AUSTRALIA - Part VI

 Yes, the 6th and the final lap of a Trip of a Lifetime, 6 weeks of not knowing just where to look next!

Centred entirely on the State of Queensland it would be difficult to decide which was best, but here is a Front Running Contender
and again in no particular geographical order before introducing!

THE MAN of the FOREST

BUFF-BREASTER PARADISE KINGFISHER

BUFF-BANDED RAIL

CORK-SCREW VINE

ANOTHER KIND of WATER-HOLE

GREY-TAILED TATLER

TEREK SANDPIPER

CAIRNS

TO

where the

DOUBLE-EYED FIG PARROTs

arrive knowing the Fruits will be at there best, striping every tree
of its bounty and leaving before the day was done!

While as a Royal Navy and Sports Dive a number of 'dips' hade been undertaken across the years, none got anywhere near close to that at the

GREAT BARRIER REEF
While we had discounted one of 2 key birds on the trip, Plains Wanderer, for logistical reasons, here at

it was to be 'Do or Die'
Leaving the coast to the likes of

RED-CAPPED PLOVE

PIED OYSTERCATCHER
along with a wealth of other Waders we entered the jungle, confined to the car and a fair helping of 'trepidation'
along with more than enough

RAINFOREST BUGS.

The signs were imediately GOOD finding still steaming Football Size Droppings
along with a good deal of activity ahead before catching sight of our 'first'

SOUTHERN CASSOWARY

with the usual legend having it as being able to rip the chest out of an

Adult Male Man
(we can only think women were excussed?)
We never did reach the intended Cape York but as a finale a stop for coffee at
The Kingfisher Ranch
gave us our final and not even dreamed of

PAPUAN FROGMOUTH
with chick!!!!

The 3 most asked questions across the Nation are, in an Australian accent of course:-

"What's yer favourite colour Blue"?

 "What's yer favourite pastime Sport"?

and

"What's yer favourite name Sheila"?
DON'T HESITATE, GET YOURSELF OUT THERE WHEN MEANS AND TIME ALLOWS, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!

All to Delicate

 We have seen a couple of dull days lately, not only with the weather, but also with the First for Year Moths plucked from the traps which have included

STRAW UNDERWING

a couple of examples of the

DELICATE
and

WHITE-LINE DART
as during the process close to home a fly-past of both

the regular and noisy

CHINOOK
and again a

EUROPEAN CARGO
across a grim looking sky.

STRANGE BED-FELLOWs
in the Solar Panel Compoud with the second of the

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE

close at hand,

along with continuing Gull activity including this fine specimen of

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
while disaster reins at the now completely covered

IRRIGATION POND

where nought but this juvenile

MOORHEN
was braving it!
with more bad news ending this Post at the Gravel Pit where only a single adult

LITTLE GREBE
was found, no eggs, no nest, no Humbugs surely it can only get 'better'!

Mellow Yellow - Donavan

 No Bullfinch's to greet us at Compound 13 this morning and not even the Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Pink Floyd), but an appropriate line from fellow muso's Genesis

"and so with god's and men the Sheep remain inside their pen,

until the Shepherd leads his flock away".
Firth of Fifth.

Yes, they are back mob-handed so good job we left the stockades in place!
Again not a cluster of good news but at least a couple to add to the Year List along with a brace of Eye Catching

GOLD SPOT
and the additions

DUSKY THORN
(looking to be suffering from that pen-top feeling)
and

PLAIN PUG
while elsewhere little more than a

worryingly confiding juvenile

STOCK DOVE

seemingly just waiting to be predated? while in the same area a

brand new and still fluffy young

MISTLE THRUSH
but not given to much, or even any, movement.
Down South

was given over in total to

Plant Life

with the
SUN FLOWER FIELD
looking positivly
Van Gogh-Esque

and
HORSE CHESTNUTs

or maybe just
CONCKERS
ripening nicely in the sunny weather - that's blown it!!

and finally the best 'stand' of

PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE
we have seen this year.