tourist – WanderingEagles – Travel & Nature Photography

Kuranda (Our old Stomping grounds)

Published on September 5, 2019September 5, 2019 by Anthony and Stephanie2 Comments

Featured Image – Barron Falls Kuranda

Well we have really enjoyed our time here in Mareeba. We did visit Kuranda which is always nice especially on a beautiful day.

There’s plenty of walks in the rainforest and along the Barron River and the boardwalk down to the Barron Falls lookout is fantastic and a great spot for birdwatching.

Press play to view Steph’s Video snippets

The last few days in Mareeba have been very windy and smokey …..there’s some reduction burns going on in the Dindin forest and with the strong south easterly winds the smoke is coming here.

Anthony has been having a great time walking around the grounds here and over to the small dam, which is almost dried up and doesn’t really look like it would have any bird visitors, but a few days ago a Jabiru flew over Anthony’s head and landed in it, and has been re-visiting it every day since. At first he seemed a bit nervous, so Anthony hid in the pump house shed next to the dam where he got some great photos.

Yesterday afternoon Anthony managed to slither on his belly right up to edge of the dam and sneakily got some amazing close ups of this gorgeous big bird. He had to slither back down so as not to disturb him…..we love getting great photos and video but hate it when we disturb them.

This Black-necked Stork (aka Jabiru) allowed me to get quite close and put on quite a show

Jabiru up close

So we are off to Cairns soon…..

It’s usually a place we avoid, because it’s just way too busy for us now. But we have to fly out to Thailand for more dental work next week.

We were hoping not to go this year but I still have a problem with my tooth implant and Anthony wants more work done and it’s just so ridiculously expensive here, we don’t have much choice.

We didn’t want to put Chloe in a Cattery, so by putting the van in Cairns my lovely sister Denise will be able to look after her, and hopefully she won’t be bothered too much that we aren’t here.

We are only going for 5 days.

There are some great birdwatching and dragonfly spotting hotspots around in Cairns as well so we will try and get out and about as much as we can till we fly out so we will keep you posted.

Cheers, Steph and Anthony.

We will miss this sight from our window in the mornings

Jourama Falls and Birding at Tyto

Published on July 24, 2019July 24, 2019 by Anthony and Stephanie2 Comments

We have had another couple of great days in Ingham.

Yesterday we drove south to Jourama Falls only about a 20 minute drive, the last 5 kms is corrugated dirt but our truck doesn’t seem to mind the corrugated roads. It must be the length and also maybe the dual wheels at the back but I think a standard car would be shaken to bits.

It was very overcast, no rain but not very good for photos. The birds didn’t want to come out and play either. On a previous visit to the Falls and later in the year this place is teeming with dragonflies but we didn’t see one. We had a picnic lunch and still a beautiful place to visit and a great little hike up to the waterfall lookout.

We popped into Tyto in the afternoon but didn’t get any photos there either. I think, like us, the birds like to see the sun.

A rare occasion when a Spectacled Monarch sits still long enough to snatch a pic

Press play to view a short clip of Jourama Falls

Today….

beautiful blue skies again. We visited Tyto this morning and wow, what a difference.

Birds were chirping everywhere, Anthony got some great photos. We missed out on a Jabiru flying off and at one time there was a wedge tail eagle getting harassed by about a dozen whistling kites. Great to watch but too far away for photos.

There is always something to see here.

Those Spurs on the leading edge of the wing is a good enough reason to avoid being swooped by ‘Plovers’ (Masked Lapwings)

Here’s a selection of pics featuring the gorgous Red-backed Fairywrens

This Leaden Flycatcher allowed us to get very close and personal … bless his cotton socks

Press Play to view Tyto Birds Video

Well this is our last day here, tomorrow we are heading north again and up the Palmerston Highway to the Tablelands.

We like the trip up there. We are booked into a van park in Yungaburra, one of our favourite places but it’s extremely busy and we are not sure yet if we can fit in. One of the pit falls when being so big.🙄🙄

See how we go, bye for now, Steph and Anthony.

Inspirational quote of the week

Published on January 19, 2019January 19, 2019 by Anthony and Stephanie6 Comments

Elephant Rocks, William Bay, Western Australia