Bristlebirds having a bit of lunch.


We also had some rather low flying White-throated Needletails over Barren Grounds.        
We had not found the Pilotbird where I had previously seen them. So we concentrated our search in the foresty areas around the Illawarra Lookout because that was mentioned in Tim Dolby’s blog. Just past the path to the lookout, I could see where some people had walked through the brush. Not a trail, just a spot where for some reason several people (birders perhaps?) had tromped in. We walked in about 25 meters and almost immediately heard two Pilotbirds. With a bit of manuvering around Lynn was able to get good lifer looks. I am grateful! (And thank you Tim).
     
Pilotbird (this is the one that I first saw there. I stood back out of the way and only had glimpses of Lynn's lifer. I did not need to try and get its photo).
It is now Monday and we are in Portland, VIC where early this arvo, Lynn, Robert and I got our lifer Cape Gannets at Point Danger. This was a perfect example of social network bird connections working. I had mentioned in Victorian Birders on FB that we were going to try for the Gannet today. My friend Paul Dodd suggested getting in touch with Rob Farnes. I did. Rob offered to take us to the Gannet Colony and we got the bird. Tick! I am very grateful. We had Lifer Pie (a little chocolate mud cake for me) with coffee. A wonderful day and I am grateful! 
Cape Gannet looking at you.
See? I'm a Cape Gannet!

Stay tuned there is so much more to come. I wish you all joy from the southwest coast of Victoria.


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music. Amongst It.

Back In Deniliquin Again

We first birded Deniliquin, NSW last February. When we heard that Phil Maher, “the Plains Wanderer whisperer” (as I just thought of calling him), had the Sunday following our return from Norfolk Island open, we got in touch again. There were several birds out there that we hoped to get on the year list (and maybe a couple on our life lists). We arranged to meet Phil in Deniliquin on Sunday the 15th. I had the eye issue (read the blog before this one), but we headed on inland to meet Phil. Except for my pretty full-on anxiety, it was wonderful birding. I will let the photos and captions tell most of the tale. I am grateful! (And I do LOVE Plains Wanderers).
             
Superb Parrot looking its name...

Tawny Frogmouth and chick. 
The other parent Tawny Frogmouth, I think it is the mom.
Grey-crowned Babblers with nest material.
Australian Owlet-nightjar
Grey-crowned Babbler with more stuff
Lynn's lifer Baillon's Crake peeking through the reeds.
The closest I have ever gotten to a Blue Bonnet
Loved the expression...
Australian Pratincole 
Banded Lapwing (love their goggles).
My first lifer of the day, Orange Chat. He was SO orange!

An adolescent Banded Lapwing
My second lifer of the day, Inland Dotterel. I was very happy to see these birds!


Pedionomus torquatus, the Plains Wanderer... I love them. 
Mr. Plains Wanderer
One of my very favorite birds. We were able to walk and find them, rather than driving and spotlighting. These were taken in just the light of a hand-held torch. It was wonderful.
The sun setting in Plains Wanderer territory.
Following our day and evening with Phil, we needed to head back over to the coast. He suggested we go by way of Binya State Forest where he thought we’d have a good chance at Painted Honeyeater. So we spontaneously changed our routing and reserved a cabin in Leeton for Monday evening. We arrived at Binya about 1:30pm and it only took us about fifteen minutes to locate a beautiful pair of the Painted Honeyeaters. I was, and am, very grateful.
       
Painted Honeyeater! Not an easy bird (for me anyway) but it was there in Binya.


Our pal, Robert had strongly suggested we have a look at Fivebough Wetlands in Leeton. Phil had also mentioned it. Driving in, we saw the wetlands entrance just 2 kilometers from the cabin. After a bit of a rest, we went over to have a look. We walked to the Bittern Birdhide (that is really its name) and as we reached it, I saw an Australasian Bittern flying low across the wetlands. We both got great looks and I managed some recording shots. Sweet! I am grateful!

Australasian Bittern! 


So here we are now in a little motel room behind the pub in Jamberoo, NSW. We had an excellent morning yesterday at Barren Grounds, but that is another blog. I am so very grateful for so much. I will keep writing (and taking some pictures too) and will do my best to share all this with y'all.


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

Being Real And Grateful

When we were picking up Troopy at the car yard last week (and transferred the soul and essence of Matilda into her), I had a black spot and floaters appear in the bottom vision of my left eye. It scared me. A lot.

A very long story sort of short… I went to an optometrist, then later a hospital and the next morning, an eye surgeon. I had a small, but very neat tear in my retina. He lasered the edges of it and set up a return appointment for a week later. I went to him yesterday and was given an all clear on the healing progress. There are floaters and blurring issues to deal with, BUT all is well with my retina! I am so, so, so grateful.

I did not want to write about this in here until I had some sort of resolution in sight (accidental pun, but not a bad one). I just wanted to go on with what we were doing, and that is what we did. We got some great birds too! However, during that week following the laser surgery, my anxiety stayed at an insanely high level as the blurriness and floaters continued and even increased. I do have my issues with anxiety and not writing about it is not being genuine. Sometimes the happy-face selfie has a scared inside and that's real too.

So now I am sharing this and sharing my massive, deep felt relief and gratitude that things turned out as they did. Taking care of something like that as you are traveling can be difficult, but we were able to do so thanks to the help and support of our wonderful friends. It all came together quickly and it was taken care of and I am so very grateful (and I can now really and truly rejoice in Troopy!).

Yes, our adventure continues… full on and amongst it!
         
The evening of the "all's well" appointment... My girl, my Troopy, my gratitude.

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

Some More Photos From Norfolk Island

We are in a little caravan park cabin in Yass, NSW (Troopy is not yet set up for camping). We are on our way to Deniliquin, NSW to do a bit of birding there Sunday and Sunday night. Since there is good internet on our wifi here, I thought I would post some photos from Norfolk Island and Phillip Island that I had not previously posted. Some were phone pics that I did not have access to until I was back on the mainland on the mobile network. Regardless, I have them now and I am grateful. Here is one from the phone...

There are hundreds of feral chickens on the island. Many on the grounds where we were staying. This little one (not sure if it is young or just a small sort of chicken) tended to follow me around and and sometimes lightly pecked me on my toes. He was cute in a homely sort of way.
Here are some more photos of one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I am very grateful for being able to visit Norfolk Island (and Phillip Island as well). I am grateful once again for the birds leading me into awesome.
   
Sydney from the air as we are leaving. You can see the Opera House in the back left.
Our cottage was the one on the right after the first one. You can just see the roof. 
This is the road right by our accommodations. Cows have the right of way on the island. The name of the place was The Coast, but it had formerly been the Ponderosa and everyone still called it that. 
The view from our porch. That is Phillip Island to the right of the big pine.
A better view of Phillip Island. I did the hike to the top (and got two life birds!). 
The small Nepean Island in front of the tip Phillip Island. It was once used to quarry stone. 
Slaughter Bay where I snorkeled. The name comes from combining the words "slack water" and does not represent any slaughtering. It is ridiculously beautiful. Yes, that is Phillip Island in the back.
One of the many Red-tailed Tropic birds. This one was seen from Captain Cook Monument overlook and shows the pink that you can sometimes see on them. They are gorgeous birds.
Me at Cook's Overlook.
Landscape going up Phillip Island. Before they got rid of the rabbits, the island was almost all red earth as the vegetation had all been eaten. Even many trees were lost as they ate at the roots.

This is where the boat drops us off and picks us up. That is Beck on the left. She was our guide. There were three other people with us on the "trek." We were very fortunate with the calm seas. Often the rocks are awash and the footing can be tricky.
A tall, cool looking rock just off Phillip Island. It has a name but I have forgotten it. 

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

Norfolk Island ~ Part Four: Phillip Island

Friday evening the little antique mobile phone that is supplied with the cottage rang (my number is 54211). It was Dave. He is the only person with licensed access to take people to Phillip Island. An island “Trek” as it is called, was on for Saturday morning. Lynn had been a bit under the weather and although she was pretty much over it, doing the trek would not be a good idea. She insisted I go and I did. I am grateful.

Birders who visit Norfolk Island know about the trek, the disembarking of the little boat onto the rocks and the rope assisted climb up the cliff. That was not difficult. Granted we had very calm seas and climbing off the bow onto the rocks was easy and dry. But the hike to the top of the island was quite a hike indeed. All of the literature regarding the trek says, “A reasonable degree of fitness is required.” That is a very vague statement. As would be necessary to reach the top, one is always going up… and up. I am grateful that I evidently do have a reasonable degree of fitness. The views are absolutely amazing. Stupidly, I had left my iPhone at the cottage, so all of my landscape and scenic photos are taken at the 100mm end of my 100-400mm birding lens. It really does not serve in this case. But I am grateful to have the photos and to have been there to take them in the first place.
 






Phillip Island is a nesting spot for many sea birds. At this time, Black-winged Petrels were around and even a couple of Kermadec Petrels, both of which were life birds for me! There were also lots of Grey Ternlets, Black Noddys, a couple of Common Noddys, Sooty Terns, Red-tailed Tropicbirds and heaps of Masked Boobies. We did not see any White-necked Petrels or Providence Petrels. From what I understand, the Providence only nest there in the winter. It was an amazing morning and I am very grateful that I got to make the trek.
 
Grey Ternlets 


Masked Booby on egg.
Black-winged Petrel over Masked Boobies
Black Noddy, also called the White-capped Noddy

Kermadec Petrel
Kermadec Petrel
Black-winged Petrel top
Black-winged Petrel underside

Yawning Common Noddy
Frowning Common Noddy
Common Noddy
It’s now early Sunday arvo. After a bit of sea watching with Lynn this morning (she got her lifer Black-winged Petrel through the scope!) I went back down to Slaughter Bay and did a bit of snorkeling. I dearly love to snorkel and I have not done it in ages. I saw wondrous reef fishes… dazzling colors and patterns. It was glorious. I will see about posting this since the internet seems to be working at present. Y’all will know if it works.
     
Just out after a snorkel. Above my head is Phillip Island. I hiked to its summit yesterday morning. I am grateful!
Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Norfolk Island ~ Part Three

It begins to get light here at about 4am. I like to get up with the sun, but that is pretty early even for me. I got out of bed yesterday morning before 4:30 to discover that the internet was out again. As my dear friend Ash said the other day, the most awesome places often have the worst internet. But it does make it difficult to share these experiences (one of my favorite things to do). I have photos in my phone that will stay there until we are back on the mainland next week. Regardless, I am grateful to be here and I am loving it.

I have taken several walks into the National Park hoping to see the little flock of Common Redpolls that had been there a couple of weeks ago. No one has seen or heard them at least a week now and they have probably moved along. It is still a lovely hike up to the top of Mount Pitt and there are other birds and views to see. I got gorgeous looks at a Norfolk Island Parrot again and took some photos. I am so grateful to be here.

So here are some more photos (internet permitting) that I have taken this week. I hope you dig them. Cheers for now from Norfolk Island.
      
One of the views from Captain Cook Monument.
Red Knots in Kingston
Mr. and Ms Pacific Robin soon to be raised to a N.I. separate species. They have just recently been found to be more closely related to Red-capped Robins than to Pacific.
Slender-billed White-eye and lunch.

Ms Pacific Robin 

The very friendly Grey Fantail of Norfolk Island that is also probably going to be split into its own species.
Love my parrots... Norfolk Island Parrot


Common Greenfinch behind our cottage. 
A very light grey Bar-tailed Godwit in Kingston.
Lots of Sooty Terns seen from Captain Cook Monument.
Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Norfolk Island ~ Part Two: Long-tailed Cuckoo And Boobies!


It is a very rainy, breezy, almost chilly, grey morning here. We were scheduled be taken to Phillip Island at 7am, but the trek (as they call it) has been canceled. They expect to reschedule for Saturday or Sunday. The weather looks good for the weekend, so we will see. Crossed fingers!

Yesterday was wondrous. We were booked to do a half-day with Margaret Christian the author of “Norfolk Island… The Birds.” John Weigel had highly recommended her. She was a park ranger here for 20 years and she really knows the island and its birds. She drove us to the National Park where we headed up the trail at a leisurely, birding pace.

About fifteen minutes along, I saw that Margaret had turned to look at something in a tree over the path behind us. It was a very large, brown bird. Lynn was already on it. I got my bins on it, and I was looking at the stripey head and long tail of a Long-tailed Cuckoo! I marveled at it for a moment before it flew off into the park. There was no time for a photo, just an incredible “lifer look” at a dream bird. Even Margaret had never seen this bird in the wild! She had only previously seen one that was injured after flying into a window. Yes, we ticked the Long-tailed Cuckoo! I was amazed. I am amazed. I am grateful! (And yes, once again I was wearing my lucky VEFL t-shirt).

We continued along the trail where we saw many wonderful birds including Norfolk Island endemics. We marveled at a beautiful and endangered, Norfolk Island Parrot that flew in and perched by the trail. We got fantastic views of the lovely and also endangered (or threatened, depending upon what you read) Slender-billed White-eye. We saw our little pal, the Norfolk Island Gerygone again several times. We had beautiful Pacific Robins along the path as well as the very understated Norfolk Island subspecies of the Golden Whistler. We also saw the N.I. subspecies of the Grey fantail, which was ridiculously confiding, almost landing on us as we walked along. Again, the views here were unbelievably beautiful. This place must be experienced, words and even photos do not do it justice. And I am here, and I am grateful.
     
Norfolk Island Parrot, Tasman Parakeet, Green Parrot... whatever you call it, it is awesome!           

 

Slender-billed White-eye showing its slender bill and white eye.
Norfolk Island Gerygone
Mr. Pacific Robin 
Ms Pacific Robin
Golden Whistler
Golden Whistler with a touch of golden.
And a Song Thrush because it looked pretty there on that branch.
Upon leaving the National Park, we discovered that the van had a flat tyre. I began changing it, but before I could finish the service station mechanics arrived and completed the job. Bear in mind that no one is ever more than about 15 minutes by car from anywhere else on the island. It is not a large place.

Tyre replaced we drove to Margaret’s home on the cliffs of the island were she has Masked Boobies nesting in her yard. It was amazing seeing the Boobies and their offspring. This was an unexpected thrill. While there, we had tea and cake as we did a little casual sea watching. I am so very grateful.
     
The ball of fluff with a beak is a White Tern chick. They are born out of eggs that are laid directly on the branches. The White Tern makes no nest. It is amazing that this works for them!
Oh, those awkward adolescent times... (Masked Boobies)
A much younger Masked Booby.
Attitude
In memory of Jim Henson... 
Gotta love them Boobies
Back at our little cottage we had a relaxing late afternoon and then I picked up fish and chips for our “Lifer Pie” dinner treat. Their fish is freshly caught here daily, and it was absolutely delicious. I am grateful.

Now I am sitting inside the gazebo up the hill where the wifi is (hopefully) good. A little chook (the feral chickens are absolutely everywhere) has followed me in and is pecking at my bare toes. This particular little chook has been following me around like a puppy dog. He is quite cute in a homely sort of way.


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

Norfolk Island ~ Part One

The shuttle came for us at 3:45am. I am used to getting up early, but this is before early. I reckon I was awake from about 2:30 on, but actually got up at 3:00. Our flight (at 9:50am, we were very early) was delightfully uneventful. It also had more old people on it than any single flight I have ever taken. I felt like I was on the set of a new Cocoon movie. Evidently Norfolk Island is a bucket list item and it looked like some of these folks were cutting it mighty close. I felt like a kid. I am grateful.

Our little cottage here is comfy, lovely and wood paneled. It has one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I am looking at it now as I write this at 5am on Tuesday because I am too excited to sleep. It is wondrous. I got my lifer White Tern(s) from the deck before I had even opened my suitcase. I am grateful.


Lynn grabbed a nap and I went birding, I mean to the grocery. Ok, I did both. When I returned I took her to a spot where I had seen the Norfolk Island Gerygone. She was not disappointed in these busy, yet confiding birds. They are cute and they are pretty much around (I am writing on Wednesday morning now and I have see a lot of those little birds).


Tuesday morning we drove up to Captain Cook Monument at the north end of the island. The view is amazing. The birds were wondrous. I will post some photos. I am ridiculously grateful.
Sooty Tern
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Red-tailed Tropicbird again because they are amazing. 
Parent Masked Booby and child
Cute as
Mr. California Quail  
Ms California Quail and the kids.
We did a bit of sightseeing around the island in the mid afternoon. Here are a couple of photos from Queen Elizabeth Lookout. It is breathtakingly beautiful (evidently she thought so too, hence the name).
       
Phillip Island (we hope to go there, but it depends on one person who has the license to take people there. We will see and I will let y'all know if we do). 
Kingston and the jetty (to the left of the jetty is Slaughter Bay).
Later in the afternoon we headed to Slaughter Bay as the tide was dropping and the rocks would be exposed, hopefully providing a spot for a Wandering Tattler to stand. After a bit of looking we both got long scope views, but the bird flew off before we could get satisfactory looks. We checked along other spots down that shore, and then returned to find a Wandering on the beach rocks near the jetty. I am so grateful. This is one of those birds that I had wanted for a long while. Tick.
         
Wandering Tattler 


The internet is frustratingly intermittent here at the cottage. I will go up the hill and try and post this. Yes, it is better "up the hill." I am sitting by the gazebo and the wifi is good. I am grateful. There will be much more to come later...


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

Fixin’ To Go To Norfolk (Island)

For someone from Tidewater Virginia, that is an odd thing to be saying about flying out into the pacific from Australia. Norfolk Island is out there in the ocean about a thousand miles from Oz. It’s where the cool pine trees come from. Here’s a map…
   
It's out there.
I am very excited to go to Norfolk Island, there are birds there to be seen nowhere else and a few odd visiting birds from time to time. I will be looking and I will take some photos and write some stuff for the blog. It seems there isn’t much internet availability there, so I may not be "around" much. Rest assured I will catch you all up after we return to the mainland.

We are fixin’ to leave for the airport on a shuttle at 3:45am Monday morning… ugh. In the meantime, we have been enjoying the hospitality of friends north of Sydney. For several days now we have been using their storage room and sorting stuff for the change over to Troopy. It’s not a lot of sorting, but we had pretty well settled into Matilda, and we are going to be releasing her from her crazy birding-bondage the day after we return from Norfolk Island. It is going to be quite the adjustment, but I have no doubt that we will handle it. I am very grateful as we get closer to "Troopy time!"
 
Soon...
While we were here, we have seen some cool birds as well as visiting our friend’s world famous reptile park. I thought I would share a few photos from the last few days. I will keep y’all posted.

Upside down Crested Shrike-tit 
Gorgeous Mr. Satin Bowerbird in the front yard.
A lovely Brush Bronzewing at the Australian Reptile Park.
Eastern Water Dragon at the Park watching us eat lunch.
Superb Lyrebird up a tree in the backyard here.
Selfie in front of the Australian Reptile Park.

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

Meet Troopy

I have anthropomorphized Matilda. She is a she. She is a dear. She has heart. She has determination. I love her, but she is 2WD and way underpowered. She did carry us up the road to Eungela and we saw the honeyeater, but we would never do that to her again. Matty was our doorway into this wonder of travel-living, this awesome pursuit of new birds in new places, but she also limited us. A lot. We had to choose routes and destinations based on her limitations… not too steep, not too muddy, not too sandy, not too rough. Her dual-fuel was a great money saver, but only when we could find autogas and it is not readily available once you get away from the cities. I am now and will always be, grateful to my Matilda.

Meet Matilda Two, Troopy....

Troopy and us... 

Yes, that is a snorkel. 
It was a difficult decision for us to make, but we are doing it. On 10 November we will trade Matilda One in on Troopy and our adventure will go up several notches. She will look like this except that she will have spotlights and all terrain tyres. The Toyota Landcruiser Troopcarrier (commonly called a Troopy) is the most dependable vehicle in Australia. It is not fancy, but it is tough, durable and powerful. We are fully aware that there is less room in Troopy, and there are less comforts and amenities. We will cope. Because now there will be wondrous parts of Oz that are open to us… the Birdsville Track, Gibb River Road, Arnhem Land… we are coming!  And Princess Parrots, you can fly, but you can’t hide.

Yes, there is now going to be a Matilda II and we call her Troopy. I. Am. Grateful.

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

Prince Albert, I Have Beheld Your Lyrebird!

I first went to O’Reilly’s at Lamington National Park in January of 2011. I saw awesome birds up there and I loved the place, but despite a lot of looking, I did not see an Albert’s Lyrebird. Our friend Allison and her husband, Erik live an hour from O’Reilly’s, so since we were visiting them, we headed up the incredibly winding road to Lamington on Saturday morning.

We did not arrive until after 8am and missed a Lyrebird that had strolled though the grounds of the lodge at 6:15am. But we had a great day of birding with Allison and saw a lot of wonderful birds. Lynn got several lifers including an unexpected Pacific Baza flyover. It was a delightful day of birding and companionship and I am very grateful. No Albert’s Lyrebird though.

Regent Bowerbird giving me a look.  
The symbol of O'Reilly's, the Regent Bowerbird.
Lynn's lifer Australian Logrunner. 
The surprise flyover of the Pacific Baza
So… Sunday morning we borrowed Erik’s car and drove back up the mountain arriving at 6am (yes, we got up before 4am to leave by 5). For the first morning in days, no Lyrebird walked around the lodge. A little disappointed, we kept looking.

The as cute as they are ubiquitous, Pademelon. And for a brief moment, they can really look like a Lyrebird on the edge of a road. 
Ms Satin Bowerbird
Mr. Satin Bowerbird
A posing Brown Gerygone that I had to photograph.
After an hour or so of birding around the lodge areas (we got the Paradise Riflebird) Lynn suggested we take the “path” down to the Villas and Spa area. This led us to the old road down to the zip-line area and the trail to Morans Falls. We had spoken to two birders who had seen an Albert’s down that road on Saturday. We continued on down. At the entrance to the Falls trail, we met a woman who had just seen a Lyrebird to the right of the observation platform by the falls. Down we went. Long hike, no Lyrebird.

This is where a moment of realization washed over me. There I was in amongst it. I was deep in the rainforest overlooking beauty that needs to be experienced rather than described. It was wondrous. And yet I was staring mostly along the ground searching for a bird. I stopped. I breathed in the rainforest and the visual wonder of it all. We took a selfie with the falls behind us. I still wanted the Lyrebird, but it was no longer my entire focus and I allowed myself to be in the moment. Yes, hippie-dippy stuff, but true. I am very grateful.
   
Me looking for the Lyrebird to the exclusion of all else.
Morans Falls... 
Truly, deeply amongst it and loving it.
We hiked back up to the road and kept heading down. We got to the bottom where the zip-line is, crossed the stream and continued up the road. We heard a Lyrebird. We tried to find it. We did not. We came back down the road to the zip-line area where the Wishing Tree Trail climbs back up to O’Reilly’s. There was a nice guy on the road and we chatted as you do (he insisted that Lynn keep his water bottle. Thinking we were just going a bit down that first trail, we had foolishly not brought water with us). And while we were talking he heard a Lyrebird across the creek. We heard it too.

I headed back up the road we had walked just minutes ago. As I went up the hill and rounded a turn, there ahead scratching on the edge of the road was an Albert’s Lyrebird. I grabbed some quick shots and turned back to alert Lynn who was about 60 meters back. And this is where I know that she is truly a birder. When she realized I was seeing the bird, she ran up the hill. We had hiked over 6 miles (none of it level) at that point and she broke into a run and got up the road in time to get identifiable views through the underbrush of the Albert’s as it headed down toward the creek.
I. Am. Grateful.

Albert's Lyrebird... finally.



We took a Lifer Selfie at the Wishing Tree as we hiked back up the Wishing Tree trail to O’Reilly’s where we had a wonderful lunch at the café (and I had ice cream on a stick as my Lifer Pie). I am so grateful.
 
Just starting up the Wishing Tree trail at the bottom where it's not very steep yet.
Albert's Lyrebird Lifer Selfie at the wishing tree. I am so grateful and hope with all my heart that my wish keeps coming true.

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

ADHD And Photos

As many of you know, I am extremely ADHD. Tasks that involve lists are difficult for me. So, since I am a bit of a bird lister, I have my work cut out for me. I think I have now caught up my “ticking book” (the Eighth Edition Pizzey and Knight) but Lord knows I have probably missed some. I do keep a word document list that I am almost positive is mostly complete, although just last month, I found that I had somehow missed Rufous Fantail in this “main list.” I corrected that of course. I am grateful.

This morning I was slogging through some of my photos. I do not work well in a linear fashion, so I pop around through various “events” and delete some here and some there. The further I get away from the first sighting of a bird, the easier it is to delete more of the photos. But with something like the Yellow-billed Kingfisher, it feels like I am deleting photos of my grandchildren or something (I am not good at doing that either). So I end up with too many photos. I am working on it. I am grateful that I have these photos and these memories. Here are some photos stumbled over as I was deleting many more. There is no rhyme or reason for this little group except that I chose them this morning.
     
Three photos of an Australasian Darter eating a fish.


Beach Stone-curlew (I took dozens of photos of a pair and they were all lost in that technology glitch that I mentioned in an earlier blog. It is such a cool bird, I am glad I have this one).
The difficult to delete Yellow-billed Kingfisher. This was one of the first photos I took of it, this is the angle at which Lynn spotted it. 

Ms Eclectus Parrot because I love her.
And speaking of Stone-curlews, here are Mr and Ms Bush Stone-curlew.
So, we are here in a caravan park in Maryborough, Queensland and heading off in just a bit to visit a friend who lives near Lamington NP. I have not been to Lamington since January 2011 and I am very much looking forward to birding there again. It was one of the first places I ever went as a serious birder. As a matter of fact, it was where I saw my first Rufous Fantail (amongst many others), the one that was accidentally left off the list. On many levels, and in many ways, I am grateful that I am returning.

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

Finch Hatton Finches

We were in pursuit of a single bird (a little flock of birds, but all of the same species). We are running low(ish) on available life birds in the east, although if we seriously want a good year list we need to keep looking for everything. But yesterday morning we had one main goal, the Plum-headed Finch.

We left our caravan park just after 6am and headed toward Finch Hatton, a small town where a little flock had been reported at the show grounds five days ago. We arrived about 8 am and began walking and looking. We had some nice birds: Channel-billed Cuckoos, Barred Cuckoo-shrikes and Red-backed Fairy-wrens to name a few. And we soon found a nice flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, but no Plum-headed Finches were hanging out with them.

Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets on a cane train. Too beautiful. 
Red-backed Fairy-wren hanging out by a cane field. 
Chestnut-breasted Mannikins looking aloof.
Finches and Mannikins look as if they have been spilled onto the ground. These were all mannikins.
We had high hopes. I mean the town is named, “Finch” Hatton! How could we dip? And I was wearing one of my PRBY apparel lucky VEFL t-shirts. I do have two of them. I wish I had kept count of the lifers I have gotten while wearing that shirt design (and other PRBY t-shirts). Way over 100 now and yes, I changed into it yesterday morning because we were looking for a lifer. But dip we did, at first…

Down along the river searching the Elephant Grass for finches.
It was just past noon as we decided to give up on Finch Hatton and start over toward Kinchant Dam where we were going to stay the night. We thought about having lunch first, but the pub in FH does not serve food on Tuesdays. Just as we were leaving town, I asked Lynn if she’d like to get a photo of the monument. The town’s namesake Finch Hatton was a relation of the Finch Hatton from the film “Out of Africa” and Lynn’s sister likes that film. It turned out that the monument was for fallen soldiers and not really about any of the Finch Hattans.
   
If you look on the concrete on the right behind the monument you can see small birds. Yep, they be finches.
However, as Lynn walked to the front of the monument, I noticed a small flock of little birds on the sidewalk. On the sidewalk! We had been walking, stumbling and sweating through several miles of excellent habitat (seeding elephant grass and other such finchy delights) and there on the damn sidewalk with a few Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, were Plum-headed Finches! I called to Lynn, “On the ground behind the monument!” And she got her initial life bird look bare-eyed. I got some photos and we watched them for a bit. Oh, I am grateful.
 
Chestnut-breasted Mannikins AND Plum-headed Finches!!



Finch Girl in the shade in front of the train station just across from the monument.
It looked as if someone had spilled a little bit of some sort of seed on the sidewalk. It was certainly not a spot where one would feed birds; there was just a little bit there on the concrete. How did it end up there? Why did I decide to ask Lynn if she wanted to stop? What if the pub had been open and we had eaten lunch. The whole experience of getting this life bird was surreal. I am very grateful.

We are now camped on the shore of Kinchant Dam (we have been here before) in the caravan park. We had a lovely, simple Lifer Supper at the pub here with a gorgeous view overlooking the lake. The rustic atmosphere of this pub is delightful and we enjoyed our well-earned “Lifer Pie” treat meal. I am so grateful. Today we will move along south… not sure what we’re going to do, but I will keep y’all posted.

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

The Pot Of Gold

It began raining and it rained on and off, but it was still another wonderful ride along the Daintree River with Sauce. I highly recommend him to any birders coming up to FNQ. His webpage is Daintree River Wild Watch. I will keep in touch with him and will definitely see him again.

After leaving the dock, we almost immediately picked up Lynn’s lifer Azure Kingfisher. It’s a magically gorgeous small kingfisher, and in the low, early morning light it posed on a snag. I am grateful.
     


Azure Kingfisher
Then we headed downriver predominately to look for Great-billed Herons and we found a pair! They are like the North American Great Blue Heron in size, but far less common. We heard the male calling (croaking) and soon we were watching him perched in a tree over the water. 

Male Great-billed Heron calling.
Great-billed Heron


As Sauce moved the boat past him to try for a different angle, we saw the second (a female) in the tree in front of us. She was watching something in the foliage of the tree. We watched her for quite a while, hoping to see her grab whatever she was watching (probably a snake) but she never did and as time marched on, we reluctantly had to leave her.
      



Female Great-billed Heron
As we left the dock, the rain made a rainbow on the ground across the river. Sometimes you are already “in” the pot of gold. I love this place and I will return.
      
Being in the Pot of Gold... deeper meanings and living life. I am so grateful.
We packed up and drove just a little down the coast yesterday afternoon, stopping in Newell Beach at a lovely little caravan park on the sea. Last night we had supper with a delightful lady who Robert had met while he was birding down here (she is visiting Newell Beach). Lynn and I both really enjoyed her company. We exchanged information and we will keep in touch! So yet again, birds are leading us to wonderful places and wonderful people. I am so very grateful. I truly am.

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

Catching Up And Some Photos

This is a catch-up blog with pictures. We got to Cairns Tuesday evening and being tired, we just headed into a caravan park there. It was a nice one, but rather soulless as the large, “holiday parks” tend to be. Wednesday produced a life bird for Lynn and me, the Nutmeg Mannikin (or Scaly-breasted Munia as eBird weirdly calls it). And later that evening, Lynn got her lifer Terrick Sandpiper from the Esplanade. I am grateful

Nutmeg Mannikins
Terrick Sandpiper, I wish all waders were as easily recognizable.
Thursday morning at Centenary Lakes in Cairns we saw some lovely birds… no lifers, but sweet birds and an awesome bat. Then at Cattana Wetlands, we finally (finally for me anyway) found a Brush Cuckoo. It flew and called, flew and called and perched briefly. It is a bird I have looked for for a long time. I am grateful.
   
Olive-backed Sunbird 
Green Pigmy-Goose 
Straw-necked Ibis posing, so I had to take its photo.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo. One day I will get a photo of the Brush.
Radjah Shelduck gorgeousness
Cicadabird, male
A lovely Brown-backed Honeyeater

Some sort of Flying Fox bat, but it looked more like a flying puppy.
We decided to do a Daintree River trip with “Sauce” (that is his nickname- his last name is Worcester, great guy) in hopes of a Black Bittern. He had only seen one twice in the last three weeks. But we went out with him Friday morning and within half an hour of leaving the dock, I said, “Bittern!” There was a beautiful Black Bittern standing amongst the grasses and reeds on the bank. It flew out and down the river and we all had great views. We followed him and the second time we saw him, I even got a couple of recording photos as he flew. It was a delightful morning. I am grateful.

Black Bittern! 


So today, Saturday morning 17 October, we are still in the magical tiny town of Daintree Village at a great little caravan park. We have been invited to go out with Sauce again this morning (rain permitting). We will see. I will keep y’all posted.
         
Here's a shot of Lynn, Sauce and me on his boat. I really liked him and look froward to seeing him again!

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

I Really Had No Idea

My father never talked about the war (WWII). He didn’t “not” talk about it, he just did not bring it up and no one pushed him for stories. He died when I was twenty-one and I did not really know him. I also know very little about his time in the South Pacific except that he was in New Guinea and Australia, he was in the 22nd Bomb Group and he flew a B-26. He was a Lt. Colonel and a pilot. I just spent a week in a cabin by the airport in Lockhart River, where the original building was constructed for the war in 1942.
      
It has changed very little over the years.
It was only as we were waiting for our plane to leave that I saw the display of historical markers regarding the airfield.
      
We stayed in one of those cabins in the back there.
At home in a box of stuff that I have had since I was a kid, I have an embroidered patch with that 5 and shooting star on it. It was my dad’s. I was walking the same ground he had in WWII. I really had no idea. 


We may have opened the same door.
We may both have opened the door to the Gent’s room with this same doorknob. I do not think he ever dreamed that anyone in the family would ever be there, where he had been (at least part of the time) during the war. I really had no idea. But I am very grateful that I was in this place where my father had been. I am also sad. I wish so much that I had known him better. He was a far more complex man than people where allowed to be back then, and I reckon it took its toll on him. He died at 58. Daddy, I was there where you were.

I would never have gone to the Iron Range if I were not a birder. Once again, birds and a love of “getting out amongst it” has lead me to things I never expected. I am grateful. 




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

Iron Range ~ Part Three: Yellow-billed Kingfisher and Other Delights

I began writing this part Saturday evening and I was fiddling with photos and even had a bit of internet there at the cabin. We had had another full day of birding and I got two life birds: Yellow-legged Flycatcher and Trumpet Manucode. Sweet! (I did get a photo of the flycatcher on Facebook too).


I am a Yellow-legged Flycatcher! Rejoice!
Trumpet Manucode, cool bird, weird name.
And now it is Sunday evening, 11 October and the lifer today was the White-eared Monarch, a lovely bird that mostly flits about the canopy and had so far eluded us (although I will admit that more “flash” birds had gotten chasing priority). I am grateful.
 
White-eared Monarch up in the tops.
Later on, we went “terning” up at Chilli Beach to get some that were missing on the year list and the list is now over 340. Since we were up there, we had a scrumptious lunch again at the little café in Portland Roads with the excellent local seafood and the breathtaking view. I am very grateful.
   
One Black-naped Tern over the rocks... there were lots of terns, but I like the rock in this photo.

There had been a particular bird that had eluded us for the week. And it eluded us in an especially frustrating way; we heard it and could not find it. I am not the greatest birder, or even close, but I will put my pattern recognition skills up against most and I could not find this bird! And I really wanted to see it. This morning, Lynn and I heard one yet again. We spent two hours searching an area of rainforest not much larger (foot-print wise) than a 7-11 store. Two hours! It would “trill” about once every ten minutes or so and we would frantically try and ascertain where it was… above, to the side, behind, in front… where was that bird! And then finally, finally… Lynn said very quietly, “I am on it.” It sounded almost as if she could not believe it. I looked where she was looking and this amazing little bird materialized out of the foliage. We were looking at the Yellow-billed Kingfisher. Joy. Joy indeed. I am grateful.

The incredibly elusive (for us), Yellow-billed Kingfisher


Elusive and insanely cute.
Persistent and insanely cute... the finder of the Yellow-billed Kingfisher!
As a surprise "ending" to our trip, on our last evening we went for a wonderful boat ride up the Claudie River with our new friend Cal Thomas. He showed us Spotted Whistling ducks, although it was very dark and difficult to see them, we did! And as we began our journey down the river, I did get some excellent looks (no photos) at my lifer Great-billed Heron. I am grateful!

Cal launching the boat. He kept an eye on the river, there are crocks.
She may have been pointing to the Great-billed Heron.

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

Iron Range ~ Part Two

Wednesday afternoon we had a long over due Lifer Lunch at the café up in Portland Roads. We all had prawns that were fresh from the ocean in front of us (the view there is unbelievable). They were cooked to perfection, and as good as any shrimp I have ever had anywhere. A piece of cheesecake was the actual Lifer Pie and it was delicious as well. I am very grateful.
Happy Lifer Selfie for several lifers! Fantastic, local prawns and a wonderful view of the Coral Sea.
Heading back toward the Iron Range, we stopped at a spot that Anne had mentioned in her notes to me as a possible nesting spot for Eclectus Parrot. We found the tree and as we stood there, I saw the female fly in and disappear into the hole. Magnificent. We ended up seeing her three more times there. I do not think that she liked us watching the tree, so we moved on. I am very grateful for seeing that bird. Since I began birding, Eclectus Parrot had loomed as some exotic, seemingly unattainable resident of the jungles of Cape York. Well, I am here, and I am grateful! As the week progressed, we saw this Ecectus couple again and got a few photos from a discreet distance.


Eclectus Parrots, male and female (the female is red)
Meanwhile later in the week… I am sitting again overlooking the Coral Sea in Portland Roads at the café with the insanely wondrous prawns. Yes, we came back here. This morning brought Northern Scrub-robin and Magnificent Rifebird into my heart.

Northern Scrub-robin scurrying along the rainforest floor
Magnificent Riflebird
And a Lesser Frigatebird just glided onto our list and into my heart as well! I jumped up in the middle of my lunch and with prawny-hands grabbed up the camera and got a few shots. We had Great the other day down in Lockhart River and now we have the Lesser. Sweet. I am grateful.
Lesser Frigatebird came to lunch... sort of.
Birding Lunch

I will stop here on the second installment of this piece-meal blog. I am writing this from Matilda in a caravan park in Cairns. This feels quite normal to me with my coffee and my MacBook early in the morning. Here are two more photos just because I liked them.
Stay tuned, there is more to come.

Frill-necked Monarch falling off a branch. 
One can never see too many Pittas. This is a Noisy Pitta although he was very quiet that morning.
Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.