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!