queensland

.... throw them some crumbs! Noisy Miner was another species cleaning up round the picnic area.

These Ibis aren't too popular with some people for their habit of collecting our waste, but I think they probably do a good job of clearing up our mess. This guy was around the picnic area of the Hinterland Park and came really rather close to us.

Well he doesn't look quite so spangly in this light. We'd come down out of the valley to Hinterland Park, where Hans was hoping to find me some cockatoos, but they weren't playing ball for us. We had a cup of tea and cake at the picnic table when Hans spotted this Spangled Drongo fly up to the...

There were some really pretty views on this road and this is one I've decided to show you as I rather like the reflections.

... here and there and everywhere! These, I guess are the most widespread of the Australian herons. At least I saw them just about everywhere I went where there was water, fresh and salt. Quite an attractive bird too with that white face.

This is the largest 'dove' I've ever seen! Hans spotted him high up in that tree. Awkwardly against the light, of course, so not the best image. Fortunately I saw another one a few days later and got a better picture. You never forget the first, though, do you.

As we drove along the road up Austinville Valley, I spotted this huge termite mound. OK it's not so big as the 'magnetic' ones seen further north, but it was still big, and right beside the road too. I'd already seen quite a few and they still fascinated me, as we get nothing like this over here.

After we'd sorted ourselves out and had lunch, we drove up the rather lovely Austinville Valley. Wasn't long before my first Lifer of the day appeared in this beautiful Eastern Yellow Robin.

.... well they do have a very serious looking bill, don't they! Another bird that greeted our arrived was this Laughing Kookaburra, he was sitting on the railing round the verandah of the kitchen block where we were having a cuppa and a lovely piece of Judy's cake.

We'd now moved down to the Gold Coast for a few days, staying in a cabin on a camp site on Mount Nimmel. The first bird to greet me was this juvenile Pied Butcherbird.

We were off early on our travels again the next day, but before we left this gorgeous King Parrot paid a return visit, this time to the vegetable garden. Couldn't resist him.

It was virtually dark by the time I got back to the house and there on one of the chairs outside was this delightful wee Green Tree Frog (affectionately called a Dumpy Frog by some)! Sweet isn't he.

.... get everywhere!! There was me, out in the dying light of the day, spotted some Maned Ducks by the front drive and two Sulphur-crested Cockatoos wanted in on the pic too!

In a small tree close to where I found the Kinfisher, was this beautiful white butterfly. Apparently it's not possible to identify it apart from it being a Footman species.

I had another wander round the grounds when the sun had emerged again and spotted this Sacred Kingfisher, firstly on an overhead wire, then down on a tree, so that's the one I'm showing you.

White-winged Choughs are generally seen in sociable groups, even when nesting. They have a large white wing patch, which is usually only seen on the open wing, as here. This was the very first species I saw when we first arrived at Hans house, and here was one back again on our return from Bowra.

... as his lady. He kept himself in the shade around the shrubbery. I still got to see his beautiful blue colours though.

.... really make life difficult don't they. My first look at this Lifer Southern Whiteface and it was so tricky to try and pick him out and get focused. Ratbag!!! Sorry, completely forgot it was Saturday so posting this fun image now. It was taken on our very last day at Bowra, and one of the...

Maybe not so colourful as her hubby, but I still thinks she's gorgeous. The sun had come out and so did the Fairywrens, emerging from the garden shrubs where they nest.

... tongue. A Brown Honeyeater came in for a drink, and it was actually raining again whilst he was there LOL. EDIT: Oh and I've only just noticed the spider on the rim of the bowl too!!!

Back in the garden and the sun still shining, a Double-barred finch had now come in for a forage, hoping to find some seeds. They're so cute these wee finches (and they are very small!)

The sun had come out now, so I wandered round to the front drive area and found a juvenile Australian Magpie, already knowing he was going to be a bossy boots by the looks of him.

The rain eased off, so I went for a wander round the grounds. It was pleasing to see that there was now quite a bit of water in the dam. Water was pouring down the hill helping to fill it. A Magpie-Lark was checking out the water levels too. Hans measured the water that had fallen since we'd...

As I said recently, we came through snow on our way back from Bowra and there'd been signs of rain with puddles at the side of the road as we approached home. Today... well..... it just bucketed down. It sure knows how to rain in Queensland LOL We had one or two of these torrential downpours...

As a relief from the hot sun of the week before we now had cloudy skies. I thought this Pied Currawong showed up quite well against the grey background. I'd first seen one of these in Brisbane, but this was my first sighting in the outback. I love his golden eye!