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
Thursday, May 26, 2011
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
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