Butcher Birds

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For a change
I went to walk
in the community
where my son and partner live,
hoping to see more kangaroos...

this home, next to my son's
is a good example
of contemporary Australian architecture

but it is not for that reason
that I am showing you...


look up at the top right hand corner
of the roof
Do you see a little speck?

let me draw
you in
a little closer

and closer still
can you see him now?

He is a Butcher Bird
a magpie like bird
native to Australasia


As soon as my son drives up to his house
Butcher Bird flies down to greet him
ever hopeful of a snack

which is often presented...
The bird on the right is very tame
the one on the left skittish...
she grabs a morsel
then quickly hops away...

The butcher bird
gets his name from the way
he impales captured prey
on a thorn or tree fork or crevice

His straight bill
with hook at the end skewers the prey

He eats insects mainly
but likes lizards and meat

the food that he leaves in his tree larder
he may eat or save for later
and also it may attract a mate

Butcher birds are woodland birds
that have adapted well to urbanisation
They are very opportunistic and intelligent
showing little fear
readily taking food offerings
and for that reason
easily become semi tame

Butcher Birds have
beautiful high pitched songs
of great subtlety,
and also good mimicry.

You can hear one here...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unEwbEyFiFw

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Misty Morn

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The high seas came back
and the air
was heavy with sea mist

the night's heavy rain
lay all around
and the morning sun
sneaked through

Old Man's Beard glistened
on the track side

sprouting fresh new whiskers

and the mist hung low

Turkey found a sunny spot
and undeterred by walkers
with cameras

he stretched his tail feathers
and lifted his wings

and pranced
and preened

to dry his wings

and flounce his beautiful tail

It was not long after this
that I rolled my ankle
on a very small
and innocent looking tree root

Can you see my left ankle
in my well worn walking shoes

is looking like
half a tennis ball

So after icing the ankle
we drove to the cafe
not much can stop me
from my morning flat white fix


The baristas in town
are quite artistic
creating love hearts
and beautiful flowers
in the foam of a flat white,


but I have never seen one like this before




Do you think the barista
has been looking at
Picasso's Blue Nude
lately?








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Post Script:

I went to see the physio
who suggested I visit my Doc
for a referral for an x ray
on the ankle

This morning,
(I wrote the above story yesterday)
the x ray reveals
a fracture of the tip of the malleolus

Tomorrow I see the orthopaedic surgeon
to evaluate the ankle
to see if surgery is necessary
to join the piece back on...

and tomorrow I will also get
a moonboot and crutches



My first thought
at the discovery of the extent
of this injury was:

what will I do with myself -
no gym
no walking
perhaps for a few months!



My second thought was
new camera with telescopic lens...



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Two Men in a Boat

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Two Men in a Boat...

It was about 1 pm
and I was driving
along the river to the office.

I had promised myself
that if I did two solid hours work
I could leave at 3pm
and have a walk
and be back home
before the sun dropped low
and the winter's cool crept in...

But on the way
I spied an interesting little scene
unfolding,
and turned my car
at the next roundabout
and retraced my route...


'til I found the row boat
with two men
who were setting their crab pot
beside the mangroves
in a loop of my river


But can you see
they are not alone
they have company...

A curious pelican
is circling their boat
attracted by the crab pot's
smelly bait

Blue T shirt man drops over the pot
and pelican comes to inspect...

and then
there are two inspectors...

and then
there are three...

two men in a boat
are not happy
with their pot placement

so they stop to take a fishing lesson
from Pelican number two

and then replace their pot
before green T shirt man
takes the oars
and begins to row home...

accompanied by the pelican...

wait for me!

I'm coming too...




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Parkedge Walk

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Walking to Parkedge Road...

Today you will need
your hat, water bottle
plus a smidgen of stamina

Because
we are going to walk
over the headland
through to Parkedge Road
and down to Sunshine Beach.
It will take about an hour each way...

Westringia tenuicaulis
sometimes called coastal rosemary

we begin by passing through
the rainforest
and eucalyptus forest

see the pretty
Crinkle leaf parsley bush
on the forest floor

In the Tea Tree zone
the Spangled Drongo
caught our attention.
The Drongo calls metallic notes
as he bobs his head and flicks his fish tail.
He has a sharp red eye
which allows him to catch flying insects

On many of the shrubs and trees
I noticed these collections of leaves

hanging like bunches of grapes
so I took a closer look and found...

a spider spins a funnel shaped web
into which fall leaves and forest litter
and presumably insects

In the centre of this web basket
is a small spider,

whether it is the owner
or the supper
it is not clear...

Another species of flowering wattle

We have left the National Park
and arrived in Sunshine Beach
marked by the huge Norfolk Island Pines

on the way
passing by a different species of Cycad
to those we've seen before

the leaves are stiff
and firm to the touch,
resembling plywood

concave and
shaped like paddles

come and enjoy a 'flat white'
and I'll introduce you to
this little fellow
at one of the beachside cafes...

then once rested
we can make our way
back up the hill
to Parkedge Road
and return through the wallum
and the forests
to our starting point
on the North of the headland ...

but before we come home
we have one stop to make

and that is at the Bottleshop.

Alcohol is not sold at the supermarket
in Australia,
so we must call by the Bottleshop
for refreshments,
and in the trees outside
a daily cacophony is occurring as
hundreds upon hundreds
of Rainbow Lorikeets
come in at dusk
and screech and argue
til the sun goes down.



The lorikeets make such a din that you can not talk over them
Surprisingly apartment owners have successfully petitioned
our very 'green' council
for the partial removal of some of the birds' favourite haunts.


4.30pm cacophonies, when the birds come home to roost,
may be endured with sufferance,
but 4.30am ones, when the birds ready for the day,
tend to become very tiresome
for holiday makers
intent on sleeping in...




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