Wet Wooli IV - sunny at the end!

Rising on the final morning of this visit with a sense that the time had passed quickly and "wish it had been longer" are good signs that the break had been a good one. The sense of "back to it", whatever that holds is very different to waking up to "OK let the day begin and unfold as it turns out". Far less sense that things are there "to be done" ... but enough of that ... this is about birds.

How could we farewell our abode without another pose by a little wattlebird in the  banksia?

Also in the front garden I spied this grey shrike thrush battering some prey so it was tender enough to devour.

Last sighting at the house was while we were doing a final walk around making sure we had not forgotten anything. This buff-banded rail having a bit of a flap in the early morning dappled sunlight beside the sandy path leading over the dune to the beach - sunny and far less windy for the moment.

Like the little wattlebird, we could not head off without another visit to the river mouth to check on the tawny frogmouth ... perhaps it was the sun, but it had reversed its position on the nest but that little altered the superb camouflage!

I had to include this panorama because it has a whole different perspective in the wonderful clear mid-morning sunshine at low tide. The waterfall was still pumping out the cliff-face through its twin barrels.

A few beach birds were willing subjects as well. A lone pied oystercatcher reposing on the damp sand soaking up the sun from two different angles. In between is the ubiquitous blue-faced honeyeater perched high in a banksia enjoying the view across a clear sunny sky.

On the same stretch of sand exposed on the low tide, I was amused by the antics of this masked lapwing. The first photo just after it emerged from behind the boulder to the right of the shot ... seems to be in full prance mode of a runway model commanding "look at me, look at me" 😊. The second photo shows a more cautious side as it was working its way around me (actually quite something in nature as a human to be the creature standing still and watching!!).

Heading back to the car to leave, a few final Wooli sightings. Two below of a noisy friarbird, one distant and one mcuh more obliging close-up. There is a pied butcherbird perched on high looking resplendent cloaked in its tuxedo, among the dead branches and lush foliage of a banksia with the brilliant blue sky as background. While we were walking back in along the wall I had noticed what I thought (hoped?!) was an eastern curlew (with that wonderfully long curved bill) take flight up the beach and swing around and descend below the trees towards the river ... so it turned out; so a final Wooli treat to see this rare species grazing on the sand flats across the river.

We decided we would call in and grab a coffee at Minnie Water on the way. I had called in there on my previous visit and on such a morning I suggested the headland lookout would be a great spot to drink our coffee. We even caught sight of a few whales wallowing in quite close to shore. Nearby was a sign for a local Dune Care Group trail and we decided to head along for a bit to reach a viewing spot and look back along the beach southwards to Diggers Camp and Wooli (and getting good vision of North Solitary Islands too).

It was a beautifully maintained track and the nor'easter breeze through the trees kept the rising temperature down. The dappled sunlight was a treat as well after all the rain during our visit. Not far along the track we spied a sand goanna ... fotunately it did an about turn and headed back to the left of the photo into the bush (very quietly I might add). Then I spied a rainbow bee-eater, finally in the sunlight, doing justice to its lustrous sheen and radiant palette 😊.

We then passed a couple heading back to the car park who told us of a close encounter with some "black cockatoos" not too much further along the track. We proceeded for quite some way and almost gave up, but with our final foray forward we heard them in the trees close by. A small flock, we counted eight. They let us know of their awareness of our presence, but were patient enough for us to mange some good shots through the trees of pairs and a couple of singles. I was especailly pleased to have this opportunity because one morning I drove down in the rain to get a coffee and saw (this flock?) some in a banksia near the Bowling Club. I did not have my camera as it was raining. When we went for a walk that afternoon, they were still in the trees, and that was where I had ventured (unsuccessfully) when I took the photo in an earlier post of the plover parent and youngster. Tromping across the open park (even carefully) spooked the cockatoos and perhaps the alarm calls of the plover worked on them as well? So, to be able to get these shots of the magnificent yellow-tailed black cockatoos feeding among the banksia and casuarina was another of those unexpected but wonderful treats.

 

Finally back at the car park and two final reminders of the wonderful colours and settings we have at our fingertips when we notice our unique birdlife ... a rainbow bee-eater and white-cheeked honeyeater perched in different positons in different banksias. The bee-eater perched in a position to lookout for flying feasts, while the honeyeater is content to savour the nectar of the flowers in the gorgeous silver/green foliage.

Then we headed home ... 

 

Thanks for taking some time to share our journey to and sojourn in Wooli. I would commend a visit BUT selfishly want to refrain from any promotion in the hope of prolonging the isolation and unspoiled environment that for the moment persists - of course, that is a trite wish because merely writing it in a public blog like this provides the promotion, but I imagine you get the sentiment 😛.

We decided on our return to compose a coffee table photobook for our hosts and chose a hoto of the range of birds I have catalogued after these recent visits to Wooli - 35 in all (I only included 34 in the book because one remained unidentified until just recently). My enduring memory of this visit and these last several posts is definitately that birdlife abounds irrespective of the weather - it (the weather) simply provides a wide range of backgrounds and settings and environments facilitating an equally wide range of bird behaviours as they cope.

My privileged journey moves on ...

Wet Wooli III

A third wet day, but it had been a very relaxing few days in a different location, looking at different things. This was the blessing of being out of lockdown and a reminder of our world beyond Covid. Being able to take time out, in a period of many time outs, in a small coastal village still isolated from much of what we call "progress" is not to be underestimated. A reminder of a time past when the pace was slower allowing relaxation and observation and immersion in our world around us ... makes you seriously question all those loudly promised labour and time saving devices rewarding us with more time for leisure 😛. We seem not to cope with silence and our own company terribly well ... busyness is grossly overrated methinks!

Oh yes, you see above the value (or perhaps detriment) of time. Easy to lose focus (but that is my point really, focus on "now" and one thing at a time and "busyness" becomes just what is in front of you; or behind you or beside if you want take the time to explore "now").

Oh yes (again) ... focus back to the birds of Wooli 😁 ... less pontification! Remember, if you click on a photo, you can just scroll through them and play around with zooming in etc if your device so caters.

The forecast was for a relatively clear afternoon, still overcast and windy, but a break from the rain. So we armed ourselves with water bottles, rain jackets (just in case!), camera and headed off for a cuircuit walk along Riverside Drive and back along Main Street. The weather held and even provided some wonderful afternoon sunshine lighting up the still thunderous skies.

Near the oyster co-op and shop I was enjoying watching a silver gull scavenging filleted skeletons for a good feed of the remaining flesh. On review, I noticed this first photo had "captured" a helmet of water as the gull submerged its head and bill to pull out the skeleton. The second photo shows the success of its scavenging (soon after it was besieged by several other gulls seeking the reward without the effort ... just as we have come to expect from gulls when we picnic 😊). I am pleased to report the scavenger warded off the intruders and enjoyed its reward.

A little further along, a plover (masked lapwing) parent was ensuring we were aware it was nearby. Of course, with more noise than usual, a sense there may have been some young prevailed and sure enough, further protected by the fence of the bowling green there were a couple scurrying about in response to the parent's frantic calls. I managed this neat photo that captures the parent's close attention to our intrusion and the young one hurrying past behind the "bars" in response. Most of us understand the protective parent 😀.

The next pair of photos were a blue-faced honeyeater and a galah showing off their plumage against green foliage on the eastern side of road along which we were walking. Both alerted their presence by movement (noting the splashes of colour) and their distinctive calls. They were both happy to be noticed I reckon!

On the river side from where the birds above were snapped, there were some silver gulls looking resplendent perched atop wooden pylons against the still threatening western sky. This trilogy captures some of the splendour the simple palette of these birds might offer and the ever-changing nature of the stormy weather. 

The first photo shows one gull calling to who knows who, about who knows what? The grey clouds and darkened trees offer a foreboding backdrop. The second photo shows the same gull taking off from that perch as the sun tries in vain to break the passing clouds. The brighter background reflects on the lighter trees and sharpens the palette of the gull. Of course, you may have different interpretations but that is the point of sharing these images with you 😏. The third photo shows the clouds closing back in (emphasisng the vain attempt mentioned a moment ago) as a different gull on a different pylon carefully monitors my passing. The lower, lighter cloud provides a beautiful depth to the darker greyer clouds in the distance. Timing  👍.

Riverside Drive was proving a fertile environment for birds. Just after I snapped the photo above, I thought I saw a heron flying along the river. Tracking the path seemed to take it to the wharf near the Bait & Dive Shop, so my turn to scurry along ... sure enough ... it HAD landed on the wharf and I was fortunate to catch it hurrying across the planks seeking refuge in a less exposed spot. The second and third photos in this triology show where it found refuge on the pontoon of a moored IRB. The third photo shows the effects of the wind rustling its feathers. Each photo allows a good view of the strong, if gangly toes and feet of the striated heron. I developed a liking for the hunched and forlorn-looking posture of this bird the very first time I saw one in Ballina (way back in 2016). That liking has yet to wane 😋. Challenges our general conception of "beauty"!

Next along was a male figbird with their very distinctive red eye socket encircling the black eye set in the black head above olive wings. Another striking plummage. Bottom right of the photo shows the rich pickings being savoured.

 

As we reached the water tower, it was time to turn and head back along Main Street. A slight detour to see the wind swept beach revealed this gem-like crested pigeon obligingly posing on a fence cap and giving me its full attention and gaze. Even without sunlight the jewels in this plummage are clearly evident.

As we set out along Main Street I couldn't help myself trying to capture this remnant of a bygone era. A qunitessential beach shack overlooking the river. Not the only one around, but the setting and light here just begged capture. Oh that there remained many more like this.

This next portfolio of four photos shows previously featured birds feasting on the nectar of red banksia flowers in various front gardens we were passing. I have labelled each photo with the type of bird.

Brown honeyeater

Inverted white-cheeked honeyeater

Horizontal white-cheeked honeyeater

Blue-faced honeyeater

The previous mentioned attempt of the sun to breach the western clouds was proving less vain and we were blessed with bright sunshine on the final few steps of our walk back to the house. This young pied butcherbird looks gloriously glossy in that afternoon light. I included the photo of the twin pines to show that the threatening skies were blowing in again with the nor'easter. That afternoon sunlight makes it look far less threatening though! 

It passed relatively quickly back to fast moving low dark cloud and more rain descended just on dark. However, it was a nice relief and as it turned out, a good omen for the next day when we were leaving 😔. And as you have just seen, the break from the rain had afforded a nice walk around the circumference of the "old village".

Wet Wooli II

Later one afternoon there was a break in the weather. Not for long, but enough for a bit of a wander, We drove down to the river mouth and breakwall for a look. 

First observation was evidence of peaceful co-existence between this pied butcherbird and blue-faced honeyeater sharing perches in a casuarina.

While it was a break in the weather, that was just from the persistent rain. The wind remained stiff. We headed out the north wall, but since the tide was in it did not seem too prudent to wander right to the end ... I share this image to offer a sense of how "low in the water" the wall seemed to be 😞. One can "see" the bow of a ship ploughing through the waves without exercising too much imagination!

However, the buffeting wind did offer the following wonderful moments this pair of crested terns shared with us. They were having a good old gossip while doing their very best to maintain balance as they faced the tempest ... and for the very observant, the deposits on the boulder complete the tale ... how privileged to witness such an exchange 😁.

On the way back in, nestled in semi-shelter on the southern wall across the river mouth were the four sooty oystercatchers who were so photogenic & obliging during my previous visit to Wooli. Since the tide was in, no rocks were exposed and available for their feeding where I saw them on that visit. This was a sensible, semi-sheltered waiting station until a lower tide.

Just when you thought things could not get much better ... back to the car. Deb decided she wanted to wander down the path along the river for a bit. I sensed, rather than noticed, the casuarina overhanging the water was a good spot to check the clarity of the water on the high tide in the river. So I wandered over for a peek. Nearing the bank and the tree, this is what I "saw" when I was scanning around looking for a secure foothold ... 

and that "sense" led to this delightful discovery of a tawny frogmouth on a nest... you have to look carefully in the wider angled photo (above) to find the zoomed in position in the tree (below) - this was a REAL treat 😀. Such camouflage! So still ... but still a sneaky eye on the photographer lurking (respecting the space though!). Precarious  position overhanging the water. As you might imagine, these are a select two photos from quite a few taken! Enjoy!

So ... the break in the rain was holding, a spring in the step follwoing that discovery and the path long the river provided a few more gems before we headed back to the house as the sky darkened yet again. In this next trilogy, the splashes of colour presented by the blue-faced honeyeater and the whitecheeked honeyeater are spectacular against the silvery underside of the banksia leaves. It matters little if the banksia flowers are dead and dry or fresh ... the texture remains exquisite. The colours appear simultaneously subtle and striking. 

Nature's palette is really special. 

I cannot resist the larger size image for this trilogy.

Understated by comparison, but certainly not outdone, was this final sighting on our first walk of this visit. A black-faced cuckoo shrike blending in the casuarina leaves against the leaden sky. Subtle again comes to mind.

But wait ... there's more ... a brief sojourn on the back verandah back at the house brought a wandering brush turkey. Over the few days we saw several out the back. I note this because each one (and one pair) followed an identical path, circling the cut grass before heading up the sandy path almost to the top of the dune and then heading off north through the scrub disappearing into the bushes. For the doubting reader 😋, they were different individuals with the yellow collar being varying sizes on each turkey we witnessed.

To round out this afternoon, some different very small bird sounds ... one distinctly fairy wren (the gorgeous red-backed one below), the other not so obvious to me, but quite loud for such a small bird and thus easily tracked when it perched in such an exposed spot. Alas the perch the silvereye had chosen was rather backlit, but the distinctive silver ring of the eye is evident.

The weather might not be what we desired, but the birds have not minded and offered us a wonderful experience for just taking the day as it is and savouring what is near us!