A much better day

After yesterdays shambles anything had to be better.  In fact today was pretty good by most standards.

We set off on our dog walk along Mather Rd and were greeted by a guy we had seen many times along the road, driving a Land Cruiser ute.  He was interested in us and we in him, as he, like the cattle guy from Sunday, told us a lot about the social and industrial structure of the area.  He solved the mystery plant on the road as being foliage for florists in Sydney.  One of our discussants jobs was making hay which he sells inter alia through the Yungaburra Pit Stop servo.  Apparently it is sold as fast as he can make it!  (It is interesting how many people up here do many interesting jobs and are keen to show how industrious they are.  Right on guys!)

He also commented that they had a poor wet season but it had been warm and damp recently.

As we proceeded down the road after this chat noise erupted from the sky.

Although I hate the noise of these things I must acknowledge the guts (or indeed things slightly below the male abdomen) to fly one.  If I was up there umbrellas would be the least punters on the ground would need.

The Bush Stone Curlews went for kissy-kissy camouflage.

 Later in the day our back yard was invaded by 3 - count them, 3 - Emerald Doves!

The day was basically getting a tad warm with the clouds definitely looking like Granny Aching's Sheep.

 So we took off to Lake Barrine, knowing it to be shady.  This was one of the better example of cauliflory we have seen.

 As we moved along a small but very active macropod was seen, and sort of photographed,  It looked like a Musky rat-kangaroo Hypsiprymnodon moschatus which I think is the smallest kangaroo around.  This one was about 25cm long in the body.

 In the rest of the 5km walk I think we saw at least another 6, smaller examples.  When spotlighting I was interested that some species had orange eye-shine while others had silver.  Judging by this flash image the rat-kangaroos shine lilac!

 A number of the Pandanus had fruit on them with this one being the ripest.

 The most interesting birds out on the Lake were Great-crested Grebes.

On land the most exciting birds were a group fossicking through the rainforest floor.  No photos - they were a fair bit back - but the jizz and general shape make me confident they were Chowchillas (a lifer and obviously Bird of the Day).

Back at the tea rooms Frances spotted an exciting butterfly.  Its a Cairns Birdwing.

 I couldn't get one to pose with the upperside of the wings visible.

Later we went to Frawleys pool for Frances to look at the pool and me to find birds (and should I be so lucky, a Tree Kangaroo).  No marsupials but we did have a very pleasant conversation with a Labrador's person about management of the area,  He opined that they'd a very poor wet season.

• Bird of the day: Chowchillas.  Flock was 3 Emerald Doves, as it was such a bonus to see >1.
• Vegetation of the day:   Rainforest generally.
• Memorable moment: Getting a reminder from Reddings about the work on the car on Thursday.  That's more like it.
• Comment of the day: "We had a very poor Wet season."  Everyone we talk to!.
• Pie of the day:.  Not tonight Josephine..
• Troppo moment of the day. Everything was pretty calm

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