Bits and Pieces

Sat Sep 24

Awake at 5.30., reading yesterday's newspaper on my IPad........wide awake. Zulu had treated me to his trademark nip on the calf as I staggered to the loo, very stiff legged after 4 hours sleeping in the same position. Sara had warned me that he did this. It didn't hurt but was startling. A very cloudy dawn until the sun burnt it off and it became the usual blue sky.

Harry had a friend, Matt, sleepover last night - I don't think there was much sleep!  They didn't surface until gone 10.00. By this time, Mike had gone shopping and Sara and Josh had gone to chook school. The local nursery was running a free 3 hour all about keeping chooks session.The previous owners of this house have left the aviary, which is going to be used for 4-6 chickens, mostly ex battery is the plan. Harry was most put out that dad was not available to take them to Indoorpilly Mall to meet friends - he hadn't said anything last night though..... I cooked them pancakes but only Matt wolfed them down, Harry had a headache and didn't feel well. We tried to dissuade him from going out but, he was adamant that he'd be OK and asked very nicely for a lift. Pam stopped her plant pot filling and flower planting and we drove them to the Mall. Very straightforward - proper grandparent stuff !!

Mike was still not back, shopping for Sara's birthday and new trousers for the wedding in Sydney to-morrow. We decided to investigate driving to the dog park, we don't fancy the walk. The road leads to a superb area high up on the banks of the Brisbane river where there are palatial houses in big acreage, parked Bentleys etc in front. We  stopped in a layby and spotted some birds far below, no binoculars. We drove back for them and I remembered that we had a scope in the boot!

Low tide, plenty of mud on the bend which was littered with dead scrub and trees, aftermath of the flood. Four Striated Herons, one White-faced Heron and several Darters drying their wings.

We returned to pick up fruit and crackers for a late lunch, both Mike and Sara arrived within a few minutes of each other as we were leaving. Sara cross because Mike wasn't answering his phone and she'd found a sick Harry at the Mall where she and Josh had gone shopping after a very successful morning. She'd had to curtail her shopping, had Josh witnessing her spray tan whilst dressed in a paper thong alone (he'd walked in and given her a thumbs-up), endured Harry being sick into a plastic bag in her car and Josh throw up because he can't stand seeing others doing so. Mike had left his phone in the car...... Sara was remarkably chipper though, having loved her morning and decided she was going to have Plymouth Rock chooks. One of the instructors breeds them and had brought some chicks along. Irresistible.

Pam and I drove to Golds Creek reservoir, a known birding area which is only 20K away that we haven't risked before as the route is not straightforward. Good old SatNav. The approach road is narrow after some more lovely houses, lined with tropical forest, ending at a small parking area. We didn't walk into the Res area, we couldn't even see any water. The dam no longer provides Brisbane with water, the pipeline was closed in the 1950s. It's now kept as a conservation area. An interesting notice on the gate talked about horses wearing dung bags as a seed found in their food was spreading an insidious creeping plant throughout sub tropical forests.

We saw very few birds in the heat of the afternoon, another early morning visit required I think. The ubiquitous Masked Lapwing can be found in pairs on most pasture, they have a piercing alarm call. Odd looking birds.

Time for another Kookaburra, I love them. Haven't managed a really good one yet this trip, perched too high as yet.