Bearded Dragon

Walking up the steep steps 

behind the township

of Noosa Heads this morning

I was bemoaning the fact 

that I never see 

critters on this walk

while they must be there in the trees, 

old logs and deep leafy carpet

on the forest floor

I found a bright little flower on the path

and the curious green flowers

of the macaranga tree

with the large parasol leaves

I began to make my way down hill

through a residential zone

and spotted a movement on a front lawn

he stopped very still

and as I cautiously approached

he scampered into the leafy camouflage

and I walked closer still

he's a Bearded dragon

with rows of spiny scales on his throat

which he can puff and expand if threatened

and also spines on the back of his head

He has a hand waving gesture

to indicate submission to other dragons

and a head bobbing action to show dominance

He's also able to change colour 

like a chameleon

The bearded dragon enjoys basking in the sun

in dry arid zones of Australia

but when the temperatures rise to 38'-50'C

he buries himself underground

He's an omnivore and also diurnal.

The Dragon can grow 45-60 cm

half of which is tail

and despite his angry appearance 

he makes a gentle pet...

Big Seas

*

Big seas

and bright lights

Way out here

at the end of the National Park

before it meets Sunshine Beach

and the great swathe of Pacific Ocean

that runs all the way south of here

to my capital city of Brisbane

there is a secluded bay called

Alexandra Bay

popular with those

who like to wear

their birthday suits 

well it was a bit rough 

for that today

facing into the gusting
south easterly winds

but back here

in the shelter of Laguna Bay

things are very different

the surfers

enjoy the swells

of the late afternoon

and my walk

slows to a crawl

and then a stop

as I soak up

the splendour

before climbing 

up the boardwalk 

to home...

Oh Happy Days

*

Coastal Cinquain

Coastal Cinquain

High seas
heave rolling sets
of hollow waves to shore
eager young ones sprint through the tracks
to surf

And me
I stand and watch
under the pandanus
above me a cicada thrums...
Heaven

Cinquain:

five lines

with syllables:

2

4

6

8

2

thanks Dan...


*

Koala Rescue

*

 Koala Rescue

in the National Park

At the end of my walk 

early this morning

I came across

a wonderful couple

who had rescued an old

and ailing koala

 He had been noticed 

by walkers last night

at the foot of a tree

skinny and weary

too weak to climb

Unable to find him in the dark

they went searching 

early this morning

and tracked him down 

in the bushy undergrowth

I wondered whether

Grandfather koala

was Grey Butt,

shown above,

as koalas tend to keep

to the same foraging corridors

and territory

He will be taken

to the wild life hospital 

and cared for

The lady told me

that there are fewer than ten koalas

in the whole 

Noosa National Park

and where it was once common

to have a sighting

they are now rare

Development and disease

have taken their toll

on the koala community

I think that we have been very lucky

to have had Speckled Butt

as a neighbour

even if only 

for a brief period.

I have not seen him since

the day I posted

of his slumbers

The lady was excited 

to hear of Speckled Butt

Every sighting is good news

when you have a population

dwindling throughout the state

People 

such as these volunteer workers

are so admirable.

*

Little Cove Walk

*

Little Cove Walk

 

Slip into your thongs...

or do you call them flip flops

  or jandals -

if you are a New Zealander,

or slippers -

as in Hawaii...

  

Let's walk down the lawn

and cross the road

  

to the steps

  

down to the boardwalk

  

 I am taking you for a walk

just a little stroll today

it is so hot

I thought you might like a swim

at Little Cove

  

What's that?

  

who's this 

  

oh 

you little beauty

it's the Blue Faced Honey Eater

  

taking refuge

in the shade 

of the palm fronds

  

see you later

  

we turn left 

and amble down hill

slowly

  

we are heading 

for this cove

  

which looks so cool

and inviting

  

it's not too busy today

  

and the sea is calm

  

 

we'll find a spot

with some shade

  

down we go

  

 you can fish

  

or swim out the back

across the cove

  

have a try at 

stand up paddling

  

snorkle

at the edge 

of the bay

  

body surf

  

or even share

a little romance

  

now we have cooled off

let's head back home

 

and if we get hot

we'll take a little rest

where the brush turkey 

has created a mammoth nest 

on the bank

and we'll look out 

over the ocean

of Little Cove

my new home...

*

A Park Walk

*

Today is the day
for a walk in the National Park
along the coastal track...

we'll start at my friend's home
adjacent to the rainforest
parking beside this Clivia
that catches the first morning sun

a beautiful new flower
has arrived on the coastal track
now that the days are warmer
the Fringed Violet
Thysanotus tuberosus

sometimes called
the Fairy Handkerchief

The Seashore Temple
incoming rollers
flow in time
to the holy flute
Basho

Flowering too
is the Spider Lily
Crinum Asiaticum
also known as the Seaside Lily

Spider Lilies can grow
up to 5-6 feet tall

and are natives of SE Asia

but love it here
in their adopted home
of Noosa







The lily!
the stems,
just as they are,
the flowers,
just as they are


Basho

The Morning Glory
Ipomoea indica
has an inner glow

that the beetles
find irresistible

and the umbrella grass
shoots out
its many flowering stems
like fireworks





All along the way
the dragonflies flitted
busily






The dragonfly
can't quite land
on that blade of grass

Basho




and I heard
the first cicada
of the summer
shrill...





*