Category: Wildlife

NSW, Wildlife2 Comments

Spiders

Itching for Hitching

Our friend Kay lives in the NSW Southern Highlands. The house is set in 105 acres of bushland garden and farmland and it overlooks a series of lakes. There are black cockatoos of the yellow tailed variety. Rosellas and king parrots squabbling in the garden and swans gliding on the dam. The evening is still but far from quiet as there is a cacophony of voices rising up from the dams, a gaggle of croaks and squawks. As we traipse out of the cosy farm house towards our vans Kay asks us to shake out our shoes. They have deadly … Continue reading Spiders

WA, Wildlife4 Comments

You Wouldn’t Get Me in There!

Itching for Hitching

At Augusta in Western Australia’s south west, boys are cleaning fish in the Blackwood River near our van. Lots of fish in fact and they stand up to their knees in water. The Pelicans jostle for fish heads but the action is below the water. The boys reach down and hand feed stingrays and they are huge. All that I can think of is the demise of Steve Irwin. Continue reading You Wouldn’t Get Me in There!

Vic, Wildlife3 Comments

A Wise Old Bird is the Pelican

Itching for Hitching

His beak can hold more than his belly can. We were in Mallacoota in Victoria and there had been quite a bit of rain. Once the weather cleared we wandered around the boat ramp watching the commercial abalone boats returning with their catch and amateur fishermen cleaning theirs. The family of pelicans that live on the sandbank opposite the boat ramp, took flight and skimmed in to the pier to get their fill of the leftovers. It was easy to spot the birds that were successful enough to get a fresh feed as the blood dribbled down their huge bills. Continue reading A Wise Old Bird is the Pelican

WA, Wildlife11 Comments

Flies are bad…

Itching for Hitching

The flies are bad in Coronation Beach as we slowly make our way up the Western Australian coast. We constantly sweep up the bodies and must wear nets on our hats, at all times. A large crowd is in attendance at the Northampton Anzac Day service. Wearing T shirts proudly displaying their heritage are Australians and New Zealanders of many races heads bowed together. Hands slowly brush flies, eyes squint in the sun and a dog with a halo of flies waits. That afternoon we drive into Eagle Gorge at Kalbarri where the rocks look to have been laid down … Continue reading Flies are bad…

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Walter Pigeon & Co

Itching for Hitching

As we drove into the caravan park we stared in horror at the pile of grey feathers beside the lake. Our first thoughts led us to believe that someone must have driven over the pigeons leaving little more than dead grey wings being tossed randomly in the breeze. But wait, that movement almost looks choreographed, ha they’re cooling off in the sprinkler. What next synchronized swimming? Continue reading Walter Pigeon & Co

The Pubs, Vic, Wildlife9 Comments

Blackwood Hotel

Itching for Hitching

Atop a ridge between the Wombat State Forest and the Lerderderg State Park in Victoria is the old mining town of Blackwood. We order dinner at the rambling weatherboard Blackwood pub, it is Pot and Parma night. The publican comes out with a heaped plate of strips of steak for a mob of waiting kookaburras on the deck. There’s seed for the King parrots and last of all a whopping parma for us. Oh, you beauty! Continue reading Blackwood Hotel

Qld, Wildlife6 Comments

A stalking stork amongst the stalks

Itching for Hitching

We drive out to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria, the remotest point of our trip. It is a 70km drive north from Normanton through savannah land and then the flattest flood plain of grassland and salt pans. In the savannah there are contented cattle and spider webs as big as flags that take ownership of their host shrubs. On the flood plain we spot a flock of Brolgas in a small swamp. Of course I’m breathless with excitement and I say to Woody that all we need now is to see a Jabiru and I’ll be happy. All of … Continue reading A stalking stork amongst the stalks

Qld, Wildlife10 Comments

What a Tally

Itching for Hitching

The giant Curtain Fig tree in Yungaburra on the Atherton Tableland in Queensland is far too large to photograph in its entirety but we do our best. One Japanese tourist lies prone on the boardwalk trying his best to ‘get it all in’. If that is not enough, my mate Cyril spots something way up near the top of the tree and starts to shriek. There’s a large dark shape groping about. We can’t believe our eyes, it’s a Tree Kangaroo. As a dozen gobsmacked tourists crane their necks he clambers about quite awkwardly. He’s certainly not as agile as … Continue reading What a Tally

The Road Less Travelled, Vic, Wildlife10 Comments

Not One but Three!

Itching for Hitching

We’re camped at Healesville, Vic with friends. It is the middle of winter and freezing. After breakfast we pile into two cars and set out for Warburton following the instructions of the GPS. We soon find ourselves crossing the shoulder of Mt Donna Buang on a dirt road in thick fog. Obviously it is not a popular road as we see only one other car. But to our joy three lyrebirds scurry across our path and the last one stops and shows us his tail feathers. I cannot contain myself as I have never seen a lyrebird in the wild … Continue reading Not One but Three!