Pied Currawong Behavior Finally Explained

I finally have an answer to a question I first posed back in August of 2016. We visited the Japanese Garden in Toowoomba, QLD and spied a pair of Pied Currawongs engaged in a rather strange behavior. The original post and the the photos are found here.

Cattana Wetlands

Just north of Cairns, we stopped in to have a look at the Cattana Wetlands. This is a park of several small lakes set aside for the wildlife. here we saw a few feathered friends.

Above is the Green Pygmy Goose.

Mossman Gorge

After our private trip along the Daintree River, we headed back toward Port Douglas. Along the way we stopped in Mossman and investigated the gorge created by the Mossman River.

Daintree River Cruise

On our second full day in far north Queensland, we drove to the Daintree River for a sunrise cruise. This was really special. There was only the two of us with the pilot, his wife, and dog in a solar powered electric river boat. A glorious morning on the river looking for wildlife.

One of early finds was the 9 month old saltwater crocodile seen above. One of the great things about touring with a person passionate about the river and who is on it everyday, is we learn who the animals really are. There's no way to know the age of this creature except by watching it grow.

Great Barrier Reef

Our first full day in far north Queensland (Jan 4) included a trip to a portion of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Port Douglas. We traveled about an hour from the marina to a small island call Low Isle. Along the way we enjoyed some remarkable vistas.

Trinity Bay Lookout

This part of Australia is called the wet tropics. As you can see, the clouds forms over the hills near shore and the flora is tropical and lush. This location is pretty much what most people think of as paradise...warm, lush, on the water. Pushing all the right buttons.

Rex Lookout

Up the road a bit from the beach we stopped at earlier, we found the glorious Rex Lookout. I don't know who Rex was, but he found a great place. The sea was so calm and blue this day that it really took your breath away.

Ellis Beach

After we left Tasmania :(, we spent two days driving from Melbourne to Sydney. We spent the night in Wagga Wagga. Like Walla Walla it was so good it was named twice.

Upon arrival in Sydney, we went directly to the airport and put the ute in long term parking and headed north to Cairns. After a night in a Cairns hotel, we took our rented car north about an hour to Port Douglas. On the way there the road took us along the coast. We stopped near Ellis Beach to have a look at the Coral Sea. It is very impressive.

On the Road

It has taken me a few days to get the photos together and get settled into our new digs, but finally, we start the tale of getting there. Along the road, not far south of Toowoomba, we find hundreds of these beautiful yellow flowers.

Stick Your Head Out the Door!

Here's what we have to look forward to in Seattle. Think it might rain?

Movin' On

Tomorrow, we leave Toowoomba and Queensland for points south. Our house sit here has ended and we start a two-day drive south to Lemon Tree Passage.

At the Movies

Went to see Dr. Strange at the cinema. It was a fun ride and Benedict C. did a great job. I thought that a time or two the special effects were moving so fast across the screen that I was going to loose my lunch. But the story was fun and it is clear that several of these are in the works.

A Drive in the Country

It finally warmed a little and we had ourselves a bit of a drive in the country side just outside of Toowoomba. Just south of town on the New England Highway is a turnout from which it is possible to look south and east across some truly wonderful farmland.

Shopping

Mozzarella cheese in Australia is very different from what we are used to. I thought that all mozzarella was made from buffalo's milk since this is all that we get in the US. It makes a creamy white cheese with a distinctive but subtle flavor.

Retrospective

A few minutes to look back at our trip in August this year. I thought a few of the images would work in B&W. This one is from a clearing in the Bunya Mountains gives a view of the valley beyond and some nice clouds floating above.

The Beach at Noosa Heads

In a cove protected by the headland is a beach facing north. This beach is paralleled by the town of Noosa Heads...a place filled with all the usual beach-type of places.

Backyard Visitor

Since spring is well underway here, it the time of year to watch for those winter-sleeper, reptiles and amphibians. We recently found a Common Blue Tongue lizard in the backyard - also known as a "bluey".

Australia Zoo

While visiting Noosa area, we also made a visit to the Australia Zoo. This is a place made famous by Steve Erwin. He grew up in Queensland not far from Beerwah where the zoo is located.

Performers at the Eumundi Market

Music and street performance was a constant theme at the Eumundi Market. Some stalls had vendors who made musical instruments such as this fellow who made didgeridoos for others to use in making traditional music. Others also make drums.

People watching II

At the Eumundi Market, there is plenty of food to be found. Much of it has an Asian theme. This fellow is cooking skewered chicken.