SHAME, BARRY, SHAME

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, hunting begins in 77 NSW national parks on April 30th. Shame, Barry, shame. Tell me, Barry, what protection will you give me, my family and so many others when we're in Morton National Park, a spot that has now been given a 'C' rating, which means hunters will be unsupervised when out? When will I know that it's safe to go into Morton National Park? Will it ever be safe? Do hunters have 24/7 access seven days a week? Why should police have to be involved in breaking up disputes between hunters and protestors? Do you think it's right that children as young as twelve should be hunting with bows and arrows? Is any type of hunting dog allowed to be in a national park now? Is there a quota on what the hunters can take away with them? Who's going to be the voice for the native animals that get purposely targeted? Why do I know so little, Barry? From what I gather, the NPWS already have sharp shooters who kill ferals from helicopters. And they're good at what they do. Nathan Rees has said this government is being led around by the nose courtesy of the Shooters and Fishers lobby. Luke Foley has stated, 'opening up our national parks to amateur hunters is very bad policy'. I couldn't agree more with both of them. Will it take a human death, or two, to make the NSW Liberal government rethink what they've done? I bloody well hope not. Shame, Barry, Shame. LJ, February 25 2013.

COLERIDGE WOULD BE IMPRESSED WITH ALL THIS WATER

Man, this rain is relentless! I haven't seen this sort of rain in ages. Everything becomes a blur, or static, with it. I was just frantically digging a trench to stop my garage flooding. When the downpours cease, I'll tramp down to Erith Coal Mine and take in the volume of water cascading over the sandstone - it should be impressive. I hope the Yellow-throated Scrubwrens and Rockwarblers down there are keeping dry. LJ, February 23 2013.

GOSHAWK VS RABBIT

I was really fortunate to see a Grey Goshawk make an unsuccessful swoop at a rabbit over at Peter Lach-Newinsky's property this morning. A Deadly 60 moment! Yesterday, there were both normal and white morph GGs at home. Always an honour! LJ, February 17 2013.

MY SECOND INTERVIEW

Blogging, education, conservation, birding and the sacredness of Morton National Park were all part of an interview I had with ABC Open journalist Sean O'Brien last Saturday at Bonnie View. Sean contact me at the end of 2012. My interview will be on ABC Open Illawarra and, hopefully, Radio National, in the near future. Watch this space. LJ, February 13 2013.

150

Great Egret, Nankeen Night Heron, Painted Button-quail, Glossy Black-Cockatoo and Horsfield's Bushlark, found in Bundanoon over January and early February, have raised the number of birds I've spotted in town to 150. I'm stoked. Basing this on numbers of birds regularly seen in Australia (799), according to a Birdlife rep, my hometown has 18% of Australia's birds. Not bad for about eight square kilometres! This is to be celebrated. LJ, February 7 2013.