AUSTRALIA - Manic Street Preachers

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We are delighted to report that Daryl and Cath are getting married!

Eldest son of my friends at Parley Court and his long time Lady. 

All the Best to you both. Will that do? 

Having spent most of the day in the air, punctuated by touching down in 5 separate countries, we finally landed in Perth, Western Australia with a few hours of daylight still remaining. Leaving Vientiane, Laos early morning it was 2 short hops first to Phenom Penn, Cambodia, then Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam and a little longer to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Perth was then 5 hours away where it became immediately apparent that things had very much changed since my last visit. The change involves the Aus$, which is particularly strong at present, which was to show itself immediately I'd cleared Customs and Immigration. Just a little short of 'a grand' to hire a car for 3 weeks (including an insurance waiver) and £140 for a hotel room have already convinced me that the stay is going to be a lot shorter than imagined.

 Anyway, we can think about that at a later date, as for now those few hours of daylight would be precious so off to the location where I had my very first experience of Australian 'birding' back in 2007.

TOMATO LAKE, just a short drive from the airport, would be the location recommended to anyone bird watching here for the first time. Easy to get to and full of fairly easily identifiable birds and pleasant surroundings outside of the city of Perth.

 There has only been time to select a few photos today, starting with BROWN HONEYEATER

but it is hoped to produce more and better quality as the days go on.

Like our very own Robin, I doubt there are many Australians who could not identify WILLIE WAGTAIL.

PACIFIC BLACK DUCK

 BLACK-FRONTED PLOVER

 adult AUSTRALIAN GREBE

 juvenile AUSTRALIAN GREBE

A most unexpected and early addition to the list, as MUSK DUCK is one of the less easy to find Wildfowl in the country, but here it was in a City Park.

Finally, a good find as RUFOUS NIGHT HERON is ever present but difficult to find or see.

Hoping the luck continues tomorrow - All for now!