Thursday 24 January 2013

On the road again

Following a couple of days around Sydney and the Blue Mountains, we have begun the long trek north to Cairns.  A lack of internet has meant I have not been able to update this blog as often as I would like, but having reached Byron Bay I am at last able to.
First stop was a place called "The Entrance", though the entrance to what I am not sure.  Here amongst other birds was my main target bird for the trip, Superb Fairy-wren.  Flicking through books, these guys look amazing, and believe me, in real life are just as stunning, the electric blue markings on the head glints in the sun, and although the photos look quite good, I am hoping for better in the coming days.


Later the same day after a long drive, we found a campsite in the Myall Lake National Park, where on arrival, sat on a post right next to the car was a Tawny Frogmouth.  Again, I was hoping to see one of these bizarre birds, but being strictly nocturnal, I didn't hold out much hope, so to see one so close was amazing, but photographing it in the pitch black was more luck than judgement, I only managed a single shot using the flash on the camera and was amazed how sharp it was given I had to manually focus the camera because the autofocus couldn't cope.


As we sat around that evening cooking our tea, a Dingo even paid us a visit looking for leftovers but we didn't manage a shot of that, or next morning when it was still wandering around the campsite.  During the night, we even had Dingos howling around the campsite, certainly not something I expected to hear.

Yesterday evening we pent at Bellingen, where the spectacle of thousands of Grey-headed Flying Fox bats leaving their daytime roost to feed and drink is truly amazing.  Unfortunately they waited until the light was too poor to get any photos, but managed some short video footage.



Today the weather was more akin to the Britain, being dull and wet, although considerably warmer!  With our Wicked camper van seemingly falling apart around us and doubting it will make it all the way to Cairns, we are hoping to get a replacement in the morning before continuing northwards......

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