2014-11-06

140914 Queensland Kingfisher Park to Lotus Bird Lodge

Queensland, Australia 2014-09-05--09-25
140914 day 10 Sunday

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© NF Photos 140914


Today we are going noth to the lower part of  Cape York. But before we can go we have breakfast and have to wait for the new birdguide whos estimated arrivel would be at 9 clock.  That gave us time for a short birding at Kingfisher Park. But birding?? When I came to the meadow I found a couple of guys standing looking into the tree trunk where we found a big snake yesterday. I asked them what they were looking for. The snake they said. That made me giggle. Take a look ON the tree trunk. The snake is not IN it. It is ON it. Guess if they looked stupid.
 The snake, Morelia amethistina is a non-venomous species of snake, known as the amethystine, scrub python or Sanca permata locally, acc to wiki. The snake did not seem bothered by us, it probably was warming up after a chilly night.


 The guide arrived as planned and we left Kingfisher Park with a nice lunchbox from our landlady.  We made the first stop already after a  few minutes. It was a campsite where some wrens was nesting. We did see them but they were so quick and in the trees so I did only get blue dots on my images. :) Then the long trip up north started.
After a couple of hours we came to Lakeland and made stop for coffee and refreshments. I bought myself an Icecream. And found some great birds overhead. A lot of Black Kites in the air and we also saw a few Black.-necked storks soaring. Image to the right!

This seem to be a country of big contrasts. The car at the café has a boat on. And the name of the place was Lakeland. Yet to me in, September, it was a very dry country. And we should soon see the signs of flooding and much water. But today it was dust all the way.
I was sitting in the car that the new guide was driving. And he was a speeder. He forgot to check if the other two was following. Because of that the people behind us could not see the eagle on the road. I think it was a roadkill and the eagle, a Wedge-tailed Eagle, and some black birds was picking at each other over it. There was another bird of prey too, probably a harrier, but I can´t ID that one for sure. I was sitting in the backseat but managed to get a few shots through the window.
  

We continued. Made some stops at creeks here and there. Some filled with a little water but not much.
Then we arrived at Musgrave and went to see if we could find the freshwater crocks they have in some small ponds.  And we saw them but only the noses, and lots of ducks and a campingsite with happy children more interested in horses then crocks and ducks. I understand them.  :)






Then we continued to Lotus Bird Lodge and arrived early enough to have time to check our "homes" for two nights and the area around it. We were warned at arrival that this IS wild country. We should walk loudly and not too close to the water in the pond. Small, deadly, snakes are there. And, yes I saw one when I walked around a bit.


I was surprised and almost felt like a queen. I have my own house with veranda and all. Great view over the pond and the location where they feed kangaroos in the evening.

We was served a nice meal and after that, went through the birdlist sitting on the veranda. When doing so another bird appeared. An owl checked us out. When I went to my house it was sitting on the path too. Then it was time to go to bed. Take a shower and look through the photos from today. They said we travelled 370 km today.

I think this image below is Kennedy Creek. You can see a little water in the pool and the dust from a passing car on the road.


Weekend Reflection (last image)        Sky Watch Friday       Saturdays Critters
Bird D´Pot
Australia on NF Photo  NF Australian birds   NF Memes  NF World

23 comments:

  1. Huset ser verkligen mysigt ut... Alla fotona är intressanta och fina...

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  2. Wonderful captures for the day and lovely skies!! Have a great weekend!!

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  3. A wonderful trip and great photos.

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  4. Wonderful post on your trip! I always enjoy seeing new birds from around the world.. The snake is cool too. Great photos, have a happy weekend!

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  5. What a nice adventure. I love the last shot and the light through the wings of the stork.
    Wouldn't mind staying in that little house myself.

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  6. That looks like a nice place to spend 2 days. It seems you started out rather late for birding, though. Was your new birding guide late?

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  7. Great series of captures from your trip. The bird in flight is so well taken, I like the pattern of its wings.

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  8. Fantastic reflections in that last shot. Love hearing about your trip. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  9. All these photos are wonderful but I especially like the last - the reflection.

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  10. Thanks for the tour, dear... Your bird pictures are incredible, I specially like the one with the predator. And the reflection of the light on the snake is quite impressive, too !

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  11. Great to hear more about your trip and see the birds adn beautiful reflections you saw. Have a great weekend.

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  12. Fabulous photos. Love the reflection.

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  13. Hello, just stopping back to say thank you so much for linking up! Have a happy weekend!

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  14. Another very interesting post and great photos. I especially like the soaring Black-necked Stork. I had a chuckle about the dust - that's Australia - either dust blowing everywhere or floods and mud!!

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    1. yes, I noticed, I have a few more dust images :) And signs of flooding.

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  15. Vilket äventyr. Australien är ett spännande land.

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  16. Nice reflections of the trees!

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  17. Fantastic trip! So great to have your own house and veranda and to get to see the kangaroos getting fed. Loved the pretty snake (I bet those boys had egg on their faces! :-) ) and I love the eagle shot as well, and the kids petting the horses. Wonderful post!

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  18. This is such a great tour of your birding time. Your images are wonderfully created and melded into your commentary. I enjoyed reading this very much. The snake tho...I wouldn't want to come upon that on any birding excursion.

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  19. Quite an interesting look at some Australian scenes, the reports of the snakes, crocks, and kangaroos are more like what I expect from Australia, a mixture of danger and exciting animals. That is an adventurous trip.

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