There Are 'Fairies' At the Bottom of the Garden

The destination today was Fairyland, which took me along the same

Lane Cove River but in the opposite direction to yesterday. I had hoped there might be a circular walk but it was a case of 2.5 miles there, and 2.5 miles back.

The fairly dense forest was mainly Eucalyptus with some evergreens,

and small tributaries running in all directions feeding the main river.

A 'forester' I met early on the walk told me of a serious fire in 2007, the marks of which could still be seen, but of more interest was the possible location of a Powerful Owl the countries second largest. He had seen it personally on 5 of the past 7 days, and described in detail where I should look when arriving at the second boardwalk.

First bird on the scene was a pair of Mangrove Gerygone, with the only confusing species being geographically and by habitat, Brown Gerygone.

Very similar birds indeed, the latter having a 'white eye' whereas this bird looks to have dark or 'red' eyes as is the case with Mangrove. Either way it was only a Trip Tick and not a World Lifer, the name is pronounced Jar Rig Any and means 'Born of Sound'.

Things got altogether brighter when this male Variegated Fairy-wren popped out of a bush accompanied by

at least a dozen females confirming

that I had reached Fairyland?

Willy Wagtail is common across the continent

and like our Robin is familiar to most people.

Surprisingly, this is the only one seen all trip.

This gentleman, high on a balcony above the road, confirmed just how confiding Laughing Kookaburra can be as while feeding it by hand he was stroking its nape.

The last notable sighting of the day was first spotted partly concealed behind this riverside bush,

and considered a difficult subject to approach and photograph in the open.

With a great deal of 'stealth', ' field-craft' and 'patience' (aka LUCK)

this smart Little Pied Cormorant was finally

shot for a few different angles.

Unfortunately, there wasn't even a 'sniff' of the Powerful Owl.

There's Mummy,

Daddy,

Grandpa

and "a Candy Coloured Clown they call the Sandman tiptoes through my room every night, just a touch of stardust and a whisper go to sleep, everything is alright" In Dreams - Roy Orbison.

and to close, what is probably an attempt at an Australian 'pun'?