Mount Barney birds

So, as promised, this post is dedicated to sharing the variety of birds we had the pleasure of sighting and observing during our three days at Mount Barney. Quite a few of these were new sightings for me ... not surprising given it quite a different habitat to the north coast, but equally, not too far away. But it did highlight for me the way some birds have a more specialised habitat and some others far more expansive habitats. I hope we maintain as many as possible because the variety is wonderful on so many levels (geography, flora, fauna and climate to name a few to savour).

While browsing to select the photos for this and the previous post, I paused after the previous post and was reflecting on my comment therein "This was a wonderful few days of quiet sitting, reading, watching, walking and photographing and then being spoiled with a variety of home-cooked dinners delivered each night to the bungalow." I took 378 photos over the 3 days ... so, yes, in spite of that we did indeed enjoy the peace and quiet and other things - no internet and TV there so seemed a lot more time too (which, of course, is just silly!!). However, to the Mt. Barney birds ... i have kept you waiting long enough ...

A treat to begin with was a glimpse (sadly not a clear shot!) of the distinctive plumage of the bell miner ... the bell bird ... such a beautiful sound driving through wooded hills and mountains. Like that eastern whipbird - easy to hear and damn difficult to sight!

Bell miner

As you will have seen already the kingfisher is a favourite 😌, partly because they are as beautiful as they are small and partly because I have been fortunate to locate a habitat where they are easy to spot and they are willing to be photographed. This you "know" if you have been following the blog and have a look at the labels indicating the sacred kingfisher has featured regularly. So what a treat to see the azure kingfisher on our very first evening over a late afternoon glass of wine on the bungalow verandah looking out over the pond 😊

Azure kingfisher

Next morning a taste of the variety just from the bungalow ... including another new sighting (three of the first four photos of this post!) for me of the lovely and delicate pale-headed rosella.

Synchronised pacific black ducks

Pale-headed rosella

Laughing kookaburra - a home among the gum tree!

And for this next pair pf photos, notice the very happy and gorgeous melody (which of course you cannot hear (hmm ... not self ... good reason to use the video!) of the butcherbird is in full cry ... the second picture provides the reason ... it was flaying a hapless frog (NOT one of those gorgeous little green ones in the previous post I am pleased to report) it had brought up from the ground by the pond to its perch, tenderising for long while before devouring.

The melodic call of the butcherbird

Tenderising a frog for breakfast

After breakfast, I headed up the driveway and a little further up on the same side of the road as the koala featured in the previous post I spotted the pacific baza with it's military-like bearing on the perch in a eucalyptus. Another new sighting for me, as was the following couple of shots at the very top of the driveway of the "little birds", not to be left out of the scene 😊

Pacific baza

Little jacky winter sitting on a post

Little jacky winter resting on a wire

Further along the road in paddocks off to the left (east) were three more new finds for me. A couple more of the delicately beautiful pale-headed rosellas perusing their grassy habitat and showing off their gorgeous plumage. Then a majestic (young) white-necked heron and also foraging in the grass a common bronzewing pigeon. And in this set, the final glimpse on the return trip to the bungalow was the beautiful king parrot way up in the silky oak (don't worry, have some excellent shots of these in coming posts!).

White-necked heron

Common bronzewing

King parrot

Then to top of a fantastic day of new sightings, we had a return visit late in the afternoon again from the azure kingfisher (well, I am assuming it is the same one). The light was much  better than the first evening too.

Then, on our final morning we had a visit from a small flock of scaly-breasted lorikeets. Same kind of glares and agility and raucous presence as the rainbow lorikeets, but a less gaudy colour palette as the name suggests 😉. And a couple of "black birds" by the pond.

Spangled drongo

Little pied cormorant

And finally, as we headed away on our departure, and after a short morning tea visit to Boonah, we had the great honour of spotting the grand-daddy of our avian tree in Australia ... off in a paddock, perched proudly on dead tree branch surveying its kingdom was the wedge-tailed eagle. Ah 😀 ... I had to brake quickly, turn around on a crest and head back to pull-over and hope that it was still there waiting for me ... how fortunate we were! 

Wedge-tailed eagle

Quite the end to our first venture to Mt. Barney.

From Adelaide to Mount Barney, Queensland

Easter usually falls in April, and moves around from year to year. But to see out March, and to celebrate my birthday early we decided to take a few days out and try out a B&B at a place just over the border in Queensland along the inland roads to Brisbane via Beaudesert. We headed to Mount Barney and booked the delightful Lakeside Bungalow and Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages. This first picture will convey the peace, tranquility and beauty of the location with the vines to the north east behind the cottage. The second the rugged nature of the surrounding environment highlighting the grandeur of Mount Barney.

Early morning at Lakeside Bungalow

Midday cloud cover on Mount Barney

I also found this panorama which shows the view to the south east with "cake tin" Mt Lindsey in the middle right in the shadow of Mt Barney rising of the very right of the shot. Shows the broader rugged view to the left (south east) of the Mt Barney view above.

This was a wonderful few days of quiet sitting, reading, watching, walking and photographing and then being spoiled with a variety of home-cooked dinners delivered each night to the bungalow. As I browse back through my photos from this visit, I recall I created a photobook and called it "Pondlife - Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages 2017". Rather than have one big long post, the range of photos fall into two broad categories I will use as a theme for two posts to share our first visit to this magical setting. This post I shall devote to non-birds and the next just to birds.

I cannot resist sharing some of the other delightful pond life and nefarious critters that dropped by to see what we were up to ... I'm sure you will enjoy! 😊

First up a couple two beautiful roses at the head of a row of vines in the vineyard ...

Next some life on the pond attracting bugs and insects which in turn attract the dragonflies and birds. In an earlier post I had referred to this source for my attempt to identify the dragonflies - not pretending that I could be infallible.

A graphic flutterer

A wandering percher

Not just on the pond, but on a walk through a eucalyptus plantation to the river and across a cleared meadow there was a a single lesser wanderer butterfly and then we came across a kaleidoscope of them (Google informs that is what a group of butterflies is called, though it did qualify to suggest sometimes they are referred to a swarm ... which just sounds way too harsh for something as fragile as a butterfly and absolutely ignores the colours eloquently captured by "kaleidoscope" 👏). I stand to be corrected with my identification but this is my source.

And back at the pond late in the afternoon wallowing in the weed just below our bungalow jetty was one of the pond turtles. 

Then early the next morning, paying much closer attention to the life among the water weeds from the same bungalow jetty, all the frog noises at night made a LOT more sense ... BUT what a surprise (not unlike some birds I guess) to notice just how tiny the green frogs were. Much more prolific than these couple of shots convey.

Blue skimmer - Mt Barney a long way from Adelaide!

Eastern billabongfly (apparently a damsel not a dragon!)

Next a very healthy and chubby-looking koala allowed me a great shot and opened the eyes for a good peek as I wandered past walking up the gravel driveway for a walk around the property and for the earlier shown views to the south ... ah, they look so comfortable and relaxed! Long may we respect their habitat.

And finally, on our second night as we sat down at the dining room table just to the right as you view this photo (and thankfully from behind the window!!) we noticed another very relaxed and healthy individual who had found quite the resting place in the louvered opening at the end of the verandah. Kind of took the relaxed nature off our meal I have to say, though it was good to see the spot had been vacated by breakfast 😋 ... and, of course, nature takes many forms and each has its own unique charm and beauty when we have the time the stop and notice. Such diversity.

A visit to Adelaide

We are fortunate to have seven beautiful and full-on grandchildren. They are spread around the place: Norfolk in the UK, Adelaide and Casino in Australia. This visit was not long after the birth of number #3 (Felix) in Adelaide, which meant a catch up with mum & dad and Violet and Eliza too. How quickly they grow up!

So, just as the 2016 visit to Norfolk set me on this path proper, this visit to Adelaide offered a renewed awareness of birds in a very different urban environment. You will see in coming posts also, that Casino has much to offer when another set of grandchildren are visited in that more rural setting. This set of photos was captured during a visit to a very urban nature reserve: Oaklands Wetland Reserve, in the southern suburb of Warradale. You will notice a couple of "new" sightings, but also that birds from our local environment are also there 😉.

Australasian grebe

Eurasian coot

Royal spoonbill

I thought I would have a go at videoing this Royal spoonbill to capture the hoovering, or vacuuming action they use for foraging. Just 15 secs, but interesting to check out another feature of my camera deserving of more attention perhaps for demonstrating the behaviours of some of the birds?? Something for me to ponder and experiment with in time.

Purple swamphen

Pacific black duck resting

Blue Skimmer dragonfly ... come on ... it has wings!

Little pied cormorant

Yep ... also wings ... honey bees.

Pacific black duck showing off!

Australian wood duck

The ubiquitous rainbow lorikeet