Follow that Bird - camera kill

Their sound echoed through the forest for most of the two hour walk.

The excitement was immense for even the most common of sightings, say a magpie lark, grey butcher bird or Willie Wagtail. There was much brouhaha for say, a Grey Goshawk, a Spotted Pardalote, an Olive-backed Oriole or a Golden Whistler. But when we sighted the three Lyrebirds all seven tiles were plonked down on a triple word score!

They are quick and VERY industrious

They were spectacular, both in sight and in sound. They did not scurry away, but afforded us quality time. I have many shots more blurred than these. Panning in low light is essential. I shall get that F1.4 50mm tomorrow!

There is a Brown Gerygone (warbler) on a branch in here.

With my new Celeston 10x42 binoculars and my Canon 450D with both lenses, and with my trusty hiking stick I was weighed down. Too much to do, insufficient hands and balance.

There were a few White-faced Heron's among the cows.

Switching between camera and binoculars was not on at this early stage – I need more experience birding and with the binoculars. On the way up I used the camera, on the way down the binoculars. I saw much more with the binoculars which are just spectacular.

There were large flocks of Cattle Egrets in the paddocks.

Follow that Bird next to the Watagan State Forest in the Hunter Valley on 7th August.

Addendum - I tried out other equipment which I have readied for my travels to the north of Western Australia starting today. The backpack and water-bottle are ditched in favour of my old ones. My shoes and jacket are perfect. Need a belt from which to hang my binoculars.

Follow that Bird - thrill of the chase

There WAS a Spotted Pardalote tending this hole.

Birds to the left of us, birds to the right of us. All told 60 collective sightings for the excursion, all dutifully ticked at the conclusion. Such sharing of ideas, adventures, techniques, such collective joy.

Likewise they all saw the Lewin's Honeyeater in here somewhere.

Having never been ‘birding’ I was overwhelmed by both their eyesight and their identification skills. It was really their brain-sight – they knew what they were looking for, movements up, down, through and beyond. Whereas I might see the flit into or outof the canopy, they kept up with it, identified it by sight and sound, and gave a treatise on habitat.

The water tumbling down from the Minnamurra Falls was gloriously clear.

And it was not confined to the boardwalk up to the Minnamurra Falls.

I had to confine my sightings to forest details anchored to the soil.

On the way back out of the forest, through farming country, the bus would slow, pull over to the side and the most wondrous conversations would ensue.

The boardwalk provided ready access and the falls an opportunity for lunch.

My poor brain was at bursting point. ‘On the edge’ is a most productive sighting area – where one habitat merges into another, say farmland into forest.

For one with cerebral ataxia this swing was 'disturbing' but I took my new stick.

Tomorrow: Photographing birds is a whole new ball-game which brings one down to earth very quickly.

Sydney to The Gong - the support team

With something slightly more head-banging than Brahms pulsing from the dash, the warmth from a 26C Spring Sunday beating down on our protected skin, we Thelma'n'Louised it to The Gong in style, thank you very much!

Sydney to The Gong - cycle for MS

Capped at 10,000 participants riding either the 90km from St Peters or the 58km from Engadine, the 28th Sydney to the Gong MS fundraiser occurred yesterday under idyllic spring skies. After a controlled training program over the previous 6 weeks, my son-in-law, Darren, participated for the first time and surprised himself: just over two hours and with still energy in the legs. He is already factoring in the changes for next year.


His "support team" arrived too late to cheer him into Stuart Park at Wollongong's North Beach, having been held up by a 60kph restriction and heavy traffic most of the way. Next year we will leave Sydney at 7am, have breakfast at the finish line and ensure that we are in advance of the melee.

The middle photograph shows our return trip, over the Hargreaves Bridge with the escarpment of the Royal National Park stretching northwards toward Sydney. The bottom photo goes to prove that many of the participants were family groupings out for a fun activity and to raise money for a worthy cause.

Tomorrow: photos of the support team.

Royal National Park (6/6) - the sacred heart

Earth's beating heart spewed by transforming fire into the cold light of day then desiccated by forces beyond temporal control.

Royal National Park (5/6) - Somewhere beyond the sea

South Era beach from Lady Game Lookout

Viewed from high above the escarpment, mesmerising lines of swell roll continuously onto shore carving pristine beaches in sheltered coves. Swinging at anchor, a singular container ship awaits a port facility at Port Kembla.

North Era on the left and Burning Palms on the right both viewed from Lady Game Lookout

A jumble of depression era shacks tumble down the slopes of Burning Palms, taking shelter in the lee of the promontory for protection from the prevailing southerly.

Eagle Rock and Gairie Beach

Eagle Rock stands vigilant on the northern end of Gairie Beach, where human impact is kept to a minimum by isolation, windy roads and limited parking.

Royal National Park (4/6) - warning

Gairie Beach is a world of beauty and a world of immense danger. Billowing nimbus clouds spill over the escarpment from the south-west, enveloping the life-saving club house, armed and ready to warn of sharks circling in the off-shore rips.


Often humans forget that they are sharing the natural world with the animal world and invade and destroy thoughtlessly.


Eagle Rock is part of an ongoing erosion process that is goaded by the power of wind, rain, and heat as well as the depredations of humans.

Royal National Park (3/6) - working

This is a national park, so the places are deliberately difficult to access. These guys are working on a shack at North Era and the only way to get their materials on site is by foot. They parked their ute at Gairie Beach and each of the 8 sheets of fibro (the type without asbestos!) had to be taken as illustrated the kilometre around to North Era.

They were sweating profusely but were of good humour and wiggled their bum when I said I would take their photo as they trudged along. I hope they had cold ones in the fridge for later!

Royal National Park (2/6) - walking

Polonius, wasn't it, who was hoist on his own petard?

Surveying the photographs from the day's outing, I could see the posts quite readily and the titles, too. However, although the structure for the week was clear, I now find that a title like "Walking" nearly demanded a specific sequence - yet shot 2 makes a more arresting portal image than does shot 1.

Raise the petard ...


This bunch of twenty-somethings was taking the Coastal Walk from south to north - roughly heading across the beach at North Era toward Sydney. They were chatting animatedly and gesticulating wildly all the while. You know: the sort of bunch who meet late highschool/early university and are still good supportive friends 50 years later!

Martina gave me the idea for rescuing the next image. As you can see from above, I am in danger of over-exposure on the RHS. This occurred in image 4 both on the RHS and in the sky which was a sort of vomit-green! So I removed the colour and increased the contrast. Lost the warm honey of the rocks but you saw that yesterday and I know it is coming again on Saturday.

Royal National Park (1/6) - full circle

Behind me, the South Coast walking track from Gairie Beach.

About 30kms south of Sydney, lies the Royal National Park established in 1879, the second NP to be gazetted in the world, after Yellowstone. It covers about 130 square kms (about 32,000 acres).

In front of me, the Pacific Ocean aka Tasman Sea. Above me, the cliff to the National Park.

The Coast Track is a 2 day 27km walk with spectacular views some of which I will show you this week.

Ahead of me, the track to the possessive tenancy settlement of North Era.

North Era, South Era and Burning Palms are accessible only on foot or by small water craft. They were established during the Depression and tenancy within the one family has been allowed to continue ever since, with strict rules on development. Gairie Beach is the only beach with vehicular access.