Not Quite Homeless

Having a place to go is Home, Having someone to love is Family, Having both is Blessed. - seen on Irish souvenir. I am multiply blessed.

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Signs & Symptoms - Bollywood, Lamington National Park





A few weekends ago, a birdwatcher from Adelaide, Bert, and his friend Kelly from the US visited. So we went on a weekend birding trip. First to do a pelagic trip to watch ocean birds then to Lamington National Park.

We got on a boat at Southport for the pelagic trip. The sea got rather rough and half the boat got sea-sick. First time I remember vomiting after many similar trips. But it was worth it. Not too many birds but lots of whales and dolphins. We saw a pair of Humbacks frolicking about and a Minke Whale that was enthusiastically breaching in the distabnce. There was also a pod of Deepwater Bottlenosed Dolphins just jumping beside the boat.

The new birds I saw were Wedgetailed Shearwaters, a Brown Booby, Black-bellied Storm-Petrels, a Hutton's/Fluttereing Shearwater & Providence Petrels.

We then went on to camp at the Green Mountain Camping ground near O'Reilly's in Lamington National Park. We woke up to Red-necked Pademelons (a kind of small kangaroo) grazing peacefully just outside the tents! The new bird for me was the Paradise Riflebird although I didn't see any males. Also had very good views of a brilliant male Regent Bowerbird. Unfortunately I don't have a photo to show its striking black & yellow plumage.

The birds there seem to be very friendly including this Eastern Yellow Robin in the photo. It was almost too close for my little point & shoot camera. It was very curious and perched right in from of my face! There was also a friendly Crimson Rosella that perched on top of my head but sorry no pictures.

The lizard is an Angle-headed Dragon.

And oh, Bollywood is a common species of tree there. Didn't see any Indian movie stars dancing around it though