Lookng Back

  Looking forward - one would hope for a sustainable future for all these long distance migrants but it is not a very hopeful outlook. As I said in my last post Eastern Curlews have just been declared Critically Endangered. So this is a partial record of my sightings of Eastern Curlews over the past 10 years or so since I have lived here.
I first identified Eastern Curlews in places like this - way out on the sand flats - such a distinctive looking bird with that huge down-bent beak. There is never any chance of sneaking up closer they are just so 'flighty'. A friend suggested to me that behavior may have been bred into them through generations when their size made them desirable food additions all up and down the flyway.

Eastern Curlews are some of the first migrants to return in the spring. This photo was taken in September out at Inskip Point.My own observations suggest that a lot of birds stop in at this place before moving on to other roosts either further south or in other places around the Straits.  A lot of the birds are seen sleeping - despite the people walking all around the area - not to mention the vehicle traffic! Also see the half-closed eyes on some of the birds.

I have seen Eastern Curlews in most of the roost sites around the bay but often there are only one or two together. However, the Mullens roost site usually has a larger number together. They are always at the back of other migratory birds or else further back on the roost. This was a lower tide with more sand and salt marsh exposed but the Curlews were well back behind other birds.

Eastern Curlews look especially beautiful in photos where their under wings can be seen.

I have never thought that birds with mainly brown and tan colors looked their best against a background of brown vegetation . There is only one place on this roost where the birds can be seen with water in front and behind them.  It took me years to find cooperative birds, the right tide height and nice sunny conditions. This photo is the result.

For more scenery  from around the world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Autumn in Cooloola

The very early part of the day is always the best for me. I like to sit in front of my big window that faces out over my yard towards the north east and just watch as the day dawns and the sun slowly comes up. The other morning this is what it looked like. A few hours later all the cloud had blown away and we had another sunny dry day.

A few days later this is what it was like - but an equally nice day followed..

I had hoped to post on this blog more regularly but "things" happen unfortunately.
Start with a visit to my eye specialist! I am still grateful for his abilities - but that does not mean that I like the treatments!! Then I finally decided that I would not put up with the computer monitor I had been using so had to make a decision about what to replace it with. To finish everything off my Kindle "packed it in"!! I find it so much easier to be able to enlarge the print and to make it brighter that I am getting nearly all my new reading matter on that. When I went to order another one on Amazon a little message popped up saying they no longer shipped that out to Australia. 
OH well, I guess everything is relative - the worst news of the week came in with some birding promotional material in the mail. Eastern Curlews are now listed as Critically Endangered. I jumped in the car and drove around the waterfront to see what migratory shorebirds I could see but I am a bit late - they all seem to have left for the northern hemisphere. So now it is a matter of waiting for next spring and seeing what turns up
I also intend to go back over my photo archives and  show curlews and places I have seen them regularly over the years.
These were the only shorebirds I saw anywhere - and even these did not give me a look at their eyes - which are blue and the prettiest part of them I think. They are Little Black Cormorants and often sit up on these light poles. There have been attempts made to keep them off the poles but it looks to me as if the weather and maybe birds pecking at the bits have gradually taken off the extra bits on the poles.

There was also one bird down on the boat ramp that popped back into the water and swam for a few moments before it disappeared under the water.

For more scenery  from around the world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday