Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Ex-tropical Cyclone

Well, what a week this has been! We have been suffering through extra high temperatures and no rain at all for the last month.  Then early last week Tropical Cyclone Oswald began tracking down the coast from north Queensland and dropping excessive amounts of rain on the way.  By Thursday it hit us! It was now classed as an ex-tropical cyclone but still had very high winds and lots of rain. Over four days we had 451mm (18 inches) of rain (measured in my own rain gauge). It was very uncomfortable but didn't do any great damage right at my place. By Sunday afternoon the rain had eased off to showers around here. However, all the rivers still had to carry off the rain that had been falling in the catchment areas. There are no big rivers or streams that come down close to here.  We lost power for a few hours - we lost TV for several days - and worst of all we lost ALL phones (landlines and mobiles) for the last 24 hours. Everything is now back on and I hope it stays that way.  The towns and cities on all the rivers have turned into disaster areas.  Some of the catchment areas measured 1000mm of rain! The worst hit area is north of here - the city of Bundaberg.  Flood waters have inundated the city to levels never seen before, and yesterday and today emergency services have been using helicopters to lift people off house roofs and anywhere else they have been caught. Even the hospital has had to evacuate all their patients by helicopter down to Brisbane. The storm tracked down almost as far as Sydney in New South Wales doing lots of damage especially on the north coast of NSW.  I think I have been very fortunate!

On Sunday afternoon, after the worst of the wind and rain had passed, I went out to Inskip peninsular with friends who have a big heavy 4 wheel drive. It was almost low tide and most of the peninsular was exposed. However, the shape of the sand spit and the wave marks on the sand were signs that the waves had been breaking right over this area a few hours before.


Huddled down among the flotsam brought up by the tide was a Tern that I had never seen before. At first we thought it was injured or even dead but it was only resting and flew off as we approached. It was a Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) and had been brought down by the storm. They are usually found from Cairns northward and around to West Australia. There was also a group of terns feeding off small fish a little way off from the shore. I had a friend (who is an expert on terns!)  look at my photos and she counted 13 Sooty Terns feeding among the birds out there.   


The following day this bird was handed in to a wildlife carer. It is a juvenile Red-tailed Tropic Bird and had also been blown south on the big storm winds.  This is NOT a perfect photo but is a very interesting record for this far south.

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and for more bird photos visit Wild Bird Wednesday.


28 comments:

  1. What an ordeal! I am pleased that you escaped the destruction that the cyclone had left in its wake. We have been watching the news reports of the disaster here in England. Glad you are all safe.

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  2. Wow, I have seen photo on TV. I can not imagine living thru one of these storms. I am glad you survived with no damage. It is neat to see the birds that the storm brings in. The Sooty Tern is beautiful. I hope things are back to normal soon! Great shots!

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  3. i have been reading about the flooding (and unfortunately, deaths) in the news reports. so very sad. i do feel for the birds blown so far off course, too.

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  4. Love the flats photos. Strange weather everywhere it seems. We are having rain and thunderstorms today, we are usually buried in snow.

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  5. how kind to rescue this bird in the midst of the horrible and simultaneously beautiful wake of the waves.

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  6. Certainly glad to hear you didn't have any severe damage yourself and our hearts go out to those who did.
    Quite an event!
    I usually try to get out right after large storms as you never know what will turn up. As you discovered!
    Take care and we hope the area recovers quickly.

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  7. Maybe the experts are right in that we are suffering extremes of weather. Here in the UK that certainly seems true, and whether its wind, rain or cold it seems to have a bad effect on birds too. Glad you stayed safe Mick.

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  8. Hope they can clear up as fast as possible!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  9. Good to hear you escaped the worst of the recent storm.

    As Phil said .. the shifting weather patterns are causing problems all around the globe and certainly affecting birds in many different ways.

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  10. I think this is scary, the strange weather we're having nowadays. I'm glad you made it through the storm and sooo much rain!
    Interesting about the birds, which of course suffers too!
    /Pia

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  11. Glad to hear you're ok! I hope all the birds that got caught up in it make it home ok too, pretty amazing they survive at all. The Sooty Tern is very striking!

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  12. I´m glad you are OK. It seems like Australia has a lot of bad weather. Too much draught and too much water. No balance at all. Lovely terns though. :)

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  13. Glad you're okay!
    The Sooty Tern is a beautiful bird!

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  14. I'd like to see either bird!

    I suppose your reaction to the big gulls is like yours to northern terns!

    Cheers and thanks for posting to WBW.

    Stewart M - Melbourne

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  15. Great post! Hope that birdie was OK!!

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  16. Wow Mick. I knew you'd had storms, but hadn't realised that they were quite so bad. Pleased to hear that you were OK but very sorry for the folks that suffered so badly.

    That Sooty Tern is a magnificent looking bird, and I'm pleased that it was OK. I'm just amazed by the colours in the debris surrounding it!

    Great post!

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  17. I am so very sorry and we had been hearing about the awful storms down your way. Thankful that you and yours are OK, but sad for those others who were not so fortunate!

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  18. Sorry to hear of all the flooding. The tern is so striking and beautiful.

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  19. Sorry to hear about all that bad weather. Weather everywhere is just weird lately. Today we have 60 degree weather when it should be in the mid-20's. Go figure! But I'll take this warmth.

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  20. The storm sounds scary, glad you had no lasting damage though.
    Hope the tern and tropical bird get back to where they belong.

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  21. It really has been a terrible summer over there! What an ordeal, but I'm so glad you are more or less OK..have been hoping that the bloggers I visit in your country all are. (Between the rather scant coverage we get and my lack of geographical knowledge of your country it's hard to know.)

    Sad for the birds blown off course.. A few different species showed up in Florida as a result of Superstorm Sandy up North.

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  22. Wow Mick. That was some rainfall. A quarter of that would bring most of this country to a standstill.

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  23. I have been reading all about it over here, just heartbreaking when there is loss of life due to strange weather. Glad you were okay all in all. I can only imagine how terrifying it is to deal with one of those full blast. We've had our own in the US but not bad around us apart from the usual power failures and the like.

    I enjoyed your photos and reading about the birds.

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  24. What a surprise to find that trn. It blends in well with its surroundings.

    Sounds like the weather has been crazy!

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  25. Hi Mick
    Interestingly several reports of Sooty Terns and a Frigate Bird near Ulladulla, NSW.
    Well and truly blown off course by the storms which petered out at about that point.
    Glad you came through OK.
    DEnis

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  26. Extraordinary times and images, Mick. Love that capture of the recuperating Tern on the sand amongst the coloured leaves. I feel greatly for those severely affected by the extreme weather conditions. Thanks for sharing.

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  27. Today Sydney Morning Herald reports on numerous Sooty Terns being found (and mostly rescued) in Sydney.
    One was found at Dural, which is 40 Km inland. Poor dear was in serious trouble to get carried that far.
    http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/no-flight-of-fancy-for-these-birds-20130203-2dsiz.html
    Denis

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