Early afternoon - yesterday
A pair of grey feathered brolgas in a paddock recently harvested of cane beside Sandy Creek turn alert pink heads to the observers on the road.
My first sighting of brolgas in this area was in the ti-tree swamp on the McEwens Beach road last January. Since then I have seen them, not often but regularly during drives in the area, sometimes surprisingly close to town.
7th August 2011
ClaireWood
Daily Blog: http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://longline8.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Spectacled Monarch Flycatcher
Early Sunday morning
The spectacled monarch, with its blue cape, rufous breast, black band through its eyes and black tail, is a dandy. It flashes its brilliant colours through the cane and along waterways choked with vine and brush, chattering continually in search of insects.
Claire Wood
Daily Blog: http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://longline8.blogspot.com
The spectacled monarch, with its blue cape, rufous breast, black band through its eyes and black tail, is a dandy. It flashes its brilliant colours through the cane and along waterways choked with vine and brush, chattering continually in search of insects.
Claire Wood
Daily Blog: http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://longline8.blogspot.com
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Brahminy Kite
Morning
This morning a Brahminy Kite swooped low over the traffic crossing the Ron Camm Bridge. She hovered for a moment then swooped away, upstream.
Claire Wood
Daily Blog: http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://longline8.blogspot.com
This morning a Brahminy Kite swooped low over the traffic crossing the Ron Camm Bridge. She hovered for a moment then swooped away, upstream.
Claire Wood
Daily Blog: http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://longline8.blogspot.com
Masked Lapwings/Plovers
In the Wet Tropics we do not lack for sources of water. Rivers, creeks, lakes, swamps are in abundance. Masked Lapwings, or plovers as they are commonly called, reside on almost every footpath, park or paddock in the area. Our street's resident plovers took advantage of the afternoon's rain and afterwards bathed, with much shaking of feathers and ducking under the surface, in the shallow gutter that lines the street.
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Swamp Hens
Afternoon
The swamp hens near the golf course were leading their chick across the floodway this afternoon. The parents with their red combs and purple heads contrast with the chick, all leggy and half grown looking, but still a soft downy pitch black.
Claire Wood
The swamp hens near the golf course were leading their chick across the floodway this afternoon. The parents with their red combs and purple heads contrast with the chick, all leggy and half grown looking, but still a soft downy pitch black.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Spangled Drongo
Morning
Yesterday morning a Spangled Drongo was perched on the lowest limb of the paperbark that overhangs the driveway. This is a bird that truly does not deserve its name. Irridescent black and green with a graceful forked tail and red eye, the "spangled"part of the name fits, but what cruel person decided on adding "drongo"? This bird spends a lot of time in the foliage in the garden, perching, still and intent, for minutes at a time before swooping across to another branch, presumably catching an unwary insect in flight.
Claire Wood
Yesterday morning a Spangled Drongo was perched on the lowest limb of the paperbark that overhangs the driveway. This is a bird that truly does not deserve its name. Irridescent black and green with a graceful forked tail and red eye, the "spangled"part of the name fits, but what cruel person decided on adding "drongo"? This bird spends a lot of time in the foliage in the garden, perching, still and intent, for minutes at a time before swooping across to another branch, presumably catching an unwary insect in flight.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Geese at the Gooseponds
The Gooseponds: Morning
On Wednesday morning, during peak hour, the geese that live on The Gooseponds crossed Malcolmson Street. Traffic came to a stop as, one by very slow one, each goose (or gander), in turn, stepped from the footpath onto the road, hesitated, then paraded across the road to the southern section of The Gooseponds. Two young ganders engaged in a hissing fight in the middle of the road, further slowing up the flock's progress, while the traffic jammed back to Mt Pleasant in one direction and to Evans Avenue in the other.
Claire Wood
On Wednesday morning, during peak hour, the geese that live on The Gooseponds crossed Malcolmson Street. Traffic came to a stop as, one by very slow one, each goose (or gander), in turn, stepped from the footpath onto the road, hesitated, then paraded across the road to the southern section of The Gooseponds. Two young ganders engaged in a hissing fight in the middle of the road, further slowing up the flock's progress, while the traffic jammed back to Mt Pleasant in one direction and to Evans Avenue in the other.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Corellas
Sunset: Bucasia
Each evening a flock of corellas rockets overhead, a joyous, raucous, enormous flock. As it wheels against the light, the undersides of hundreds of wings reflect palest gold in the last rays of the sun.
Claire Wood
Each evening a flock of corellas rockets overhead, a joyous, raucous, enormous flock. As it wheels against the light, the undersides of hundreds of wings reflect palest gold in the last rays of the sun.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Bush Stone Curlews
Halliday Bay
Beneath a cloud sodden sky that softened the afternoon light two bush stone curlews sat on the footpath under a small shrub regarding each other. Perfectly reflecting each other's pose in elegant sinuousity. From beneath a neighbouring shrub a third bush stone curlew regarded the world through large night time eyes.
Claire Wood
Beneath a cloud sodden sky that softened the afternoon light two bush stone curlews sat on the footpath under a small shrub regarding each other. Perfectly reflecting each other's pose in elegant sinuousity. From beneath a neighbouring shrub a third bush stone curlew regarded the world through large night time eyes.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sand Plovers
This morning we counted 76 sand plovers on the beach. Twenty three years ago they were called Mongolian dotterals. Is this just regional naming differences? However, as the bard said, "a rose by any other name..." Ahead of them is the migration back to Siberia for the northern summer. They are such dainty little birds, it is hard to imagine their long journey along the latitudes.
Claire Wood
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Mopoke
In the evenings a mopoke sits on the hills hoist watching the spill of light from the barbeque area. When the light is switched off, or if there are few insects she flies silently into the pine tree, and from there her destination is a mystery.
Claire Wood
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Bird
Bucasia: Wednesday
Yesterday a bird flew screeching straight into the insect screening on the office window. The window was open so she did not hit the glass, nor would have been tricked by reflection in the glass. She hit the screening so hard I thought she would crash through into the office. Instead she veered off, screeching, into the clump of trees in front of the window. She continued screeching for some time before eventually flying off. She was a medium size dark feathered bird, not one of the many parrot species around here.
Claire Wood
Yesterday a bird flew screeching straight into the insect screening on the office window. The window was open so she did not hit the glass, nor would have been tricked by reflection in the glass. She hit the screening so hard I thought she would crash through into the office. Instead she veered off, screeching, into the clump of trees in front of the window. She continued screeching for some time before eventually flying off. She was a medium size dark feathered bird, not one of the many parrot species around here.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Possum
Bucasia : Tuesday
A possum lives in the old mango tree in the back yard. She forages at night, her baby snug in her pouch as she clambers over and along fences. We have had no raids on the potted herbs, nor has she shown any interest in moving closer to the human inhabitants of this block. She provides nighttime entertainment and keeps an eye on people sitting around the table. She maintains her distance but is unafraid.
May 3 2011
A possum lives in the old mango tree in the back yard. She forages at night, her baby snug in her pouch as she clambers over and along fences. We have had no raids on the potted herbs, nor has she shown any interest in moving closer to the human inhabitants of this block. She provides nighttime entertainment and keeps an eye on people sitting around the table. She maintains her distance but is unafraid.
May 3 2011
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Another Ten Days
April 6 near Gatton
Awoke to a dew soaked morning. Two wallabies, one of them heavy with a joey in her pouch grazed along the verge of the track.
April 7: Paddington
The crows at the top of the silky oak are in full chorus this morning, gurgling and warbling, screeching and chattering and for one surprising moment giving a poor imitation of a magpie being strangled.
April 8: Tenthill
The doublebars still inhabit the apple gums that line one of the fences.
April 9: Paddington
Lorikeets seem to be all over Queensland in the aftermath to the big wet, screeching through the trees along the fencelines.
April 10: Mackay
This is my first arrival into a fine and sunny Mackay. We fly over country that seems to have been artificially coloured so brilliant are the greens spread below us.
April 11 Bucasia
The usual paths to the beach are underwater with a wide reflecting pool running the length of the depression at the foot of the frontal dune. I have to detour to the park with its graded, concreted path to the beach. Near the children’s playground families of lorikeets have taken over the hollows in the trees. It is like walking below overcrowded bird tenements there are so many nesting birds.
April 12 Bucasia
Bucasia Beach at low tide is like a long calligraphic scroll, revealing stories of small dogs and large crabs, of people running in shoes or walking slowly barefoot, of children dragging sticks and shell creatures ploughing below its surface.
April 13: Bucasia
The kookaburra that haunts the back yard early in the mornings laughed all afternoon, but, contrary to old beliefs, the weather did not change. It remained fine and sunny albeit a little more cloudy early evening.
April 14
A pair of Burdekin ducks were sitting quietly beside the fast evaporating stream that runs through the reserve beside the beach.
April 15
A sulphur crested cockatoo screeches in the treetops at sunset, silencing the other birds, even the corellas.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.justclairewood.blogspot.com/
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Butterfly
A single swallowtail butterfly circled the covered area of Platform 2 at Milton Station. It flew in a seeming haphazard pattern above the ticket and drink machines, above the waiting passengers on metal seats, beneath the metal roof.
The arrival of the Ipswich bound train from Platform 1 was announced. The butterfly began an erratic flight towards that platform. The rails rattled as the train approached. The butterfly fluttered above the tracks beside platform 1. As the rattling grew louder the butterfly zipped at a forty five degree angle up and over the sound barrier beside the platform. It settled on an overhanging tree twig. The train careened to a stop seconds later.
Claire Wood
Email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Tuesday April 5, 2011
The arrival of the Ipswich bound train from Platform 1 was announced. The butterfly began an erratic flight towards that platform. The rails rattled as the train approached. The butterfly fluttered above the tracks beside platform 1. As the rattling grew louder the butterfly zipped at a forty five degree angle up and over the sound barrier beside the platform. It settled on an overhanging tree twig. The train careened to a stop seconds later.
Claire Wood
Email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily Blog: http://www.JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines Blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
Tuesday April 5, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Twelve Days
Friday 25 March – Early afternoon
A lone surfer floats on the swell at Burleigh early on Friday afternoon. By mid-afternoon the waves rolling on off the point were small but perfect and the number of surfers increased with the increasing height of the waves.
Tall thin women in varying shades of beige silk and taffeta accompanied by men in dark suits attended a formal wedding in the park. A gaggle of seagulls and boardshort and bikini clad locals lazed under the trees, enthusiastic witnesses.
Saturday 26 March - Morning
Burleigh beach is crowded, the ocean molten as glass under a hot clear sky.
Sunday 27 March -Sunset
The sea at Burleigh rises and falls in a lazy rhythm carrying sun sodden body surfers shoreward. Children run naked on the sand in the late afternoon breeze.
Monday 28 March - Dawn
Six months ago I did the dawn walk through the Paddington streets and each morning marvelled at the abundance of flowering trees on my route. These March mornings are cloaked in a multitude of shades of green. Only red berries light the tunnel of ficus that covers part of the footpath. Green umbrellas of jacaranda show not even a memory of the riot of mauve that covered bare branches six months ago.
Tuesday 29 March - evening
In Paddington a possum leaps from the now dead pomegranate tree. She rattles her way across the gate into the loquat tree. She hesitates before dropping onto the verandah railing from where she climbs onto the tin roof to join her companions for a thumping good night.
Wednesday 30 March - morning
A butcher bird fills the Paddington morning with her song
Thursday 31 March - afternoon
Mackay is awash. We fly over the swollen Pioneer river, the Gooseponds spreading across the flood plain. Every declivity is full of water. The light soft, silvered in the rain.
Friday 1st April - morning
The peewee is still in the Bucasia backyard, pacing in the rain.
Saturday 2nd April – sunset
Lorikeets screech along the bank of the Pioneer river seeking night roosts above the mangroves.
Sunday 3 April – Midday
The biggest wet in Mackay since 1948 continues. The roads are collapsing into the water table which is flowing fast beneath the shell of bitumen, washing the gravel road base seawards.
Monday 4 April – Lunchtime
Ibis nest in trees beside Lake Apex in Gatton - white blobs against the green of the trees. Ducks, waterhens, egrets and herons line the shore or float on the water.
Claire Wood
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Daily blog: http://www.JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
Longlines blog: http://www.longline8.blogspot.com
5 April 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Brisbane Botanic Gardens in Autumn
The ponds are flowering in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. Pale pinks and waterlily blue are emerging from the water.
In the heat of early afternoon a white faced egret guarded her nest in the shallows while a royal spoonbill poked and prodded at the water. The spoonbill stopped her efforts only to shake her bill before resuming the subaquatic attack.
A trio of Pacific black ducks floated in haphazard patterns turning tail-up at random moments.
In the shade of the bamboo grove a family of five spread a red and black checked blanket and feasted from an enormous blue esky.
It is autumn in Queensland's capital but the high temperatures encourage people to lie on the grass and gaze into the deep blue sky.
http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Thursday, 24 March 2011
In the heat of early afternoon a white faced egret guarded her nest in the shallows while a royal spoonbill poked and prodded at the water. The spoonbill stopped her efforts only to shake her bill before resuming the subaquatic attack.
A trio of Pacific black ducks floated in haphazard patterns turning tail-up at random moments.
In the shade of the bamboo grove a family of five spread a red and black checked blanket and feasted from an enormous blue esky.
It is autumn in Queensland's capital but the high temperatures encourage people to lie on the grass and gaze into the deep blue sky.
http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
email: JustClaireWood@gmail.com
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Bucasia Beach
Last Sunday we walked to the beach via Symes Street which leads to the bush track that is partially underwater since the latest rains. On the beach a pair of plovers had staked their claim to the shingle near the stinger enclosure. They scampered back and forth trying to distract the dog walkers who seemed utterly oblivious to the plovers' presence.
This must be the very large dog end of the beach with Rhodensian Ridgebacks, Great Danes and other canine monsters cantering along the high tide mark.
On Monday a female peewee spent the morning wandering around the lawn, picking on and off at the ground. Later that afternoon I noticed her empty nest lying underneath the bunya pine that dominates the back yard.
Tuesday morning the Pioneer River was at the lowest level I've seen it since arriving here. The floodwaters that have been feeding it have receded and it was also low tide. A lone cormorant perched on the exposed rocks on the downstream side of the bridge. Towards the ocean an expanse of uncovered sand glittered in the morning sun. The moment of regret at what might herald the end of the Wet Season passed when I saw new arrivals on the now exposed floodplain. Two Burdekin geese stood at the water's edge at a 45 degree angle to each other, one preening, the other maintaining watch on a clump of mangroves further downstream.
Later that morning a baby magpie burbled from the roof that covers the bbq area. I heard no responding call and when I went to investigate the bird hopped onto the rotary clothes hoist to observe me closely, yet warily. The bird still had its juvenile markings and was, unusually for a young magpie, alone.
Wednesday 23 March 2011
http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
JustClaireWood@gmail.com
This must be the very large dog end of the beach with Rhodensian Ridgebacks, Great Danes and other canine monsters cantering along the high tide mark.
On Monday a female peewee spent the morning wandering around the lawn, picking on and off at the ground. Later that afternoon I noticed her empty nest lying underneath the bunya pine that dominates the back yard.
Tuesday morning the Pioneer River was at the lowest level I've seen it since arriving here. The floodwaters that have been feeding it have receded and it was also low tide. A lone cormorant perched on the exposed rocks on the downstream side of the bridge. Towards the ocean an expanse of uncovered sand glittered in the morning sun. The moment of regret at what might herald the end of the Wet Season passed when I saw new arrivals on the now exposed floodplain. Two Burdekin geese stood at the water's edge at a 45 degree angle to each other, one preening, the other maintaining watch on a clump of mangroves further downstream.
Later that morning a baby magpie burbled from the roof that covers the bbq area. I heard no responding call and when I went to investigate the bird hopped onto the rotary clothes hoist to observe me closely, yet warily. The bird still had its juvenile markings and was, unusually for a young magpie, alone.
Wednesday 23 March 2011
http://JustClaireWood.blogspot.com
JustClaireWood@gmail.com
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