140920 Queensland, Stanthorpe to Ballina

Queensland, Australia 2014-09-05--09-25
140920 dag 16 Saturday
© NF Photos 140920
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Today we are leaving for Ballina at the coast. I have been looking for the Crested pigeon for a long time now. So, this morning I got up early, at 6.00h, before breakfast to see if I could find one. They like cities and we are in a small one. I did find two, but sitting on wires. Having them from below is not that fun. From a photos point of view. On this image there are a Magpie lark and Crested pigeon. The Magpie Lark seem to have something to say.  

After breakfast, at 7.30 we left for visiting Border Range NP. We did get some highlights on the road. Like a King Parrot looking for food on the road. A quick brake let us study him quite well.  But the other birds, miners I think, did not seem to like him much.
We continued to the south part of the park.  

Border Range was nice and the drivers let us off att the highest point. Letting us walk down the slope to the Border Loop Lookout,  listening to the Bell miners. Hearing them was easy. Seeing them much harder not to mention getting a shot. I loved it. Loved the sound ringing all over the forest. When I came home I banned myself for not taking a video. But youtube is a great place to find things like that. I really recommend that you listen to it. Video is at the bottom or the post.

Bell miner bird song Bell bird area

There was some great views from the lookout at the lowest point. An interesting railway circling a mountaintop for one. We made a few short stops along the road as we headed the south route towards the coast and then stopped for lunch in Kyogle. And sharing our lunch with....a House sparrow. It finally turned up! I think I have seen it on every trip I have made across the world.

The image shows the main street in Kyogle, without the sparrow :)


 We continued to the wetlands outside Casino. This place was fun. Beautiful wetland with lots of birds. Dusky Moorhen, ducks, egrets, stilts and  Glossy Ibis. Finally! I have seen them in several countries but never up close. Now I got decent images of them. :)

 After the wetlands we were rather close to Ballina and next nights stay. We had time to visit Flat Rock Beach. A wow place. People fishing, surfing, birding or just strolling. Enjoying their world.

At the motel, Avlon Gardens,  we went through the birdlist in one of the rooms. There was no other place available, We did see a lot of flying foxes when we were outside. But to dark for shots. We had dinner at a nearby club for war veterans. They had really great food.  

There was a coffee machine in the room so I finished the day with a shower, a cup of coffee and a whisky! Tomorrow new adventures await!

Flat Rock Beach

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Labels:    Resor, travel, trip, journey, Sverige, Sweden, sky, photo, photography, Monica Johansson, NatureFootstep, nfphoto, NF_photo, nature, natur, fågelskådning, birding, resa, travel, Australia, Australien, Queensland Bell miner, Border Range NP, Crested pigeon, King Parrot, Kyogle, Dusky Moorhen, video, Flat Rock Beach,