Featured Image: Male Darter preparing for take-off
Comb-crested Jacana leaping through the Lilies at Tyto
Hello again from Ingham!!
The last week has just flown by, we have been out and about most of those days as the weather has been good though it’s really starting to warm up now so I’m glad we are heading south.
Graphic Flutterer Dragonfly (above) and Tropical Rockmaster Damselfly
Press Play to view Steph’s latest Video Snips
We find it difficult to walk pass these gorgous Crimson Finches without taking a photo. These are our favorite shots of these critters whilst at Tyto Wetlands. (Top: Male, Centre: Female, Bottom: Immature Male)
Our front legs for the van arrived mid week and Anthony didn’t have too much trouble fitting them though it appears there is some very small ( hopefully minor ) piece missing. He did give the legs a go and all seems ok though we have ordered this little missing piece and will be picking it up in Rockhampton on the way south.
Flying Foxes at Ingham Botanical Gardens. We think its a great attraction for Ingham. Sadly the majority of locals (as always) don’t feel the same.
Rufous Whistler’s (Male above and Female below)
A couple of Snaps from Taylor’s Beach. (Clockwise from Top: Osprey, Immature Red-capped Plover, Gull-billed Tern, Immature Crested Tern)
As usual we have put off some much needed maintenance that we really have to do today as tomorrow we are off to Crystal Creek. From there all our trips will be very quick, only a couple of nights at stops along the way. Of course we will be in nature as much as possible, there is nowhere else we would rather be.
The very secretive White-browed Crake (above) and Buff-banded Rail (below)
“Snakes” ….. What snakes
Please enjoy our last photos and video of this area, oh and guess who spotted that gorgeous Carpet Python way up in a tree….😊😊
Featured Image : 2 metre Salt Water Crocodile on the banks of a lagoon
A Whistling Kite watching our every move
Well things have been going really well in Ingham!!
Tyto Wetlands has been alive with birdlife every day, we have been doing a morning lap…..back to the pod for lunch, then out again late afternoon.
The afternoon light on the first lagoon is fantastic for photos, lots of birds are dipping in for a bath so you can just stand on the little bridge and watch all the action.
A very pretty Yellow Honeyeater in the late afternoon light
White Gaped Honeyeater
Female Rufous Whistler
Northern Fantail
Brown-backed Honeyeater
There has also been plenty of croc action too…
We always knew there was one saltwater crocodile in the lagoons….somewhere…..but had never sighted him …. until now.
There is the original big boy, at around 4 metres, that we have seen most days and also the smaller one in the first lagoon is around 2 metres .
He has been putting on a show, and never ventures too far from his slide on the bank, and he seems incredibly hungry.
Nearly every time we spot him he is eating something.
One day a big fish, then a huge Eel and yesterday we couldn’t work out what on earth he was eating then we realised it was a big fruit bat, and seemed to have a bit of trouble getting those rubbery wings down.
Press Play to view a bit of Croc action
Crocs of Tyto
Thislarge Male Agile Wallaby didn’t seem to mind the Willie Wagtail hitching a ride.
Crimson Finches are in abundance at present, always hard to walk past without taking a pic.
As too are the gorgous Red-backed Fairywrens.
We haven’t seen any unusual birds but it’s great to see all the locals again. Lots of birds are nesting so it’s a very busy time.
The Wandering Whistling ducks are a nice site on the lagoons.
With the weather starting to heat up, it brings back a few Dragonflies.
Chalky Percher
Graphic Flutterer
Colorful Blue-tail Damselfly
This Plumed Egret settles down for the evening after a big feed (below)
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Press Play to view Stephanie’s Video snippets of Tyto
This Pacific Baza (Crested Hawk) was a welcome sighting.
Yellow Oriole
Brown Goshawk
White-browed Robin
Golden-headed Cisticola
A few more Bird sightings
A Brown-backed Honeyeater on one of the many Lotus Flowers that adorn Tyto Wetlands
We are still waiting for our new front legs for the van to arrive….
They are coming from Victoria, which always seems to take forever.
Hopefully they come in the next few days.
We had already pre booked some parks ahead so have had to cancel everything for now. And also don’t want to rush back to work which is looming for the start of November.
They still haven’t had any rain in the Stanthorpe area so things are very grim there.
We still have plenty of places we want to check out on the way south so hopefully we can get on the road again soon.
We are almost healthy again. I don’t know about anyone else but I must say whenever I get even the inkling of a sore throat I think I’ve come down with some deadly virus and probably the stress of that makes me go downhill even quicker.
But whatever we both had went on it’s way pretty quickly ( thank god ) and maybe I shouldn’t read the news so much….the stuff about viruses anyway. Watching the movie “ Contagen” on the way home on the plane didn’t help either😳😳
It certainly hasn’t stopped us getting out and about. It was great coming back to Yungaburra, we are even in the same van site as last time with the same neighbours we had last time, so it really was a bit like “coming home”.
Juvenile Lovely Fairywren
Lovely Fairywrens
Gorgeous Green Ring-tail Possum with ultra cute Bub
Press Play to view Steph’s Video Snippets
Here I was wishing This (Adult male) Victoria’s Riflebird would hop down lower in the tree for a better Shot
At that moment, to our amazement he dropped the fruit and followed it to the ground.
Life in Nature is soooooo good.
The Apprentice
This Immature Victoria’s Riflebird is certainly not yet ‘dressed to impress’ a female, However is giving it a good go.
We have been very lucky with our wildlife spotting as you can see by the pics and
video……absolutely amazing. Many birds on our bucket list have just been appearing
before our eyes. Of course we are putting ourselves in the best places to see these
amazing animals.
Graphic Flutterer Dragonfly
A Medley of Flutterers
Yellow Striped Flutterer
Saphire Flutterer
Pied Monarch (Bucket List Bird)
Very Excited to finally photograph this stunning Bird at Lake Eacham
Echidna Always excited to see these amazing creatures.
Grey Headed Robin
Rainforest Birds
Immature Golden Bowerbird
Bowers Shrike Thrush
The Golden Bowerbird is a story in itself. (Pictured above)
It’s the same bower at Mount Hypipamee where we got chased away by a very aggressive rather large male Cassowary two years ago. Terrifying I know but that was a while ago now and I mean….what are the chances of having another run in…plus we will really keep our eyes peeled.
So we found the bower and to our delight it has been worked on…lots of nice new mossy wallpaper, we heard the male bowerbird’s very loud distinctive chatter so settled down ready with camera and video in anticipation and then out of the corner of my eye I saw a big black shadow, quickly looked through my binoculars and saw the blue head of that monster cassowary heading our way…yikes….you’ve never seen us move so quick, we were out of there in a flash.
Fresh lichen adorns the Bower of a Golden Bowerbird
After we settled down a bit, and the monster didn’t come out and chase us down the road, we decided we could sneak back later and just keep an eye out for him, pretty brave aren’t we🙄.
Well we did just that and never saw the Cassowary again, Anthony got a photo of what at first we thought was the female but turns out it’s a immature male without his adult colours yet ( this can take up to 7 years ).
A quick snap of the said “Blue Headed Monster”
We stayed for quite some time and never saw another Bowerbird come in and also we heard a horror story from another birder, that the adult pair that were at this site had been poached last year. Also some other pairs have been taken from other well know locations so that is pretty upsetting but as with all wildlife, if it’s pretty or has a nice voice or is rare, it sadly has a price tag on its head. We feel we are very fortunate to be able to see these amazing creatures while it’s still possible.
Chestnut Brested Mannequin
Australasian Pipit
Golden Headed Cisticola
Grassland Birds
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Lake Tinaroo
Other Birds
Pelican
Yellow Oriole
We have another week or so in this beautiful area so will get out as much as possible, there is a lot more action out in the rainforests now that the weather has warmed up. Please enjoy the pics and video.
Cheers and bye for now, Steph and Anthony.
A good day for the Green Tree Snake … But sadly not so good for the Frog
Featured Image : Fisherman’s Village, Bophut Beach
Hin Lat Waterfall
Hello again from Cairns…..
We got back from Thailand around lunch time today, it was great to have my sister Denise pick us up, and she did a fine job of looking after our cat Chloe while we were away.
Our Breakfast spot… Smile House Restaurant
Bophut Beach at Fisherman’s Village
Heard and saw quite a few birds here, but photographing them was a different story.
The Ling Juice Bar A great place to cool off
All went extremely well at the Dentist…..
The worry and stress I had invested in this Dental journey were unfounded. As all I got from that was some virus I must have picked up a few days ago🙄🙄
I have had an implant for two years now, and was thinking I would never get the two molars on it, after having two lots of bone grafting done.
Happily, our Dentist, Dr Lee did the moulds and abutment Wednesday morning, on the Island of Koh Samui, and my nice new molars arrived and were fitted on Friday morning…..
How incredible is that?? Anthony and I also had plenty of fillings done and each a deep clean in that time, amazing.
It probably sounds like our teeth are rotting away in our heads but I think we are like most people, never bother too much with your teeth till you lose a couple, or your gums start hurting real bad then all of a sudden all hell breaks loose.
We can’t say enough good things about Dr Lee at the Dental Home on Koh Samui.
He works there 3 days a week, another two days a week at his surgery in Bangkok and also teaches at the University In Bangkok…..
One very busy and Talented Dentist.
Horned Mountain Dragon
Sun Skink
Greater Spiny Lizard
Press Play to view Stephanies Video Snipetts
Yellow vented Bulbul
A poor shot of a Brown Throated Sunbird.
Indian Roller
A very ordinary effort photographing Birds this trip
So in between Dental visits we got out and about with our hire car.
This is our third time to the Island so we do have some favourite spots to visit.
The Hin Lat Waterfall is always good for a slow hour and a half of meandering up to the top of the Falls. You never know what you will see.
We have seen a huge array of lizards on this walk, some birds too though they are near impossible to get photos of in the thick rainforest.
Also insects, beautiful butterflies and dragonflies.
You do have to walk slow and really keep your eyes peeled.
Common Lascar Butterfly
Day Moth
Common Sailor Butterfly
Also little luck with Butterflies
We stayed at the Smile House at the Fisherman’s Village so could walk to a huge selection of cafes and restaurants.
The weather was fantastic too though very stormy on our arrival.
All very calm above the cloud
Brown Backed Marsh-Hawk Dragonfly
Common Blue Skimmer (male)
Common Blue Skimmer (female)
Stream Ruby Damselfy
Stream Glory Damselfly (female)
Scarlet Grenadier Dragonfly
I did a little better with Odonata (Dragon and Damselflies)
So now it’s great to be back in our Pod.
We are a bit Jet lagged at present and not really functioning 100%.
Anthony also came down with some Bizarre BUG on the flight home.
So hopefully we can rest up tomorrow before heading back up to Yungaburra on the Tablelands on Monday, via the steep ascend up the Kuranda Range😬😬
Chloe was happy to see us again ( I think ) it’s great to know that we can go overseas for a short time and she is just fine with someone coming to feed her and open her tunnel everyday.
Please enjoy the pics and video.
Bye for now Steph and Anthony.
Fisherman’s House Cafe & Hotel …. Best Coffee in Fisherman’s Village. Voted by us
Featured Image : Striated Heron – on the prowl at Centerary Lakes
We have been out and about while in Cairns. There is some great spots for birdwatching at Centenary Lakes and also out further to The Cattana Wetlands.
We did look along the northern side of the Esplanade at low tide, saw plenty of Shore Birds but too far away for photos.
The Torres Strait Pigeons have arrived for nesting and they are very busy.
For quite a plain bird (black & white) they are beautiful looking and we hope with a bit more time Anthony will get better photos.
Jade Vine (above)
and other Flora from the Botanical Gardens
A short boardwalk from Centenary Lakes leads to Flecker Botanical Gardens, usually teaming with Butterflies, like the Cairns Birdwing….. Better luck next time I guess.
We couldn’t believe how close we got to the Double-eyed Fig Parrots at Centenary Lakes. We also couldn’t believe how out in the open they were, we have been looking and looking in all the fruiting fig trees with no luck and thought this would be an impossible bird to see, let alone get fantastic photos and video off.
We don’t know what the tree was that they were munching in but it was quite sparse of leaves which made for great viewing, a male Mistletoe bird also came in a few times for a snack.
Featured Bird : Double-eyed Fig-parrot (male above)
Female
Press Play to view Steph’s Video Snippets
Yellow-striped Flutterer
Common Glider
Black-faced Skimmer
Palemouth
Australasian Slimwing
How time flies……Tomorrow we are off on the big jet plane to Thailand, we still haven’t come to grips with it yet but guess we will have one hell of a reality check when we get to the airport🙄🙄
The Pied Imperial (Torres Strait) Pigeons have returned to nest
a male Mistlebird feasting
Female Sunbird
Forrest Kingfisher on the hunt
Dusky Honeyeater
Royal Spoonbill on the charge
Female Figbird
While overseas we will be staying on the island of Koh Samui.
We know it really well now, we have a great Dentist there and have some favourite eateries etc. we also hire a car and drive around the Island and up the Mountains.
They do have some birdlife and amazing lizards so we will do our best to get a nice Blog together in the next 5 days.
