A PLATYPUS

I saw my first 'Bundanoon' platypus at 8:45 this morning, when it was 4 degrees, still and overcast. I'm still jumping up and down! LJ, July 4 2012

WINTERFEST'S BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS OUTING, SUNDAY JULY 1

Simon Robinson, Bunday local and ornithologist, asked me to lead a 'birding for beginners' outing yesterday, from 8:30am, which was good of him. Over twenty people turned up. We walked around Ferndale Reserve and environs, then drove on to Morton NP, investigating Gambells Rest and Erith Coal Mine's creek area. Soft rain, real rain, sun, wind, breeze, coolth, cold and warmth accompanied us - typical messed up winter weather. The birds were more active when the sun laughed and joked around. Nothing particularly noteworthy turned up species-wise. Locating a Yellow-throated Scrubwren's nest down at ECM was cool - the birders seemed fascinated. It was tremendous meeting people various and offering opinions on bird guides, where to go birding, the differences between ravens etc. A couple of kids were there. One of the kids was determined to see an Eastern Yellow Robin. She was stoked when Morton handed her a couple. Ah, seeing children seeing particular birds for the first time - thrilling. The first Eastern Yellow Robin I saw was dead, stuck to the front of a coach, bound for Mt Seaview in northern NSW! I was on a school trip. It was 1986. I was in Year 9. I'm glad this girl saw her robin whizzing about and perching on the sides of trees. LJ, July 2 2012.

JUNE

Not a lot to report of late... The mornings are algid enough to have you thinking of yourself and not getting ill. There's been the odd frost - one feels as if one is treading on Rice Bubbles... The other morning there was a waning crescent moon in the rising sun's sky - gorgeous... I went for a lengthy jaunt (Gambells Rest - Fairy Bower Falls - The Amphitheatre - Mark Morton Lookout - Gambells Rest) about ten days ago. The walk was demanding in certain sections as there were fallen trees (courtesy of recent high winds) and sodden paths of fallen fern fronds. Happened across a male Superb Lyrebird flapping his wings, shimmering and in full song. I didn't get to see the breeding display though. Something I'm looking forward to witnessing... For a few minutes I found complete silence in-between The Amphitheatre and MML. Not a bird calling. No wind disturbing the canopy. It was surprising, spooky even. Real silence, intense silence, is so, so rare, so, so necessary... A fox has been around home. I heard it uttering its wheeze-yap out in the bleeding pitch on two nights. Its calls to the moon, Morton and man, had my Cocker Spaniel crying back... I crushed a Funnel-web at the backdoor recently. The second I've seen: the other was during July, 2011... Last Sunday, just before dusk, my boy and I searched in vain for the Little Bittern that is seen irregularly about the dams and swampy bits of Peter Lach-Newinsky's grand property. Such a phantom-thing. I've only seen one once, years ago, at Eastlakes Golf Course in Sydney. It is rarely seen, most probably overlooked. The bird could well be a lot more plentiful than people believe. At the end of the day, how many birders are really putting in hrs searching for them? LJ, June 21 2012.

TO MORTON, WITH LOVE

I usually steer away from politics on this blog site. Not today. No way. I'm completely unimpressed by Barry O'Farrell's call to let recreational shooters into NSW national parks, nature reserves and state conservation areas (notice the words reserves and conservation there). Potentially, Morton National Park is one of them. It's on the list. OUR Morton National Park. The Morton that is our backbone, our lungs, even our identity. The Morton with its immortal gullies, mentioned so often in Bundanoon's literature. Who's going to police these shooters when they're prowling through Morton NP? Who can guarantee rare or endangered wildlife in Morton isn't harmed? Who can be sure bushwalkers, picnicking families etc aren't harmed? How will I know when it is safe to enter Morton to go birding? How can visitors to the park know they're safe? This is a bloody joke. I'm sure the hunters will bring pig dogs with them. Who's going to stop one of these dogs attacking vulnerable species like Superb Lyrebirds and Black Wallabies? There better be a bloody huge sign at the entrance to Gambells Rest telling all of us that shooting is happening. This better be thought through, monitored, dealt with sensibly, by those 'in charge'. Our NPWS rangers are up in arms about this. Not surprisingly. Thanks, Backwoods Barry, for returning us to the Dark Ages. LJ, June 5 2012 PS - 'Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself.' James A. Froude.

WINGELLO VILLAGE LIFE INTERVIEW

My thanks to Michelle Hrlec for broadcasting her interview with me on her blog talk radio show Wingello Village Life last Sunday afternoon. She and I went for a walk near Gambells Rest in Morton NP last week, on a pristine Autumn morning, and I rambled on about anything and everything to do with birds and birding. Michelle asked interesting questions on migration, weather, magpies etc. You can hear our discussion at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wingello-village-life - click on Episode 6. I hope you enjoy it. LJ, Anzac Day 2012

SUMMER SHOTS

IN HIDING

I'm surprised I'm yet to unearth the following birds in Bundanoon: Brown Falcon, Australian Kestrel (seen one at Exeter), Straw-necked Ibis (I've seen many at Moss Vale), Grey Currawong (seen them at Penrose), White-winged Chough (seen them at Penrose)... Where are you hiding?

LJ, April 11 2012.