The Irish/UK/Spanish trip
Day 1 – 23.12.18 (Sunday)
I called the Uber at 19.30. It arrived within 3 minutes with my first female driver. Originally from Kenya at 8 years of age, her English was still very much a second language, but we managed a happy conversation as we went, toll-free at my request, to the international terminal. I gave her 5 Stars.
I called the Uber at 19.30. It arrived within 3 minutes with my first female driver. Originally from Kenya at 8 years of age, her English was still very much a second language, but we managed a happy conversation as we went, toll-free at my request, to the international terminal. I gave her 5 Stars.
I started queuing at 20.10 and finally got clear of Check-in, security and passport control at 21.25. Doesn’t it piss you off? These people who queue for ages to get to the desk and then haven’t got the right papers, can’t manage their baggage, ask a lot of dumb questions or don’t have the right answers?……well, it pisses me off…..but I get over it quickly.
Anyway, had enough time to purchase duty free whiskey (for Mum) and tobacco (for me) and grab an expensive, but quality, coffee (Hudson’s) before getting out to the smoker’s area before my flight started to board. As it happened I had plenty of time while that happened and sat and waited till the queue was almost gone before getting in and on.
I had requested a window seat – having been unable to check-in on-line, presumably due to the fact that I had booked my flight through a ‘travel agent’ (Aunt Betty via Skyscanner) rather than directly through Etihad. It had saved me approx $1000 but the default was I had to accept the seats generated at check-in and there was no chance of a window pew. In fact the agent told me that ‘some people may not even be flying tonight’. I’m not exactly sure why that would happen, but anyway, I had my three boarding passes for the three legs and headed on to my seat in Row 16 (second row in from the main door) middle seat of three on the side. Female passengers on either side - thank God, no big males overflowing my seat, fighting for armrest space - I settled in for the 14 hour haul to Abu Dhabi.
I actually managed to get some ‘sleep’ overnight - close to 5 hours snoozing, if not deep sleep – and then dozing on and off for the rest of the flight. I had been pretty knackered after the weekend anyway and flying at 22.30 probably helped too.
Day 2 – 24.12.18 Christmas Eve (Monday)
Got to Abu Dhabi and found my way to Gate 32 for the next leg – to Paris. Getting on board this Etihad flight I found I had an aisle seat on the right hand side. I waited and waited but no one else showed for my row, so I ended up with three seats to myself. The plane, in fact, was half empty and loads of single people crashed out across the seats – bonus! …..
Got to Abu Dhabi and found my way to Gate 32 for the next leg – to Paris. Getting on board this Etihad flight I found I had an aisle seat on the right hand side. I waited and waited but no one else showed for my row, so I ended up with three seats to myself. The plane, in fact, was half empty and loads of single people crashed out across the seats – bonus! …..
Landed in Paris at 14.05. It took 25 minutes to drive to the terminal and get out of the plane, despite the low passenger numbers. (Saw Carrion Crows and European Starlings on the way…)
Then it was a mad dash through the terminals, including another security scan and a shuttle bus ride that seemed endless, to get to a far distant gate by 15.00 to just get on the end of the boarding queue for the final leg with Cityjet on a small 60 seater jet to Dublin.
Isn't it always the far end of the world, the furtherest gate away from where you started, when you have to get to your next flight in a short period of time? The endless corridors following signs that seem to tease you along, huffing and puffing, legs stiff from sitting for hours, head swimming from lack of food and exercise, bags bumping your legs, other dumb passengers wandering aimlessly around in front of you..........Why do they do that? I think they must sit up in a room full of video screens somewhere and snigger at the chaos they cause - Look at these ones! Running like crazy, 10 bucks says they don't make it!
On board I managed to con seconds on coffee and a pastry from the steward which helped fill my empty stomach - and replace the energy I'd expended in the terminal....
In Dublin finally at 16.30. Reassuringly my bag was on the turntable when I got there – I had been a little concerned given the events of a few years ago, but all good - straight through customs and into the main concourse without any drama.
First things first – I ducked outside for a quick smoke before heading for the Budget desk.
There was a queue so I took the opportunity to get a coffee (priorities, priorities) before registering for my first hire car. I had to get a shuttle bus to the car collection area and got my Gortex jacket out of my backpack while I waited. It was cold, but not bitter, but just wearing a long-sleeved shirt, while everyone else had jackets, beanies and scarves on, made me feel under dressed.
Picked up the car – a bright red VW 5 door thing that was actually smaller than I had imagined - I headed out on the craziness of the M50 and navigated my way to 50 Dale Rd without incident. Sat and talked to Mum for a half an hour or so, then loaded up her presents and bags - and 4 racks of peat briquettes - before we took off on the 40 minute drive to Lorraine’s place in Wicklow. It rained a bit on the way - cloudy, damp, misty along the sea road.
Spent the evening Face timing the kids in Brisbane and catching up on recent family events before crashing at midnight.
Day 3 – 25.12.18 Christmas Day (Tuesday)
It was dark until 9am – and dark again at 16.00. A dull, damp, day weather wise. Didn’t venture out – apart from Lorraine’s back garden for a smoke or two. I was up at 7.30 for coffee and nicotine but the others didn’t surface till 9 and, eventually, 10.
It was dark until 9am – and dark again at 16.00. A dull, damp, day weather wise. Didn’t venture out – apart from Lorraine’s back garden for a smoke or two. I was up at 7.30 for coffee and nicotine but the others didn’t surface till 9 and, eventually, 10.
A festive Christmas day starting with a big breakfast and a beer, followed by present opening with sherry, later, a big Christmas lunch/dinner with wine, ending with an evening watching poor quality TV while trying to stay awake as long as possible, crashing at 23.00. It was nice to spend only my second Christmas with Mum, Lorraine & Aisling in 38 years.
A few birds casually seen – Western Jackdaw, European Magpie, 2 Common Ravens flew by ‘pronking’ in the mist, Common Blackbird, a European Robin singing nearby, Blue & Great Tits, Hooded Crows and a passing flock of Black-headed Gulls.
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| Morning....... |
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| Evening...... |
Day 4 - 26.12.18 Boxing Day. (Wednesday)
I was up at 7.30 cause there was no point in lying in bed longer. Again no one else appeared before 9, but I managed to light the fire without burning the place down and drink numerous cups of coffee.
I was up at 7.30 cause there was no point in lying in bed longer. Again no one else appeared before 9, but I managed to light the fire without burning the place down and drink numerous cups of coffee.
Then we had breakfast:
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| Boxing Day breakfast - note my new 'pyjamas'...... |
Then we went for a (short) walk:
Then we dropped Mum back:
Then we went for a longer walk during which I found a flock of 6 Bullfinches – I can’t remember ever seeing as many as 6 together, so I was pretty happy.
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| male Bullfinch |
While I was checking them out, a Red Kite drifted overhead above the trees, but I didn’t get long to look at it and it didn’t reappear.
Lorraine, Aisling and I walked down to the beach and then into the golf course collecting pinecones for the fire.
Then it was back to the sherry…..
Day 5 – 27.12.18 (Thursday)
A problem and challenge solving day that started at 6.30 am…….
I hadn’t been able to access my emails since I arrived in Ireland - my account wouldn’t recognise my user name and/or password - so I went on an on-line chat with Optus.
Normally a lack of emails wouldn’t worry me particularly, but with my being away for two months - and getting all my bills via email – it would become a major problem!
An hour and a half later and Robert & Aero finally decided my account had been blocked ‘for privacy issues’.
‘Had I been hacked’, I asked. ‘Maybe’, they told me.
8.30am Eventually my account was unblocked and I was able to delete the previous three days’ emails as there was nothing much of importance – as usual.
Issue 1 solved.
Issue 2 started when I volunteered to take Aisling to the nearest Luas (light rail system that services outer suburbs into Dublin) station. We started out towards Wicklow town but within a few minutes Aisling asked me what the noise was?
I said, predictably, what noise?
When she wound down her window there was a loud whining noise coming from the left front wheel – it sounded like the wheel was unwinding itself. I stopped and checked, but everything looked OK so I reversed back out of the driveway I was in and …….. the noise disappeared? Then I noticed a warning sign on the dash.
As we drove further north onto the 120 k/hr M50, Aisling checked the car manual and advised me that the ‘air pressure detection system was faulty and I should NOT DRIVE ANY FURTHER BUT SEEK ASSISTANCE AT THE NEAREST SERVICE CENTRE.’
As the car handled OK and everything looked good, I, of course, continued on.
We got home (Dale Rd) quite safely and I rang Budget at the airport. They advised me to check the tyre pressures and get back to them if they were OK. So I did, they were and I rang them back. Olivia assured me it was not uncommon for the sensor to fault out and that she would note my account so that ‘if anything happens you won’t be held responsible’
Oooookay! So long as the wheel doesn’t come off…..
Issue 2 resolved – I hope.
I headed down to Dundrum shopping center and found a park in the lowest basement. The place was heaving with shoppers grabbing sales, so I grabbed some cash from an ATM, an Irish SIM card for my phone from ‘3’ and got out of Dodge as quickly as I got in.
Back down to Wicklow.
I took the dog (Mauve Gone, an arthritic English sheepdog on holiday with Lorraine while her owner travelled overseas) for a walk down the beach and back, before packing bags and Mum into the car and heading back, again, to Dale Rd.
(New trip ticks – Grey & Pied Wagtail and Goldcrest).
We went out for dinner to the new Union Café near the Beacon Hospital where Aisling was our waitress – and was tipped appropriately as my niece. Then home to make contact with Mr H (Dermot) in Belfast, to make arrangements for the coming week, then TV and bed.
Day 6 – 28.12.18 (Friday)
After breakfast with Mum & Aisling I headed down for the obligatory, every-time-I-come-here, walk out along the West Pier at Dun Laoghaire.
It was a mild, dull morning with virtually no wind. There were dozens of people walking the pier, presumably due to the holiday period, maybe they all have the week off? The birds were pretty quiet. Disappointingly, no divers at all, a bird I have come to expect here in winter, but I did have all three Auks, Red-breasted Mergansers, Great Crested Grebes and a few other bits and pieces.
I got to the end of the pier and a Razorbill popped up close to the wall. I waited for it to dive then moved down closer for photographs when it surfaced. As I waited a Purple Sandpiper appeared on the seaweed in front of me. I’ve always had a soft spot for Purple Sands. I’m not a huge wader fan, but as waders go they appeal to me. Discreet, quiet, non-presumptuous – I just like them and they have always been pretty reliable at the West Pier.
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| Razorbill |
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| Purple Sandpiper |
A short video of same......
After retrieving my car I headed over to the East Pier to check for the ‘usual’ Black Redstart. There had been no record of one on site this season, but every winter, it seemed, since the 70s, a Black Red has hung out around the rocks at the base of the pier.
I was to be disappointed again, but in compensation picked up what I’m pretty sure was a Mediterranean Gull sitting alone among about 40 Black-headed Gulls. I think it’s a Med Gull anyway….
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| Mediterranean Gull (I think) |
The area was very busy so I headed home.
Day 7 – 29.12.18 (Saturday)
Awake at 6.30, I got up at 7.30 and poked around until Mum & Aisling got up at 9 and we had breakfast together. I did see my first trip mammal – a Grey Squirrel ran along the fence at the end of the garden.
I left at 10.30 and headed south arriving at Kilcoole at 11.
Headed down the beach along with a number of civilian non-birders walking their dogs and themselves.
I caught up with a group of birders led by………someone I knew but couldn’t put a name to the face. We exchanged pleasantries and it became evident that the group were non-birders being introduced to the pursuit. I moved on.
They caught up with me at the next ‘stop point’ and I moved on again, leaving them space in the rather restricted area in the middle of the thick growth.
The next stop was the last before the Narrows and I waited there until they caught up.
In the following conversation we reminded each other who we were – Eric Dempsey, well known Irish author on wildlife and birds – we had last met at Kilcoole when I was here with Mr H a couple of years ago. Always nice to touch base with the famous – I’m sure he was thrilled…..
Birds were fairly average, mostly what one would expect. Common Redshanks, Common Greenshank, Dunlin (40), Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Teal (200), Eurasian Wigeon (400), Northern Mallard, one female Goldeneye, Little Egrets with bright yellow feet, Northern Lapwing (200), Eurasian Curlew (100), Grey Heron, Black-tailed Godwit (20), Mute & (6)Whooper Swans, 15 Brent Geese, Little Grebes and, unexpectedly feeding on the mud out in the open, 2 Common Snipe. Off the coast, on an extremely flat calm sea, 3 Red-throated Divers. Passerines were few and far between with only 1 female Common Stonechat and 2 Pied Wagtails noted.
I had been hoping for Otters, as a birder I had spoken to in the car park on my arrival, had said there had been a family of 3 earlier, but they had disappeared.
I remain Otter-challenged.
Got back to the car just after 13.00 and headed for Newcastle.
Stopped off at the IWC reserve half way to the beach and wandered in along the track to the hides. Nothing super spectacular here, except 5 Song Thrushes feeding with a number of Common Blackbirds surprised me. Song Thrushes have been hard to come by for me on previous visits and I understood they’d reduced dramatically in number, however, here were at least 5 birds. Always hard to photograph, I think, they seem to keep their backs to me all the time and spook fairly easily – but I gave it a go anyway.
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| Song Thrush |
At the well-stocked feeders Blue, Great and a Coal Tit fought for space with Common Chaffinches, a few House Sparrows and a European Goldfinch. On the ground underneath - a Dunnock. There was little at the hides, but I noted the active CCTV now in place – last time I was here the hides had been vandalized, good to see measures in place to dissuade the losers.
As I was this far down the coast I decided to head for the ‘laneway’ where feeders in a garden attracted a range of birds including Great Spotted Woodpecker. I had spent 3 hours a couple of years ago sitting outside, without success, waiting for a GSW.
15 minutes later I arrived outside the house and couldn’t believe my eye (I’ve been waiting to use that) – on the feeder - a Great Spotted Woodpecker! However, by the time I had turned the car and parked up it had f….d off. I hung around for about half an hour but it didn’t reappear and nothing else of great interest came to the feeders. I did, however, have a European Jay in the field beyond, which was a nice bonus.
Once again, as I was this far down the coast, I rang my sister and headed down to Wicklow to have a late lunch with her in Tinakilly House. A salubrious stately house with white tablecloths, silver service and us in jeans and boots while a black tie wedding was going on and people were having fancy afternoon teas – love it! Lorraine’s BFF, Diana, was with her, and her partner, Donal, and daughter Amber joined us shortly afterwards – both of them had worked on location on the last two Viking seasons being filmed in Wicklow – season 6 just finished last month. Donal assured me there would either be a Season 7 or a spin-off – so you have it now from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
I had carrot soup and bread then headed home to cook dinner for Mum.
Day 8 – 30.12.18
A pretty quiet, non-birding, day. After my usual early morning catch-up phone call with Ms B – something I always look forward to – and breakfast, I filled the bird feeder in the back garden with peanuts and had Blue & Great Tits in within minutes. The two resident friendly Robins also appeared and checked out the porch before jumping on the seed I spread for them.
Then we went to church.
I don’t have to, it’s not that it means anything to me. But it does give me a chance to see and thank the people who offer Mum support all year round and look out for her.
I managed to make it in and out without being struck dead – always a pleasant surprise given my history.
We met Lorraine for lunch/dinner in The Ocean restaurant in Bray which took up the rest of the afternoon. Food was very good and I paid, partly as thanks to Lorraine for putting us up over Christmas, partly because my mother said I should. By the time we were finished so was the daylight and we drove home to another evening of TV.
Day 9 - 31.12.18
Day 9 - 31.12.18
Another non-birding, quiet day. I was awake and active by 6.30, but the others didn’t appear until after 9.30. Another lovely phone call in the peace and quiet of the pre dawn.
I went to Dundrum shopping center and bought some more long-sleeved T-shirts then fixed the kitchen door handle, did some gardening for Mum and then took her to Stillorgan to buy groceries. After I cooked dinner we sat and watched TV for a while before I headed out at 20.30 and got the Luas into Stephen’s Green in the city and walked down to O’Connell Bridge.
The city was busy – being New Year’s Eve, of course – and the Christmas lights and projections onto some major buildings were nice to see.
Here's the front of Trinity College.....
I ended up in a pub in Temple Bar that was heaving, had a pint of Guinness, then headed back up Grafton st to get the Luas home.
A waste management truck was in Grafton st mall and one of the ‘garbage men’ was dancing to a pair of drumming buskers. It was a completely ad lib display and fun to watch.
I got home at 23.45 (saw a Red Fox just up the road from home) and made another phone call to carry me into the New Year.
(The final for 2018) Confessions cont
Chapter 59 (20.12.18 Wednesday)
My ‘swan song’ for the year.
I had been in two minds, but when I woke at 5 after a warm, humid, restless night, I figured, with nothing much to do, I’d be better off in an air-conditioned car for, at least, a few hours, so hit the road by 5.30.
My first ride came before I even got out of the garage and I picked up a businessman-type from just across Logan rd and took him into George st.
Not much was going on, the city was fairly quiet, so I headed out to Red Hill to park up on Enoggera Tce. I had no more picked up my book when the next ride popped, and it stayed fairly constant for the rest of the morning.
This one was a single female with a very strong east (?) European accent out to the Domestic terminal, she was heading to Melbourne for the day, but I didn’t understand much more than that.
I got a rematch at the airport, which is always welcome, and picked up 3 guys from Newcastle up for the day for a business meeting in Adelaide st.
That set me up nicely cash-wise for the day and I was happy to have a few short runs around the city/South Brisbane/Bowen Hills area following.
By 8am the whole city was going off and my next three rides had surges attached, which, too, is always welcome!
I ended up at Toowong and immediately picked up a young studious looking chick from Russia whom I took to the Nanotechnology building in UQ – nanotechnology? In Brisbane? Who would have thought?
It took me a while to drive out of the University grounds due to the speed bumps and low speed limits but I picked up another ride quickly from there to the Kelvin Grove shopping/campus area.
Once again another ride popped close by and I parked up outside a block of units and waited for several minutes during which I received a txt from the rider in CHINESE! Oh yeah – got it!!
Eventually two guys and a young woman appeared with two big suitcases. I hopped out and they left me to lift the two cases into the back of the car. It was just the woman who was travelling - to the International terminal. She was on her way to LA. Conversation was limited as even explaining the toll options was challenging, but I got her there ‘quick’ as she said.
For the first time I got a rematch at the International terminal and, after finding my way to the pick-up point, two young American chicks hopped in. Only one had travelled – from LA, probably on the same plane my last ride was getting outbound. The second chick was just meeting her at the airport and currently lives in West End and we had a good chat on the way there, toll-free, about the weather, Brisbane and California.
I was thinking of canning it, but another short ride jumped up for a male sou-chef to a local hotel and then a second back into the city for a young couple who just wanted ‘King George Square, so they could do their Christmas shopping…’ I dropped them off nearby and headed home.
15 Rides 555 Total
363 x 5* ; 10 x 4* & 2 x 3* My rating remains 4.96.
Colin going 'Offline' for 2018.
Movies
So I went to see Hunter Killer, Bohemian Rhapsody and Robin Hood in the last few weeks.
Hunter was shit, Robin (although a lifelong hero of mine) was even shittier. A total load of crap and an insult to the memory of his story - and they left an opening at the end for a follow up? You're kiddin'?
The Queen story was really good. I guess you'd have to at least like Queen's music to enjoy it fully, but the gig scenes were great and the band members very realistic looking - i.e. they really, really looked like the real people! I thought Freddie's teeth were a bit too full-on. The actor didn't look comfortable with them at all, but all in all a movie worth seeing - the final scenes from Live Aid brought a tear to my eye knowing, now, Freddie's condition at that time.
I went to see Widows today. Actually not too bad. Not brilliant, but much more twisted and a more complex plot than I had imagined. A few unbelievable holes weren't properly filled and some of the acting left a little to be desired - or was it Steve McQueen's direction? Not sure, but it is worth a look, I think.
18.12.18
Lindum & The Port of Brisbane
I wasn’t gonna bother writing this up – but then again as its most likely my last birding entry for 2018 and the last for the Brisbane area for a while…..I thought I might as well go out with a bang.
Once again the Buff-breasted Sandpiper twitch strikes.
This time in the Port of Brisbane on Saturday.
Followed by yet another Stint occurrence – a Long-toed at the Fuller Oval beside Sandy Camp.
Being tied up, so to speak, on Sunday morning with Ms B and on Sunday afternoon and Monday Indoor Skydiving with the family, it was Tuesday before I could have a go.
Heavy rain over Sunday night and Monday morning appeared to have moved the Stint along to fresh pastures, however, being high tide at 6, I headed to Lindum around that time anyway. Plenty of Red-necked Avocets, White-headed Stilts and Marsh Sandpipers and a flock of 30 Sharp-tailed Sands, but no sign of any Stints.
I checked the flooded area at the Oval, opposite the school, but it was, as reported, flooded and the muddy strip the Stint had been seen on was now underwater.
I headed over to the Port, getting semi-lost on the way on the most complicated series of roads ever created by man (aka the POB motorway) and ended up back on Wynnum rd, U-turning before getting out to the Port.
10 cars parked beside the first hide and the gate wide open. I walked in, meeting a few unknown birders walking out, who assured me the bird was still on site.
I set up beside a couple of the remaining birders at the second hide and had the BBS quickly pointed out to me. I watched it for a while then headed home. A little more distant than in NSW, but better light, even though we were looking almost directly into the sun.
Is it the same bird?
Opinions seem to differ. It seems unlikely there would be two of this rare species on the east coast within a few hundred kilometres of each other at the same time. However, if one can get here, why not two? It’s also weird that a bird would fly south from Tinchi Tamba to Jerseyville and then fly back 1000 kms to Brisbane. It’s almost definitely the same bird I failed to see in Tinchi several weeks back, but is it the bird that was in Southwest Rocks?
I’m sure the gurus, wizards and hangers-on on FaceF…. will chew it over endlessly in the coming days. For me? It’s a Queensland tick this time, that’ll do!
Happy Christmas to yous all!!
13.12.18Oxley
On site at 5.45. The track was pretty quiet in the warm, sultry morning, the only thing of interest – a trio of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins – been a while since I saw any here.
At the ponds a bit of activity – the water levels have dropped on both ponds and it looks ripe for a wagtail!
3 Latham’s Snipe was a good number and a fly in to the weeds, almost at ground level, of a Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo made for bird of the day. The Glossy Ibis was still poking around and the Black Kite put in a late appearance. Back along the track another (?) flock of Mannikins totalled 10 – all adults in crisp clean plumage - and a single Double-barred Finch at the horse trough was all that was worth mentioning.
(Yet still more) Confessions
Chapter 58 (8.12.18 Wednesday)
The morning started out really well.
Picked up a young blonde chick from Mt Gravatt East within a few minutes and took her to work at Subway in South Brisbane. As I headed back out my second ride popped and, after doing a U-Turn at Lady Cilento (that was) Hospital, I picked up a guy in Grey st and took him to the airport. He was off to Emerald for the day.
Good start – excellent hourly average - over $40.
I stopped off at Mackers for a coffee and txt Ms B to see how she was going in St Andrews. Not a great outcome, but she was waiting for the doctor to see where they would go from here.
I drove back in towards Sandgate Rd, turned off up Hamilton Rd and parked up in a side street.
It was about 15 minutes reading until my next ride popped and it was only a short one – a young chick to Eagle Junction Railway station.
I parked up again and read for over 30 minutes – nothing – and there was little happening on the app anywhere.
I drove across Gympie Rd to Stafford and parked up in the Bunnings car park.
I waited there for another 40 minutes, reading, and still nothing.
Over an hour without a ride? On a weekday morning? Between 6.30 and 8?
I decided to give it away and drop in to see Ms B. However, on my way she txt to say they were continuing the process so I headed home instead.
Great start! Lousy finish! I wonder if this is fallout from the Uber app failure yesterday?
3 Rides 540 Total
354 x 5* ; 10 x 4* & 2 x 3* My Rating still equals 4.96.
11.12.18
White's Hill
Mr P had encouraged me to give it a go – and shown me the access points on Sunday - so I parked on site near the pond at 5.45 and wandered off.
Along the small pond a, surprising, number of Australian Grebes(6) given the size of the place, several Dusky Moorhens and Pacific Black Ducks. A ‘manufactured’ pond it still has potential for crakes and rails with some reed beds and patches of mud around the edges – especially given the presence, several years ago, of the Yellow Bittern in a similar environment in North Lakes.
I ‘walked’ up the steep hill through the dry eucalypt not seeing a lot but hearing Channel-billed Cuckoos continuously calling. At the top I hung out for 15 or 20 minutes checking the sky and canopy. Mostly usual species – Rainbow Lorikeets, Noisy Friarbirds, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes and a family party of 8 Pied Currawongs. I didn’t see any Swifts – but it was early, calm and the sky was clear of any clouds. I didn’t see any butterflies either – but again it was early and relatively cool, so I wasn’t surprised.
I headed back down the track again catching a glimpse of a Hawk sp flying off through the trees pursued by a lethargic Crow. No idea whether it was a Gosh or Sparrow Hawk.
Back at the pond things were pretty much the same, apart from two Oriental Dollarbirds overhead.
I was crossing the rocky ‘dam’ at the end of the pond when I flushed a Quail. It looked, maybe?, a little smaller than regular Brown, but appeared completely unmarked - it only flew a few meters. I managed to flush it again and, again, it only flew a short distance. Still not 100% sure on ID, I hung around on the path on the far side of the pond with a view of the area, waiting to see if it would appear on the ground. As I did a passing woman walking a dog flushed a Buff-banded Rail and it flew up the slope above the pond.
I waited for a while but the Quail sp didn’t re-appear, so I headed back towards the car. Just up the path a little further and………..2 Brown Quail appeared in front of me on the ground. That confirmed, for me, that the original bird was one of the same.
Not a bad spot – the pond certainly offers more variety than the other end, down at Pine Mountain Rd.
Follow up to the Linkt debacle
I received the new tag as agreed.
I also received the credit on my account - $14??? I don't know where that amount came from but I'm not arguing.
I have now written a letter to accompany the old tag's return:
To whom it may concern.
I am returning the above listed tag in response to your advice. I have received a new tag and have, immediately, installed it in the vehicle.
The, included, tag (number above) failed repeatedly at the Uber access point in the Domestic terminal at Brisbane airport. It also failed to register on random occasions on various toll tunnels in the Brisbane city area, creating an extra .49c fee each time for vehicle identification.
Please note – it required a personal conversation with your staff to have these fees credited. The tag had been installed on the supporting strut of my rear view mirror from date of receipt and had, obviously, failed repeatedly. The vehicle identification fees had not been automatically refunded – which was disappointing.
Incidentally, as a professional driver I don’t have the time, or resources while I am driving, to note when the tag doesn’t ‘beep’ – the equipment should work or an alternative sourced.
Sincerely
Hopefully that'll be the end of it...........or not!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know - too much time on my hands................don't f...k with retirees, we have nothing BUT time!
9.12.18
Minnippi
Sunday morning and Mr P was ready to rock 'n' roll when I picked him up at 5.45.
On site at 6, a partly cloudy, pleasantly cool morning with a northerly breeze.
Before we left the car we had several Whiskered Terns circling high overhead and over the river. Strange sight – maybe the insects they hunted had been uplifted or there had been a hatch of some sort?
At the lake there were several more hawking low, with a further number perched on the muddy patch between two islands – in total we reckoned 15 birds.
The woodland track was pretty quiet, just one solitary Oriental Dollarbird and the usual Rainbow Lorikeets, Galah and Sacred Kingfisher giving off as always.
The Avenue was quiet and really nothing further developed until we were back at the lake. Then it got better – Mr P spotted 2 Spotless Crakes along the edge of the island and a Buff-banded Rail pottered by chasing them into the grass. 7 Wandering Whistle Ducks on the water and 2 White-headed Stilts on the mud. As we walked along the lake shore we flushed, firstly, a Latham’s Snipe that hammered off into the distance and then a potential Baillon’s Crake which I didn’t see initially, but 10 minutes later showed well on the lily pads.
Meanwhile overhead we were starting to see numbers of White-throated Needletails heading sort of south and eventually estimated 100 birds - give or take.
From the boardwalk we were checking the far end of the island, as it looked really good for waders due to the lower than usual water levels, when Mr P spotted a Glossy Ibis walking into view – not a common bird here and my first site record since May 2005.
We sat up at the Raptor Lookout for a while, checked the Airfield for rare waders – none – declined the option to walk the Airfield Track and headed back to the car, a Brown Goshawk passed overhead on the way.
Final addition to a good list – 3 Tawny Frogmouths perched up in their usual tree, but on a higher branch than usual.
We retired for breakfast at our usual destination – Belesis.
Confessions (more of)
Chapter 57 (7.12.18 Friday)
My first ride popped after a few minutes sitting in Swain st – a young mother waving goodbye to her husband and 18 month-old as I took her from Greenslopes to a work party in Newstead. A good ride as the whole area was surging.
Another surge ride a couple of minutes later – I picked up a couple from Newstead. They wanted to get to the lift on River Tce that would take them down to the new development on the riverside. They didn’t know exactly where on the Terrace the lift was but I had a rough idea and knew we needed to access the street close to the end of the Storey Bridge.
I screwed up.
Thinking I could turn left off the main road access to the Storey Bridge, I realised too late that I couldn’t – I needed to be on Ivory st.
This stuff-up then necessitated me crossing the bridge, turning off at Kangaroo Pt and returning back across the bridge and down Brunswick st to Ivory st.
I ‘finished’ the ride at the Storey Bridge Hotel, so they wouldn’t pay anything extra, went Offline so I wouldn’t get anymore rides, apologised and drove as fast as I could back to the valley.
Embarrassing.
My next ride popped almost immediately and I picked up a single well-dressed guy and took him from Moray st across to the convention centre in South Brisbane via Kangaroo Pt. The traffic in Stanley st was horrific but he seemed happy enough when I dropped him off.
It took a while before I got my next ride. I drove up to the Kangaroo Pt cliffs but there was nowhere to park up. Down around the Kangaroo Pt area – ditto. Back up and out along Wynnum Rd towards Balmoral – and finally picked up a ride in Morningside in a dark side street.
I was trying to find no 64 and pulled up outside 68. I started to reverse when two people appeared beside the car. ‘You nearly ran us over’he claimed ‘We were just about to open the door!’
I told him I couldn’t see them in the dark and that I was looking for 64 and we were in fact outside 68, and apologised.
He was a bit of a smart ass, monitoring the traffic conditions all the way and telling me which way to go, she wasn’t much better, but I dropped them off at the Performing Arts in South Brisbane without telling him to f…. off.
Again it took me a while, and a drive as far as Norman Park, before I picked up 3 male and 1 female semi-drunk 30-somethings from the Bowls Club. They wanted to go to the Storey Bridge Hotel and she sat in front and talked very enthusiastically about Ireland and her trip there and where did I come from? And what was I doing here? And how much she wanted to go back, blah, blah, blah. In fact, it was handy having her in the car cause she kept the 3 males settled down and I got them to their destination without any incident.
It seemed that that would now be the trend for the night so I decided to quit early (20.30) and drove out to Manley and the Celtic Corner for a glass of Guinness enhanced by the Irish music being played by a motely group of individual musicians – it was great!
(Note for future reference: every second and fourth Friday night and from 8pm every Saturday night)
5 Rides 537 Total
353 x 5* ; 10 x 4* (definitely the guy I ‘nearly ran over’…..) & 2 x 3* My rating remains 4.96.
Chapter 56 (5.12.18 Wednesday)
I had a ride lined up before I got out of the driveway, just after 5.30am.
From Logan Rd into the city. A few more short valley/city rides eventuated – nothing remarkable. Then I picked up a ride from the Tower Motel in Spring Hill. The single male passenger had a roll on suitcase and a laptop bag and I thought – Oh Goodie, an airport ride.
However, he only wanted Roma Street station. OK, I think, its better than nothing!
The app took us down through the Gardens to the back of the station – neither of us had ever been down that way before and what with roadworks and one way systems we had no idea where he was supposed to be. Finally, he said ‘Change of plans, take me to the domestic airport!’
Great, says I and we headed off through the tunnel. His final destination was Melbourne and he had planned to get the train to the station.
No rematch at the airport and I drove back to the Nundah area, picking up a ride soon after – back in to Edward st in the city - for a very, very large young lady who was very funny and entertaining with her views on customers and Queensland drivers matching mine.
The rest of the morning consisted of more short runs around the city culminating in a Milton drop off where I decided to give it away and headed home.
10 Rides 532 Total
346 x 5* ; 9 x 4* & 2 x 3* My Rating remains 4.96
4.12.18
Norman Creek, Holland Park West
Not exactly a memorable or exciting outing! Mr P had encouraged me on our recent road trip to get out and bird so…..
It’s been over a year since I bothered, but I was there at 6.15 and it actually wasn’t a bad morning - so far as the site goes. Added Eastern Cattle Egret as a flyover species to my site list and saw a total of 18 (!) species – but nothing else remarkable in the 30 minutes I was there.
1- 2.12.18
NSW Twitch
A Buff-breasted Sandpiper had been reported during the week at Jerseyville, NSW, 459 kms south.
Possibly? Probably? The same bird Mr D & I had tried for at Tinchi Tamba 5 weeks ago.
Mr P and I discussed ‘going for it’.
He suggested going down on Saturday afternoon and camping overnight.
I was reluctant, for personal reasons, hoping for a contact from someone precious, so we agreed to leave on the 5.5 hour/450 km journey at 2am Sunday morning.
However, by 2pm Saturday afternoon it became obvious that that contact I was hoping for was not going to happen, so, after further consultation we decided to go at 4.00
We hit the road in my car, getting a reasonably good run down, stopping only in Grafton for Mackers/Red Rooster and…..coffee.
Eventually, after 6 hours total, we arrived at the Costa Rica Motel in Southwest Rocks at 22.45 NSW time (1 hour difference from Qld). ($119 double & single room, clean and up to date)
I’ve always wanted to go to Costa Rica but today had to settle for a motel in rural NSW………
I drove all the way and the car went like a dream.
We got the key for the unit and crashed fairly quickly.
Next morning up at 5.00, NSW time, (4.00 Qld time) after a reasonable night’s sleep and on the site along Boyter’s Rd, at 5.35, just as dawn was breaking.
Within 15 minutes Mr P had it – at about 20 meters range. It was moving away from us after, apparently, roosting in the roadside grass. We’d left the cameras in the car and the light was shit anyway so just concentrated on enjoying the bird. While we did we enjoyed the jaunty tunes playing in the background in the house opposite........
Chris B and family turned up a few minutes later and got onto it, then another couple of birders arrived. By 7am the bird had moved temporarily out of sight - and decent camera range - and we decided to go for breakfast.
Meeting Chris B we had breakfast in '60 degrees'- a cafe in downtown Southwest Rocks. We arrived at 7.20 and went up to order.
"The kitchen doesn't open till 7.30, but we can do coffee now"
"Can we order breakfast anyway while we're here?"
"No, the kitchen doesn't open till 7.30 - what coffee would you like"?
We ordered coffee and sat down for another 5 minutes, then went back up to the counter and through the whole ordering process again for breakfast....weird!!
The other unusual thing was - when you ordered eggs and bacon, you had to order toast separately, as a seperate item on the menu! Breakfast was OK, but I wouldn't rush back, but it did appear to be the only place open for breakfast at that un-Godly hour......
We discussed heading further south to Old Bar where a Little Stint had been seen.............
"The kitchen doesn't open till 7.30, but we can do coffee now"
"Can we order breakfast anyway while we're here?"
"No, the kitchen doesn't open till 7.30 - what coffee would you like"?
We ordered coffee and sat down for another 5 minutes, then went back up to the counter and through the whole ordering process again for breakfast....weird!!
The other unusual thing was - when you ordered eggs and bacon, you had to order toast separately, as a seperate item on the menu! Breakfast was OK, but I wouldn't rush back, but it did appear to be the only place open for breakfast at that un-Godly hour......
We discussed heading further south to Old Bar where a Little Stint had been seen.............
..... and decided to go for it – what the hell, we were all the way down here already, what was an additional 3 hours there and back?
An hour and a half further drive and at 10am Mr P and I left the car in the second carpark along the unsealed track and trudged up the beach. Unfortunately, we misjudged the access point and walked, initially unknowingly, then becoming aware, through the Little Tern colony – embarrassing……
Within 2 minutes of setting up Mr P had again picked out the bird – in beautiful full breeding condition, striking markings and colouration. It wasn’t that far away on the sand, but was almost constantly moving as it fed with Red-necked Stints - and always seemed to be facing away from the sun!
We also saw a single Aleutian Tern which have been hanging around for some time - see twitch to same area this time last year!
We spent about an hour and a half watching and filming it with several other birders before heading back – this time wading the inlet as the tide dropped, avoiding getting too wet.
We hit the road at 12 and I drove again till we reached Nambucca Hds. Mr P took over there and I nodded off for a brief nap. After another two hours or so, we turned off at Ballina and collected coffees from Mackers before I, again, took over and drove home.
I dropped Mr P off at 18.30. 1,271 kms and 15 hours total driving for a very successful pair of twitches – a lifer (BB Sand) and an Australian tick (LS) for me.
The photos are pretty poor and photo-shopped, but, as usual, not my primary focus.
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| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
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| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
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| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
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| Little Stint |
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| Little Stint |
