A flight into the present (2020)

For a break from the chronological cataloguing theme, here is a post about the present ("jumping" forward until now - October 2020). We spent the day at Rocky Creek Dam. It is quite a few years since we have been out there and it was a pleasant surprise to see the infrastructure improvements in place, and even better that there were so few visitors given it was school holidays. This link will show you where it is on Google Maps.

I wanted to share these photos because I managed to catch good shots of some of those birds that really show off well in the (real) rainforest environment there, and also show off the splendour of both plain and complex plumage.

As we arrived and parked to unload our picnic gear and claim our sheltered table, a small flock (14) of sulphur-crested cockatoos was spotted over the eastern side of the car park. I regularly get to enjoy little corellas, but not so often these much louder and raucous close relatives. So, once settled, I wandered down across the open grassed area and managed to get quite a few shots of the groups within the flock grazing ... it was fascinating observing them pull up the grass with full root nodules, invert and devour the nodules and drop the grass shoot ... and  move on. Here is a selection to give you a sense. I also note how the "plain" white body of the cockatoo, with the tinge of yellow sometimes visible in the tail and certainly the comb atop the head provides an outstanding contrast with whatever its background/environment happens to offer - hence the beauty of the plain 😊.

The next couple were taken back along the beginning of the main path down to the dam wall. Again they highlight that plain beauty of the white, this time benefiting from the dam water in the background and also right down at ground level to show off the different ground cover this lone cockatoo was enjoying ... talk about the prime table with a view 😀. Of course the dexterity with which they stand on one leg and use the other to feed themselves should not be ignored! And, they appear to be peering none too subtly at the camera.

These next two shots I offer to highlight a different kind of "plain". Plain in the sense that the noisy miner is recognised as something of a pest and thus easily ignored (if not easily able to block out their incessant tweeting and ignore their constant harassment). However, even they have a certain beauty about their "mousy" grey plumage contrasting the yellow beak, with matching eye patch in the black feathered head. The first one is the juvenile, the pair showing one of the adults keeping watch shortly thereafter ... makes the small branch in each photo most worthwhile for context!

We were savouring our coffee and fruit after settling and before heading off for a walk around the damn and lower creek. I took a couple of bits of rubbish to the bin near our table and back down in a magnificent big old silky oak tree in flower I noticed several sulphur-crested cockatoos. Again, the contrast of that "plain" white, but this time against the gorgeous burnt orange of the silky oak flowers was striking ... and yet another example of their dexterity ... but this time at altitude on swaying branches 😀.

As we reached the end of our circuit walk. I noticed a flash of colour in the trees above the playground we were wandering through. Alighting on a branch was a wompoo fruit dove! Magnificent colours. It flitted between a few trees before settling on a branch where it felt comfortable ... well, it started cooing and did so for some time, so that was my conclusion! So the first shot below was just after it settled - I was really happy because this was the most exposed view of this beautiful richly plumed bird I had experienced. Since it was so settled I was able to move under and around it's perch so the next couple of shots captured the way the green and yellow wing feathers contrast the purple breast and bright yellow underwing plumage with the grey head dissected by the purple feather line down the centre of the grey feathered throat. Enjoy how the camouflage offers just enough contrast with the surrounding foliage. This really was one of those treats that gives you a spring in your step (which was great timing making the last climb back to the picnic table that much easier 😂).

Throughout the day the distinct chitter of pairs of eastern rosellas were heard ... alas, rarely sighted 😞. I did only manage one long range shot of this fellow atop a young bush in the newly planted car park roundabout. That was as close as I was able to get (and on full zoom)! While you may need to squint, the flash of colour is fairly clear atop the large leaves.

After our picnic lunch, the very loud, distinctive squawk of the sulphur-crested cockatoos drew me to the paddock to the south of the park. I took even more photos of these simply because, as noted earlier, it was a rare treat for me to be in the presence of these beautiful birds, and especially being able to get so close in the wild. So ... a final couple of photos and I like the symmetry of the grazing happening in the second photo.

Back from our walk, enjoying a cuppa and some cake the call of the king parrot (this short YouTube video allows you to hear it for yourself, as well as some excellent vision - thanks Fritids Tur) behind where we were sitting caught our attention. Looking around and up, the striking colours of the male plumage stood out in the fresh spring foliage and mottled branches on which it was supported. "King" is a worthy descriptor for this majestic parrot ... the first photo of the next trio offers a sense of that initial sighting, the next two much closer portraits with the third one capturing the beak open mid-call.

ENJOY THESE ... savour the setting.

I cannot resist including this shot. The light of a magnificent day is captured in the contrasting verdant tree views and the clear blue of the sky (how lucky we are to have such clarity!) painted with the white clouds. What a place for a picnic ... no wonder there are such wonderful birds here! 

Not quite as clear as I had hoped but quite a rare treat (for me) to see a grey butcherbird. Checking my book to confirm this sighting was one of those moments when some features that have always seemed "unclear" or "not obvious" suddenly were to me ... the more common (to me) pied butcherbird I think I have photographed has a full black head and no white patch near the eye ... so I may need to review my archive and relabel some of my shots 😊; no doubt with this one as a grey butcherbird though!

And ... to finish up ... back to a "plain" juvenile noisy miner waiting ... this one shows off the chest and breast plumage nicely while still being able to clearly see the yellow beak and eye patch. The natural setting certainly complements these birds - much better than the built environment I am more accustomed to seeing them populate.

So good to share the beauty nature has to offer while celebrating a very special 60th birthday ... and all you need to know is that it was not mine 😋).