I decided the easiest way to see different birds from those I see in my backyard was to go to a different environment. I can usually find something different at Carlo on the other side of the bay or at Rainbow Beach which is right on the coast. Both are interesting places. There are boats of all kinds for rent at Carlo, plus interesting ones used as charter boats to take people up the Strait or out deep sea fishing.
Usually I see Pelicans somewhere there but not this time! I saw few birds around anywhere until I realized there were numbers of swallows swooping around. There is one piece of fence where they usually come and rest but when I didn't see any there I walked over close and just waited. Because I was very still they eventually flew in and perched in their usual place and I was closer than ever before to them These are Tree Martins.
There is a very large caravan park with some cabins for rent right at Carlo. During school holidays it is 'packed out'! - but that will be a few weeks yet. I was going very slowly past and thought I caught a glimpse of a Bush Stone Curlew. I found parking 50 meters of so down the road and then slowly walked back. Both birds had simply disappeared! However, there was still a little brown 'bump' on the ground among the leaf litter. I walked slowly and carefully closer - and the bird never moved! It was only when I looked at the photos at home that I realized the big eye had been watching me closely all the time. I backed off and there was still no movement. The second bird was a little way off and all I got was a blurred image at a distance. When I went closer that bird had disappeared also. It must have been hiding among the leaf litter as well.
A few kilometers away at Rainbow Beach it is a fery different environment - still lots of tourists but rather different activities!
Often there are birds just behind the beach in the plantings on the sand hills - but not this time. I went up the hill where the shops and rental apartments look over another picnic place and a great view over the sea. The trees planted beside the road are some kind of native fig and the fruit was just perfect for birds.
So many of them flew into the tree close beside me but the birds took one look at me and immediately disappeared in the leaves. These birds are female Fig Birds - and they too moved out of sight very quickly.
For more scenery from around the would visit Our World Tuesday
