Tuesday 22 August
The Gaiter Girls numbered three and chose a return to Daisy Hill Forest Park located in a nearby suburb. The trail was dry and dusty, unlike the colour and green of the Botanical Gardens, recently visited.
Just one dusty clump of wattle spotted.
The sky was a lovely, sunny blue to look up to when trying to spot koalas. No luck there.
Postscript - last night I was camping at a friend's private property. In the early morning hours, I was woken by mating koalas in the trees close by. I got up and tried to spot them in the moonlight and with a torch, but to no avail. Very disappointing. My friends have never spotted a koala on their property!
There was a warning sign as we sat down for our coffee at a picnic table, re kookaburras diving for food. The forest was suddenly filled with the loud laughter of an unprecedented number of Kookaburras laughing, seemingly never-ending, which is very unusual.
Rachel is mimicking the laugh!
I couldn't see them in the trees, but a lone one came and sat on a branch above our table. We thought him cute, having forgotten about reading the warning.
The laughter having abated, we settled down to our cuppa. As I lifted my hand to my mouth with half a biscuit, it was taken in one sudden swoop by our friend in the tree. He was so fast, I didn't see it, only felt the brush of his wing on my wrist.
Here he is juggling the biscuit in his mouth.
I would love to read your comment.
No wonder those kookaburras were laughing. I’d have to sit there just to experience them taking the food out of my hand. Love they’re laughing!
ReplyDeleteThis is really the first time I’ve seen winter in the landscape. The trees will put on their spring finery shortly I would imagine.
Another lovely adventure, Helen!
Marie, it was amazing to listen to so many for so long. Ha, ha, the laughter came before the biscuit was taken.
DeleteAlas, the arrival of spring will not change the landscape unless there is rain, and lots of. Daisy Hill Forest looks the same year round and isn't one of my favourite places to walk.
Cute little guys. I'll bet they would be VERY hard to spot high up in a eucalyptus tree!
ReplyDeleteSo very true. A stiff sore neck is usually the only result when trying to spot them in a known habitat. It is thrilling when one is spotted, but without a zoom lens they just look like a dot.
DeleteHere's a link to one very successful morning.
https://outandabout3.blogspot.com/2023/03/coombabah-lakelands-conservation-park.html
This is my first time learning about kookaburras. How big are these birds? Your blog is full of information, I always learn something new.
ReplyDeleteMargi, kookaburras are the largest bird of the kingfisher family. they grow to apprx 40 cm.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it is so dry already.
ReplyDeleteThankfully two good storms have rolled by.
DeleteThis was certainly a contrast to the Botanic Garden. I sure hope you don't have a dry summer. No wonder the kookaburras were laughing. They've learned to get a snack from visitors. Good to catch up with you Helen!
ReplyDeleteAlways lovely to see you and your wonderful, "One Good Thing", posts, Barb!
DeleteI hope you don't have a bad fire season.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed but the forecast isn't good.
DeleteI think I've probably told you before, but one of the songs we sang during music time at 4-H meetings was about kookaburras. I have no idea why Kansas kids were singing: "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he! Laugh, Kookaburra. Laugh, Kookaburra. How gay your life must be!" And who knows why I remember every word - ha!
ReplyDeletePerfect, Kim. It is such an easy rhyme to sing in rounds and has a lovely cadence to sing to.
DeleteOh my gosh the koalas are cute! As for those kookaburras, they would make me laugh too seeing them snatch the snacks! Your final sentence brings me concern, and I do hope your summer does not come with concern!
ReplyDeleteAlexander, he was so quick, I didn't actually see him. It was amazing.
DeleteAnother wonderfully interesting post, Helen!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what Wattle means and googled: "There are some 1350 species of Acacia found throughout the world and close to 1000 of these are to be found in Australia. Commonly known as Wattle, Acacia is the largest genus of vascular plants in Australia." Fascinating!
The koalas are super cute but I wouldn't like birds seizing my biscuits.
I too hope your summer will not be too dry and hot.
Have a happy weekend! xx
Thank you, Sara. Our countries flora and fauna are so very different!
ReplyDelete