Plastic and Fantastic


I dearly do love Gluepot. We spent two nights there. We hit the area’s where we had heard to try for Red-lored Whistler early. Lynn, Robert and I were out amongst it before the dawn chorus began, but we neither saw nor heard any Red-lored… maybe on the way back through this winter? We will see. I had not had a lifer since the wonderful Greater Sooty Owl. I was getting ichy for that “lifer high.”
                                       
Before the dawn chorus out amongst it.
Home
You cannot tell me that this Chestnut-rumped Thornbill is not smiling.
Sand Goanna in the camp (over a meter long).
So, early Sunday morning (getting up around 4:00 or 4:30 is getting to be the norm) we headed from Waikerie to Adelaide. We hoped to pick up the Barbary Dove (African Collared Dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea) and with Kay Parkin's directions, we drove straight to the doves on a wire not far from the Esplanade. I know this is a bird that is considered a "plastic" (i.e. not a real Australian bird), but it lives here now and that makes it an Aussie lifer for both Lynn and me. So we had a nice Lifer Latte at the beach. It was fun to “people watch” there as well. This little kid was hilarious as he headed off on the beach. It was a very busy place, but fun. A wonderful morning and I am very grateful.



Barbary Doves working on their circus act.
Heading down the beach...
My girl and Troopi at the Esplanade right by the Kiosk.
We were almost to Port Germein, where we are camping for the night, when we got a call from Kay. I stopped to chat and she suggested we go back to Telowie Gorge (maybe 20-30 minutes drive). She reckoned we had an excellent chance at Grey-fronted Honeyeater. It was hot, early arvo (not ideal birding time), but we gave it a go. As we walked into the gorge, Lynn was saying, “I am not in birding mode. I am wearing a skirt and Crocs.” I was wearing Crocs as well, but Kay said the walk was easy and short. 
                   
Grey-fronted Honeyeater! Tick!



We were not much more than 200 meters in when we heard the call (it is distinctive, even for me) but as we were trying to get on it, a Wedge-tailed Eagle flew over and the bird went silent. And stayed silent. Then we spent well over an hour looking and listening up and down the gorge. And finally… there was that unmistakable call again! And two Grey-fronteds zoomed over us from one side of the gorge to the other. One perched on a dead snag well up on the hillside for a minute or so and I was able to get a few recording shots. I am very grateful. Lifer High… you are back again!

We had a lovely Lifer F and C supper from the food-truck across from the caravan park and an ice cream as Lifer Pie. Then as the sun went down over the flats of Spencer Gulf, I began the rough draft of this blog. I am very grateful.
     

Spencer Gulf... the longest jetty in Oz and a lighthouse.
Lifer Pie in the form of an ice cream treat... 

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.



Mallee Hyphen-Fest


Blog time has been lacking and truth be told (which I do try to do) I have not been feeling it. I hurt my knee pretty bad several weeks ago and that has recurred on several occasions. It “popped” out yesterday and again today. Today it hurt like hell and seemed as if it wouldn’t pop back, but it finally did with its usual painful “clunk.” It is not an option for it to stay out. I will buy a brace of some sort when we get to a real city (maybe Adelaide). I am grateful that it did pop back in. Although it still aches as I sit here writing this.

The birding has been a bit slow. Robert got his lifer Mallee Emu-wren and we saw them as well. They are awesome birds, but I did not try and chase after to photograph them (I’ve never gotten a good shot of one and that’s ok for now). I am birding more and photographing less and that is what I need to do for the time being. We have been getting up at 5am and then out amongst it ‘fairly’ early. Although I am not one of those who can set their alarm for 5 and then be heading down the road at 5:15. No thank you. That does not work for Bruce.

Yesterday we birded Hattah-Kulkyne NP and today we birded Murray-Sunset NP. I am not sure what is with the hyphenated park names, but they must like them out here. And we saw Chestnut Quail-thrush in Murray-Sunset and a Mallee Emu-wren in Hattah-Kulkyne. We also saw wonderful Shingleback Lizards, which I have also seen written as Shingle-back. So it has been a hyphen fest out here in the mallee. I am grateful to be out here. I love the mallee, even when our target birds remain frustratingly hidden from us. We are still out here and we are still looking. I am grateful indeed. The journey continues and I’ll keep y’all posted.

Ms Chestnut Quail-thrush
Mr. Chestnut Quail-thrush
The first Shingleback... he was kind of laid-back.
The second was a bit more feisty. Well, Robert did pick him up...
an action that he did not seem to approve of...

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Greater Sooty Owl! Tick!


James Mustafa invited us to go spotlighting with him in Bunyip SP. After a few false starts, we were able to sort a night that worked for all of us. Then the weather reared its rainy head. It seemed as if it might wash out our plans. But after consulting the questionably reliable weather forecasts, we thought it was worth a go. We were originally going to camp in the State Park, but it was so rainy that we decided to splurge and get a room near the park. So Friday arvo we headed up from Torquay, and after slogging our way through Melbourne traffic (I do not know how anyone can actually live there and do that daily) we arrived in Pakenham. We got our room, a bite to eat, and then headed up to Bunyip State Park.

We were early, as usual, so I got out to have a look around. There were a few birds about, mostly ‘up’ in the canopy and I called to Lynn to come and have a look. I said, “I think that’s a robin.” It was and Lynn had her first lifer of the evening, Rose Robin! James arrived while I was trying to get a usable recording photo of it (I never did) but we all got decent looks at a female Rose Robin. I am grateful.

It got better. It was an excellent night. Before it was even fully dark, we had amazing views of Greater Sooty Owl. There were two, both younger birds who he was familiar with. In just about the same spot we also had an Australian Owlet-nightjar. Then a female Powerful Owl called repeatedly, but chose not come into view for us. Just around the corner, we watched three juvenile Southern Boobooks flying about above us. This was incredible owling, and all within a couple of hundred meters of our car. Amazing. I am so grateful.

Before leaving the park, we had a quick look around for Masked Owl, but the fog was moving in and visibility was very poor. We called it a night and Lynn and I were back in our warm, dry cabin by 11pm. That is my kind of spotlighting! I am grateful!   
Greater Sooty Owl, yes!




I do not use a flash and these photos were taken merely as recording shots. They are not much as far as photography goes, but they mean a lot to me. I was, and am, thrilled!


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

A Noble Passion

It had been a bit of a sad time, even here in the wonderful land of Oz. The imminent passing of a very close friend’s terminally ill son, and the world’s loss of some of its greatest musical brilliance had muted the colors a bit for me. Anxiety and depression have always been a part of my life and they will rear their hideous heads when they can. And they had, although understandably so.

So yesterday I was just plugging along being, “okay” when I got a text from my buddy, Philip Peel (met through Facebook- I am SO grateful).

He said, “Hey mate, Phalarope at WTP now! Meet you there lol.”

I asked, “Where?”

“T section pond 5. It’s on Facebook Vic Birders. Photos too.”

John Harris had seen it that morning while he was doing water testing for frog surveys. He said he had only picked up his binoculars for about five minutes and happened to notice the bird. Michael Ramsey had posted the sighting on the Birdline Victoria and Victorian Birders Facebook pages. I was on the computer doing planning for our upcoming travels and wasn’t watching FB. I called Philip and got more of the scoop. He was on his way and in about five minutes, so were we.

Lynn and I raced (at the speed limit, but not a smidge under) up the M1 to the WTP. We arrived at the T-section and could see some other vehicles by pond 5. I saw Philip. I saw our friend Jenny Stephens as well. But there was no Red-necked Phalarope to be seen. We kept looking. In the meantime, Lynn got her lifer Spotless Crake in the Crake Pond and other birders arrived. Still no pharaope, we left that pond and widened our search out into the other ponds of the T-section and Western Lagoons. We searched, but we did not find.

I am a firm believer in “keep checking where the bird was last seen.” So before we gave up, I wanted to return to the area of pond 5. So did Philip and his family. As Lynn was locking the gate behind us, I saw Philip by Pond 7. He was with other birders and he was looking intently. Any experienced birder can “bird birders.” That is, to know what is going on at a distance by body language and actions. I knew they were looking at the bird. Then Philip waved to us. Bingo. I was incredibly grateful.

We drove over to the pond and were soon on the lovely little bird swimming low in the water amongst the other waders. Dwarfed by the stilts, it was swimming erratically to and fro as phalaropes tend to do. Once spotted, it really stood out. It is very possible that Philip and I had seen it earlier, farther away in this pond, but it had flown before we could get the scope on it. That is not important, we did see it in the end and I am very grateful. The light was horrible for photography, but that is also not important. It is about the bird and the friends. Here are some recording shots...

Red-necked Phalarope, Pond 7 in the T Section of the Western Treatment Plant.




Dwarfed amongst the Stilts (Banded and Black-winged)
We saw other friends there, and hugs were shared as we all shared this special bird. Just before leaving we did a Lifer Selfie with our friend Michael Gooch. I wish we had thought of it whilst Philip and Jenn were still there. It would have been great to have them in it as well. These are friends that I have come to know through birding and through our Facebook connection. I am so grateful. I have heard this morning that more friends saw the phalarope after we left and quite a few went back this morning and had excellent views in Pond 5. 
   
Michael Gooch, Lynn and me in the Red-necked Phalarope Lifer Selfie (and yes, Lynn and I had Lifer Pie in the form of ice cream treats on a stick later that evening).
In closing I am going to quote our friend Jenn Stephens who we met for the first time on the pelagic out of Port Fairy. In a Facebook comment yesterday she said:

“Isn't birding a noble passion? It was great to sail the mighty seas one week ago with yourself and Lynn, only to bump into you both today. I love the fact we can all share so selflessly in this interest we all have a common belief in. Thanks all for your kindness, company and generous spirit. I 'flew' home smiling all the way.”

So did we, Jenn. So did we. I am smiling right now and I am so very grateful for that bird, and for you and the other dear friends that birds have brought us. Noble Passion indeed!


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Music Dying

"...It's hard to tell the night time from the day.
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?"

I was moved last week when Bowie died, a genius was taken from us too early. But I cried today. I do not like feeling feelings. I always preferred to numb them. I was good at that, and I miss it. When I was a practicing alcoholic living alone in Nags Head, NC in the 80's sometimes I would listen to the Eagle's, "Desperado" alone late at night. Numb or not, tears would roll down my face and I lit another cigarette and opened another Miller Lite, and another, and another.
   
The living room of my cottage in Nags Head, sometime in the early 1980's I reckon.
When those who wrote the soundtracks of our lives die, it can feel like a part of us dies too. That's how it feels to me (feelings again). I am grateful that there was a Glenn Frey and that he wrote such wonderful, incredible songs. But to be honest (and genuine), I am not feeling very fucking grateful right now.

I've never tried to put YouTube videos in the blog before. There are two links below that go to good versions of those songs. Thanks, Glenn...



Love. Just. Love.

The Facebook Connection: Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper was not on my Australian list. They are not rare birds, nor are they necessarily an easy tick. I knew that they were sometimes seen at the Dandenong Wetlands up by Melbourne. But I had never been there before and knew nothing about the spot except its general location. This is where the Internet and Facebook come into play. I am grateful for both.

I was able to go to the Explore Data section of eBird where the wetlands are a Hotspot. I clicked on a map of the wetlands and had a look. David Adam, who I met through Facebook, had posted some beautiful photos of Wood Sandpipers at the Dandenong Wetlands on the Victorian Birders page a little over a week ago. I sent him a message. He sent me a map with details of where he had seen the sandpipers. In less than twenty minutes I had learned where to park, where to walk and where to look for these birds. I am grateful!

So yesterday mid-morning, Lynn and I headed up the M1 toward Melbourne. We arrived at the wetlands at 12:30pm. It was breezy and threatening rain. With scope, camera and bins, we headed around the oddly intestine shaped ponds. We searched the areas where David had seen them, making a loop around the first three ponds. We were coming back down the main path as it began raining big drops and we spotted three Wood Sandpipers going about their business. We had very satisfying looks and I took some photos. I am grateful.
     
There they are, all three together.
Dancing in the rain.
Big raindrops 




Showing the barring on the tail.
So there you have it, a good example of the Facebook connection with birders working! I am very grateful. I will include a map of my own showing where we saw them and where David indicated that he saw them as well.
     


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Birds, Whales, And A Diamond

Yesterday we went out from Port Fairy, VIC on a pelagic trip. For non-birding friends, that means deep-sea birding. I will be honest and admit that pelagic birding is not my favorite. But I do it because there are some awesome birds that can only be found offshore, sometimes way offshore. Getting to the birding areas usually requires hours of just riding in the boat and that can be boring and uncomfortable. It’s not a seasickness thing, I use the patch and it works well for me. I grew up around boats and I love the sea, but as I got older, seasickness became an issue for me. Not anymore with the patch and I am grateful.

We had a wonderful time and saw some awesome birds and made some delightful new friends. There was an amazing pod of (50-some?) Long-finned Pilot Whales who stayed in the area of the boat with Oceanic Bottlenosed Dolphins intermixed with them for about a half an hour. It was a moving experience to be in the presence of these marvelous mammals. I am so grateful for that experience, and I thank my friend, James Mustafa for organizing this trip. Our best bird of the day was the Little Shearwater, which had not been seen in Victoria for about 10 years.
     
And so it begins...
Long-finned Pilot Whales with Oceanic Bottlenosed Dolphins



Fairy Prion
White-faced Storm-petrel 

My "recording" shot of the Little Shearwater. Trust me.     
Steven Castan's much better recording shot. It was a Little Shearwater.
                 Fairy Prion again                      
Wilson's Storm-petrel


The long ride back in...
On a different  and very grateful note…

Monday as we were driving to Port Fairy, I discovered that my earring was gone. Over 25 years ago Lynn took a diamond from a ring and had it made into an earring for me. I have worn it since. I never take it out. After a few years, I had a ‘locking back’ put on it to hopefully keep it secure. Well, it came loose and it was gone. I was not grateful.

I did not know where it had been lost and to make things worse, in a photo from last Friday, it did not appear to be in my ear. I figured it was gone. I had deep emotional attachments to it, but still it is just a thing. We have “let go” of more things than most. Some on purpose, some not so much. Well, this afternoon Lynn found my diamond! The back was on the bathroom floor and the diamond was on the floor of the laundry room. It is a wonderful gift that she was able to give me twice. My diamond is back and I am so very grateful.

The gift given twice

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.





Roosting

We are "roosting" for a bit in an amazing space. We are house-sitting for friends here in Torquay, Victoria. Their home is one kilometer from our son’s house where we get our mail and store our extra stuff. So it is amazingly convenient. It is also one of the most comfortable, positive feeling spaces in which I have ever been. We will be living here through the end of January and I am so grateful!

I will only post a couple of pics because I don’t feel that it is appropriate to share a bunch of photos of someone else’s home on the internet. Here is a shot in the main lounge room. Things here are wood and glass, and fabric and stone. Things are real. There are books and comfortable nooks, curving walls and sliding doors, extra beds and extra pillows, and a massive deck across the back that connects it all. Our friend is a wonderfully talented woodworker and he built this house himself. There are sections on which he is still working. As with the best homes, I imagine this house will remain in process, changing with their lives. I am grateful to have had a small part in the lives of these wonderful people and to have this chance to share in their space.
             

Here is the long dinner table that of course, our friend made. It is a beautiful table and it is so nice for my ADHD brain to be able to spread out again to look at books and things. I love this house! I am grateful.
           

Speaking of ADHD, here’s a quick birding update: The most recent new bird on our year list was this Broad-billed Sandpiper on 8 January. That puts the list at 479 since 20 August (my Australian life list is now 560 with the Paradise Shelduck, and Lynn’s is now at 522).
       
Broad-billed Sandpiper 
Paradise Shelduck photo by Mike Carter.
PS, As I was finishing writing this, a white morph Grey Goshawk flew across the yard over the workshop behind the house. Man, I love this place.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Twitched: Paradise Shelduck At Lake Wollumboola

I will try and tell a quick tale of a twitch.

We had heard about the Hudsonian Godwit that was being seen at Lake Wollumboola in NSW, but we had plans and bookings on Kangaroo Island. The Hudwit would be an Aussie Lifer for us both and we considered chasing it, but we continued with our plans and had a wonderful time on KI (as you can see in the two blogs before this).

Then we heard that a Paradise Shelduck had also shown up at Lake Wollumboola. This was an Australian first! Except for an old record in 1950 on Norfolk Island, this was the very first record of this bird anywhere in Australia. So as we boarded the ferry at Penneshaw to leave KI, we decided to go for it. We did the trip across in just over two days, leaving from Murray Bridge, SA and over-nighting at a nice little caravan park in Port Darlington, NSW.


After driving through heavy downpours of rain as we wound our way down toward the coast, we finally made our way over to the little parking area by the lake in Culburra Beach. When we pulled in, we saw Mike Carter just putting his scope together. We had arrived at the same time as the man who has seen more birds in Australia than anyone! I was and am, very grateful! 

That's Mike Carter and me (Lynn snapped a photo of us as we walked back).
Lynn, Mike and I headed down the beach along the lakeshore, and a little over a kilometer along we spotted the duck on the southeaster shore. YES! We continued a bit closer and got better views, but still allowed the duck plenty of room. With the rain drizzling and threatening to pour, I had decided to leave my camera in Troopi. However, I did manage to take a few of my first ever “digiscoped” shots. I do not really know how to do this, and the adapter for the phone is packed away somewhere. Regardless, I managed to point the phone at the image in the eyepiece and fiddle with it until I got some recording shots. I am massively grateful.
             
The first look and my first attempt at digiscoping... but there it is! Paradise Shelduck at Lake Wollumboola, NSW.


It's not like I got better at it, but you can see the duck.

Paradise Shelduck, Lake Wollumboola, NSW 
We checked the Godwits around the lake carefully, but did not see the Hudsonian. We will go back this morning and give the Hudwit a couple hours of looking before we head south toward commitments in Victoria. I will let y’all know if we find it. I’d love to make it a double twitch, but still… We saw this mega rarity and I was with Mike Carter when he added a bird to his Australian List! He is at about 875 now. That is incredible! I am so grateful to have met, and birded with this amazing and personable gentleman. Timing. It is everything.
           
Lifer Selfie with Mike Carter, Lynn and me. Paradise Shelduck, Lake Wollumboola, NSW 6 January 2016

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Kangaroo Island ~ Part Two

It went from hot to howling and the winds were blowing a gale. That does not really make for easy birding! But we have had successes. We finally managed Rock Parrot on New Year’s Day. It was an interesting tick, but I am grateful!

Thanks to local info from Craig Wickham, we headed to Point Ellen Friday afternoon to search amongst the windswept (wind-slammed) scrubby, mallee heath west of the point. We went a couple of kilometers on the track with no luck (amazing wind) and headed back. We had returned about halfway when a lovely male Southern Emu-wren hopped about in a bush by the track. I was showing it to Lynn and it moved to another part of the same bush. As she was looking for it with her bins she said, “I’ve got parrots! With blue faces!” She was on two Rock Parrots under the bush with the Emu-wren. Then they flew. She got great looks and I only saw them flying away (I did not even get a photo of the Emu-wren). But I am very grateful to have seen them! Later on Saturday afternoon, we returned and I had another walk amongst the heath and saw them again. Although once again they were flying, I had much better views of these very cool parrots.
         
Where Rock Parrots live.
Another target on KI was the island subspecies of Glossy Black-cockatoo. Again with Craig’s suggestions, we went looking for them Saturday morning and found two pairs! I was lucky enough to get a few photos, then we left them be (we think they are looking for nest spots). I am very grateful to see these beautiful and endangered birds. They are currently my favorite cockatoo.

Ms Glossy Black-cockatoo (Kangaroo Island sub species)
     
     
Mr. Glossy Black-cockatoo
I slept late and Sunday morning began slowly with wind and occasional light rain. We packed up and headed to the areas to the northwest to once again look for the Elegant Parrots. We drove about the usual spots (corner of Playford and West End and a bit down the rough track to Borda Lighthouse) then to Gosse-Richie Rd. We were perhaps 5 kilometers down that road when a stunningly, glowingly, gorgeous little green and blue parrot flew up right beside Troopi then crossed in full view in front of us. Elegant! They are well named. We were thrilled and I am grateful! I wanted that bird. No photo of the parrot was possible, but this Shy Heathwren obliged. They are such cute little birds.
   
Shy Heathwren
Then we had one more bird here that we wanted on the year list, Purple-gaped Honeyeater. After consulting our books we drove down to Hanson Bay Rd. where we found three of these cool Honeyeaters. I am indeed grateful. 

Purple-gaped Honeyeater (Craig said that the island sub species of this bird sometimes does not have an actual purple gape).
We drove to the east end of the island and had a wonderful visit with new friends, Anita and Paul Flynn last night (and a delicious dinner). Then we camped in Troopi on their site here in Antechamber Bay. We leave KI on the 11:30 ferry. It’s been a wonderful time and I am grateful and will see if I can get this posted. And lastly, here are a couple of Crescent Honeyeaters from the campsite.


Crescent Honeyeaters right behind Troopi

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Kangaroo Island ~ Part One

We arrived on Kangaroo Island Tuesday afternoon. Traveling from one end of the island to the other, we found it insanely gorgeous, with a few long stretches of mediocrity. We love our campsite.

Koala walking by our campsite.
And Purple-crowned Lorikeets flying just overhead. This is a very cool place.
It has been hot. Yesterday, although the top of 30 was predicted it reached about 40. Now it is 5:30am I am having coffee and it is a delightful. The air cooled down making for a lovely night’s sleep. I am so grateful for how the temperatures can cool down after being so stiflingly hot in the day.

Quick-ish cool-ish story of a lifer and how the pieces do fit together sometimes. Yesterday, with our trusty Dolby/Clarke book leading the way, we headed into Flinders Chase NP to look for the Western Whipbird. I paid the cover charge for two days (whipped out that senior’s card!) and chatted with the very nice ‘park lady.’ She highly recommended Chris Baxter’s book, “Birds of Kangaroo Island” and I grabbed one, a very good book. I do recommend it. SO… if I had not been chatting with the nice lady, I would not have bought the book. As Lynn and I drove down to the Weir’s Cove Track road (as per Dolby/Clarke) she was reading to me about the Whipbird, and she showed me a photo that clearly showed the underside of its tail. It has very distictive ‘scalloped’ white spots, sort of cuckoo-like under its long tail.
   
The photo from Chris Baxter's book that I looked at just before we beheld the bird (used without permission but I am plugging his book. Buy it!).
We began looking amongst the bush and listening. We hadn’t gone more than 100 meters when we saw a basically nondescript, grey-brown bird low in a bush with its back to us. We were both on it. And then it turned and I saw the underside of that tail clear as day. Then it immediately disappeared into the vegetation never to be seen again. Lynn later heard it (or another) call, but we could not relocate it. If I had not just been looking at that photo of the under-tail, I would not have been sure that I had the bird. I am very grateful!

Today we birded quite a bit. We went back to the end of the Weir's Cove Track Rd. but saw no more Whipbirds, but the ‘jumbo size’ island subspecies of Southern Emu-wren were cooperative. 
     
Right behind where I am taking this photo is where we saw the Western Whipbird.
Mr. Southern Emu-wren. They are larger than the ones I have seen on the mainland.
Ms Southern Emu-wren
Our other main targets around the island: Rock Parrot, Elegant Parrot and Glossy-black Cockatoo have continued to elude us. However, we did add the tickable, although just slightly less thrilling Aussie lifers of Indian Peafowl and Wild Turkey. 
   
Did not get a photo of the Indian Peafowl, but here is our Aussie Lifer Wild Turkey! There was Lifer Pie in the form of ice cream on a stick. It was indulgent and delicious! 
These are the Remarkable Rocks (yes that is the name). They are cool. 
And who doesn't love seals... This is a Fur Seal. There are lots.

Happy New Year! I am truly grateful!

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.



First Night In Troopy, Wish Us Luck...

About twenty-five minutes back down the road from here, we stopped and beheld the Giant Koala. I took its photo, although as you can see, it is a bit underwhelming.

Yes, there it is. Hard to believe it's not real...
We are in a little caravan park in Horsham, VIC on our way to Kangaroo Island for a week. This is our first night camping in Troopy, or Matilda Two, or Matty. She will probably end up most often being referred to as, “Troopy,” but she is still a she. A tough, strong, female vehicle named, Troopy. We are slowly adjusting to the much smaller living area. As I write this, Lynn has banged her head four times today in here (always on the same spot… it has begun to bleed a little). Matilda One had a proper door, but one climbs in and out of Troopy and that takes some getting used to. I reckon we will get used to it and I am grateful.
                 
That's me back in there.
This is just a short blog. I wanted to post something from inside Troopy for the very first time. Before we put the upper bunk out, I have a semi-comfortable work-station in here. Lynn has yet to find her comfort spot. As she does, we will adjust as need be. I am sure we’ll both find a way to hang out inside with some degree of comfort. Right now, she’s outside in a chair by the outdoor table. We will see how tonight goes (low of 9 C or 48 F, yes this is summer). I will keep y’all posted.

After K.I. we will be house sitting back in Torquay until the end of January, but I reckon this is the official beginning of our next stage of travel. I am grateful. Although Lord knows there are some things that I will be missing with all my heart.

PS, Lynn is still asleep, but as far as I can tell we survived the night! I am having coffee (instant- dealing with the press seemed a bit ambitious for the first morning making coffee under the bed, so to speak). It's chilly out, but surprisingly warm in here. It is about 48 F outside, but I am mostly comfortable in a t-shirt and lounge shorts. The high today should get to the mid to upper 80's F, such are summer temperatures inland.
Cheers from under the bed...

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

A Tooth, Shoes and Keeping It Very Real

I have done dozens of selfies over the last year or so. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but I had a broken false tooth close to the front. It was held in by a bridge from about 1970 that amazingly was still solid. The little tooth was chipped and bent out crooked. Lynn and I have found a wonderful dentist here in Torquay and he was able to fit a new tooth onto the old bridge and it works well and looks just fine! I am very grateful.



I never thought to be wearing, much less endorsing, the odd little shoes called Crocs. Of course I have been aware of them for years. Many friends said how much they love them and I really just didn’t believe it. I saw doctors and nurses working in them, but still they did not look comfortable to me. They also did not look like anything you could walk any distance in. I was wrong (yes, it can happen). I have Crocs now and love them. I ended up walking several miles in the sand the other day (twice) and amazingly they performed beautifully. Much better than my beloved old Keens do in the sand. Yes, I love my Crocs and I am grateful for them.
           
They really are great.
As I have stated, possibly ad nauseam, being genuine is very important to me. I have written from my heart in these blogs and posts. But perhaps I have still not been clear enough. 

As I focus on the positive and the gratitude, I often make references to the fact that I am writing these as much for me to learn, as for others to read. I am not naturally positive or grateful, nor am I always as “happy” as the selfies look, or as my writing sounds, but I am never false in what I write. It is a process, and damn it, at least I am in process! Some do not understand it. Much of my life at this point could be aptly called, “Living the Dream”. I love most of the stuff that I am doing! I am grateful that I have made the choices that created the opportunities to be doing this! And some were hard choices.

These opportunities came at a price… comfort, security and trust are a few of those prices. There are relationship situations still in my life that cannot be fixed, much less even discussed, no matter how new-agey an attitude I espouse. Regardless of how much I know that “It is what it is,” those situations create and feed anxiety and anger. I have dealt with anxiety issues my entire life. I self-medicated with alcohol for decades, and now I have been sober over 25 years. However, as George Carlin so beautifully said, “Just because the monkey is off your back, doesn’t mean the circus has left town.” I do have a much better handle on that ‘circus’ than I ever have before and for that I am deeply grateful. Yes I am in process and I plan to stay in process! He not busy being born is busy dying (Dylan). 

I may not really know what my future holds, but I am very happy with my new tooth and I love my Crocs. I am grateful. 
     
Oh, and I like my new hat too.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

The "Year" So Far In Maps

I began this “Couple’s Year List” on 20 August when two Gang-gang Cockatoos flew over our heads in my son’s driveway in Torquay, Victoria. It seemed as good a starting point as any. We ticked a few birds around the area, particularly at the wonderful Western Treatment Plant in Werribee. Then we began our traveling on 1 September with the list at 100.

The list is simple. We are keeping a list of birds seen together in Australia for one year. Our “Year” will run from 20 August 2015 to 19 August 2016. I would love to have done a January first start, but our situation has limits and our timeframe is what it must be. I am just ridiculously grateful that we have a year!

These blogs are in part a journal of the travels and my gratitude for life in general. This gratitude and positive attitude is not something that comes naturally to me, quite the opposite. Writing about it helps. I am grateful for it, this blog, and those who join me on this journey. It may not come naturally to me, but believe me I am grateful! I will also always be as genuine as I am capable of being. This will be me, not some f-ing new age, zen like creature who is always as happy as he looks in his selfies (although Lord knows I try).

I just restarted this blog entry. I began to delve into more detail than I want to (or can do) at this time and I mainly want to show our route. I may very well do a book about this in the future, but this is not the book. This is the blog. So I am going to try and make this work with screen captures of Google Maps. But they truly have their limits and sometimes Google is maddening. I have written in a few places that Google doesn’t know about. It has been an incredible journey so far and these maps will hopefully show that. I am so grateful.

And so we begin... 
Basically Glue Pot to Bowra, then up to Inskip to not see Black-breasted Buttonquail on the first day of school holidays. It was mad there.
Up the coast (Matilda made it up to Eungella!! And we got the Honeyeater!) to Kingfisher Lodge, one of many birding dreams come true for me.
Flew from Cairns to Lockhart and the Iron Range... another dream come true. We got everything that could reasonably be hoped for. Wondrous birds! Awesome birding!
Flew back to Cairns, did a couple of days in Daintree Village then down the coast to visit friends and Lamington NP (Albert's we got you this time) Then on to visit other friends in Ourimbah and the scary "retina adventure" that did not stop me from going to Deniliquin again!
The map that was left out! Norfolk Island! We flew from Sydney to N.I. for a week after the first stop in Ourimbah, NSW. Then we picked up the new vehicle and I had the eye issue and laser surgery when we returned to the mainland. And then as the map above this one shows, we went to Deniliquin and back.
From Deniliquin we went back to Ourimbah for the followup eye appointment. Then we went down to Portland for the Cape Gannet and across to Torquay to leave Troopy at our mechanic's for the addition of some bits and pieces that she needed. Then on to wonderful Tasmania! Wonderful, wonderful Tassie (and wonderful friends there as well!).
There you have it. The travels from 1 September 2015 to 9 December 2015 on maps (I love maps). We are up to 468 birds on the list and we still have a few to get around here. Happiest of Holiday's y'all! I am grateful for this time with family and for my extended (and internet) family as well! Huge love to all y'all!

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

I. Can. Hardly. Wait!


I still call her, Matilda. Just a month ago we collected Troopy from the dealer in NSW. That was the day that my eye had the retina tear, and that began a cascade of anxiety for me that was overwhelming. It is a very long healing process, but all is going well with my eye and I am very, very, very grateful! The true excitement regarding Matilda II: Troopy, has indeed been much dimmed by my anxiety and that is a shame. She is an awesome, sweet vehicle and is now registered and taxes paid (American friends, don’t even ask, you would not believe it). She has had her bits and pieces added and sorted. She. Is. Ready.
 
Matilda II
The biggest change was having her electrical system re-done and upgraded. We now have the battery capacity to be unplugged, yet functional for at least two days. Then all we would need to do is run the engine a bit to recharge. She has an excellent UHF-CB radio fitted as well as a mobile phone booster cradle and antenna. She now has cruise control for those stretches of highway where that is indispensable. She has new LED lighting on the inside and on the outside over the “cook camp” side as well (the stove and sink slide out of the passenger side, I neglected to take a photo of that). She has a converter and more plugs and power-points for our various chargers. She has a light-bar mounted over her spotlights that will illuminate the road ahead and way out to the sides as well. She has 5 excellent all-terrain tyres that are chomping at the bit to get dirty. She is sitting… and waiting… and I can hardly wait as well!
            
We have not yet "moved in" but that's where we'll live (the bed will of course, be above this). 

Her cockpit and helm.

As with Matilda One, Black Swamp Bird Observatory is represented.
I will post photos with her with her pop-top up sometime. But other than that, this is Matilda as she is now… the second version. I actually did lay my hands on “Matilda One” and “Matilda Two” creating a bridge between the two so that the essence of the original Matilda could transfer into her new physical body. No, I do not really believe in such things, but I did do it. And I still want to call her, Matilda, as that is who she is to me. Lynn feels that Troopy is her new name. We will see. What we call her is not as important as who, and what she is. She is the transportation that makes (almost) all of Australia accessible to me. She has two 90 liter diesel fuel tanks, giving her a range of over 1200 kilometers. She has a 50 liter water tank. She has V-8 turbo-charged (whatever that means) power to spare. She is SO ready.
             
LET'S GO!!!
PS, Here are photos with her top up and kitchen out and of the bed in the pop-top.



I. Can. Hardly. Wait!

Back In Victoria

The big ferry landed us safe and sound in Victoria yesterday morning. That is a lovely way to travel. Of course, we have had two very calm crossings. I have heard that the Bass Strait can be rough and even a ship that big can rock and roll, and not in a good way. But we had an excellent night’s sleep and I am grateful.

We wanted to do a bit of birding in the morning and chose to head into the Serendip Sanctuary in Lara on our way toward Torquay. There were a few birds possible there for the year list. Serenidip is my go-to spot for Eurasian Tree Sparrow and after looking through a lot of House Sparrows, I finally found one with a chestnut head and spot on its cheek. It was in the same bush where I got my lifer a few years ago. I am grateful.
   
Recording shot of the year's Eurasian Tree Sparrow 
One of my favorite little parrots (now that is a large list) is the Purple-crowned Lorikeet and we found those in the park as well. We saw several groups of them and I got some photos. We did not see any Little Lorikeets amongst them, so we still need those on the year list. I definitely had the best looks I have gotten of Purple-crowned and I am grateful. They are beautiful, blue-bellied little birds!
   
I love Purple-crowned Lorikeets 



A Dusky Woodswallow that was posing so nicely that I had to make its photograph...
and a lovely Black-fronted Dotterel that wanted its photo made as well.
We will be here in Torquay through the holidays. Today we take Troopy to be registered in Victoria (American friends, you have no idea how expensive that is here). Yes, Matilda’s soul will live on in her 4WD version! She. Is. Alive! 
Stay tuned, the adventure is really just beginning.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

More Tassie ~ I Love This Place

We are back with our friends Anne and Graham, and their son, Tim in Hobart (Lindisfarne). It is wonderfully comfortable here and I am grateful for their company, hospitality and accommodation.

Here are some more photos from Tassie.
                  
Freckled Ducks 
Green Rosella and lunch 
It's so fuffy I'm gonna die! (Despicable Me reference). 
Pink Robin fluffiness 
So gorgeous

Bushtit... great name and great bird. 
Grey Teal 
Beautiful Firetail

Watched a flock of Swift Parrots in Adventure Bay on Bruny Island


Little Penguins on the Neck at Bruny Island.
Sooty Oystercatcher and Pied Oystercatcher Tasman Peninsula
Yesterday we had a fantastic time driving to the southwest with Anne and Graham. We were able to add two more to the “Couple’s Year List” (it’s now at 461 since 20 August). We also did some sightseeing along these truly beautiful landscapes. We had originally planned to have a lot more time in Tassie, but we will return! I am grateful!
    
Southwest National Park gorgeousness


Lake Pedder           
Pink Robin Mount Field NP eating lunch. 

Not into having its photo made, but this was a gorgeously marked Crescent Honeyeater.
Yellow-wattlebird in our friend's backyard.

       

Russell Falls, Mount Fields NP
I had not mentioned it, but on Bruny Island last Thursday, Lynn and I were forced off the road by an oncoming SUV. In Australia, there are often times when you are sharing what is basically a one-lane road. You slow and move to the left, they slow and move to the left until everyone clears each other. This vehicle did not move and continued hurtling toward us without slowing. I inched as far left as I could and at the last minute had to move a bit further to avoid sideswiping them and sideswiped a metal post. It tore off the side-view mirror and destroyed the door handle, as well as denting and scraping the side of the Prius. As far as we know, the other vehicle never even looked back. I am grateful that it was not worse than it was. I was able to re-attach the mirror and I am grateful for that as well. We will deal with the insurance and repair when we return to Victoria. All will be well.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic Trip


I am sitting on my single bed (there are four in the room) here at a motel in Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania. We’re in a “fisherman’s room” which means it is not posh, but it is comfortable and on the ground floor- easy in and easy out. Our original room was tiny and on the 2nd floor inside the motel, so we switched. We were on the Eaglehawk Neck pelagic yesterday and stayed another night rather than driving up to Hobart after the long boat trip.

As with most pelagics, it was a long day. We got some great birds, but it was rather slow birding for here. We only had three species of Albatross (no Wandering). I was a little disappointed, but grateful in general. The patches did their job for both Lynn and me and there was no seasickness for us. It did get bumpy in the afternoon as the temperature dropped and the wind increased. As locals are quick to remind us, this is summer in Tasmania. I am grateful for layers.
    
As we headed out of the calm harbour

I did not take as many photos as I have on other pelagic trips. There was more spray and a bit of rain at times. I left the camera in the cabin part of the time. But I did not really miss anything. The White-faced Petrel was a life bird that we saw, but it was pretty far off for trying to get a photo. The Lifers for me were: Southern Royal Albatross, Southern Giant Petrel, White-faced Storm Petrel, White-chinned Petrel and White-headed Petrel. Two birds that begin with “southern” and three that begin with “white,” there is a joke in there somewhere, but I am not looking for it right now. I am grateful.
           
Oceanic Bottlenose Dolphin in the Tasman Sea 
Fur Seal on the Hippolytes
Black-faced Cormorants on the Hippolytes. 
More seals. 
Southern Royal Albatross
Southern Giant-petrel
Southern Royal Albatross 

Northern Giant-petrel 
Black-browed Albatross 
Shy Albatross looking very serious (as they do). 
Northern Giant-petrel
White-chinned Petrel that actually has white on its chin.
We are fixin’ to pack it in here and head up to our friend’s house in Hobart. I will see if I can get this posted. Sending y’all much love from Tassie.


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Sea. Laughter. Music.

The Tassie Twelve

All Australian birders know that Tasmania has twelve endemics. They can all be found in a day, or even in a matter of hours if you know where to go and you are lucky. We had the best “guides” possible, our friends, the Collins. So Lynn and I nailed eleven of the twelve in a day of birding with them Tuesday. They said that if we hadn’t stopped for a short afternoon nap we probably could have found the Strong-billed Honeyeater as well. As it was, I was very grateful for eleven and we got the Strong-billed the next day on Bruny Island (where I am writing this blog). We saw three in the trees by the road less than 100 meters from our little cottage. I am, of course grateful!

As I have written repeatedly, this is not a photographic safari. The birding comes first and the photo comes second if possible. I have managed to get shots of the twelve endemics and I will post them for you. As is often the case, some are merely recording shots, but there are a few that I do quite like. I am grateful. I hope you enjoy them.

Black-headed Honeyeater
Black Currawong (I just like this shot).
Green Rosella eating with its right foot. They are normally left footed I believe.
Tasmanian Native-hen
A couple of the Tasmanian Scrubwren

Tasmanian Thornbill going away and showing his trademark "white undies" that help to identify them from the very similar Brown Thornbill.  
Scrubtit. Some would say the most difficult of the endemics. Our friend Graham spotted this one.
Dusky Robin 
Strong-billed Honeyeater 
Three shots of one of Australia's rarest birds, the Forty-spotted Pardalote. We saw one at The Peter Murrell Reserve, but these photos were taken on Bruny Island today where we saw at least five.


Yellow-throated Honeyeater
Yellow Wattlebird recording shot. Anne and Graham have these in their yard, but I didn't get around to taking any photos, so this one will do for now. And there you have the Tassie Twelve!
We’ve been in this sweet little cottage that Anne found us on airBNB.
             
The little "round" cottage. It's cozy and wonderful.
The view from the cottage... the owners have 200 acres out there. Amazing.
The view inside the cottage. Yes, I could live here (there is an ensuite as well).
There are other photos that need posting and things that need writing about, and I will get to them as I can. I love having y’all along… just sometimes you are going to be a little behind. Sending love and best wishes from South Bruny Island. I am grateful.

Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.

Arriving In The Land Down Under, The Land Down Under

Tasmania. I could live here. I love this place! That is also how I felt about FNQ and Cape York too. Travel is best for me as I have too many places that I would like to live. I am grateful for all of these places and for the ones I have yet to see!

We had a truly easy ride across the Bass Strait and we arrived at 6am Monday morning in Tassie. After finally getting off the ferry (last group off) we headed down and then over to Scamander on the east coast to have a look for a Sanderling.

With the "Big Smoke" way in the background we head for Tassie on the Spirit of Tasmania.
Tassie. It's 5:25am and why do I know? Because you can't get coffee until 5:30!
Coming into Devonport.
There had been one or two Sanderlings reported there a week or so ago. We had excellent directions to the sand spit area and were soon out in the wind searching amongst the scores of Red-necked Stints for a larger, greyer one. After about an hour up and down around the beach (with the wind almost blowing the scope over and our eyes watering), I said, “Just keep looking for one that looks different… like that one there!” And sure enough, the third “stint” in from the end was a Sanderling. There were actually two. I was, and am very grateful!

One of these is not like the others (it was now the 5th from the end).
The pair of Sanderlings, one was banded. I reported it.



The lagoon area at Scamander, TAS. The Sanderling were around further on the right on a large sand spit. Lynn is looking at terns. There were both Fairy and Little there.   
We continued down the east coast of Tasmania toward our friend’s home by Hobart. The views along the coast are legend and rightfully so. We had gorgeous weather and stopped often to drink in the gorgeousness. Lynn took quite a few photos and posted them to facebook. I am grateful. I only took a couple.
   
Does not do it justice... incredible beauty.
A young couple insisted on taking our photo rather than us doing a selfie.
We spent a lovely evening with the Collins in their home in Hobart and spent the next day birding with them. But that will be the next blog. So much to share, so little time… I am grateful!


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.