When we were children, year-end holidays were always spent camping in a tent at the beach as far away from 'civilization' as we could get. My father always found a spot tucked just behind the sand dunes and in among the casuarinas and banksias. The beach, of course, was filled with the sound of the sea and the cries of gulls. But the tent itself always seemed to be surrounded by the sounds of Leatherheads – Noisy Friarbirds as I now call them.
We would wake to their chatter in the early morning and run down to the surf for a swim before breakfast. In the evening as we sat around the campfire we listened to them in the trees as they settled down for the night. In between were long lovely days of sun, sand, and sea – and nothing and no-one in sight except ourselves.
I have planted grevillias in my garden and the Noisy Friarbirds are frequent visitors. They still sound like summer to me and I know I can still find the ocean waiting for me when I get in the kayak and get out there.
There's another bird I miss seeing. It's great to see it in a video and not just a photo!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mosura. The video seemed to be the best way to get the sound in the blog.
ReplyDeleteI still call 'em leatherheads Mick, great characters.
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ReplyDeleteOK Duncan, glad someone else still uses that name for them.
ReplyDeleteG'day Mick,
ReplyDeleteNice one. Sounds and smell evoke a lot of memories of summer camping for me. The smell of the eucalypt bushland, and the noise of the Cicadas. The Leatherheads are occasional visitors down here too.
Gouldiae.
Yes Gouldiae - sounds and smells both. But, there is still no way to evoke smells with this media!
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