Yuraygir is a huge national park, more information here, the part we visited on this trip is more south than last weeks visit. We started at the southern end of Sandon Beach at Illaroo camp ground.
We set up on a table in a beautiful spot and started to talk about feathers, wings and tails.
The trees were filled with bird song and birds were flitting about every where.
Mr6 constructed some little wings to feel how birds wings feel.
Mr10 was busy journaling about the different shapes tails come in and what they are used for.
We were hoping to see some kookaburras
and this inquisitive little fellow came to visit us!
We sat enthralled as he flew and perched quiet close to us.
We had the opportunity to watch him for about 15 minutes, in that time he perched on various branches and watched the ground. We were a little concerned he might catch a snake right near us, but we really wanted to see him do the swoop and bashing technique all kingfishers use to kill their prey.
He did swoop and caught a worm, conveniently right next to us. He bashed it and swallowed it, with his small but appreciative audience riveted on his every move. There was also a little butcher bird catching worms and our friend the kookaburra was very interested in what he was doing as well.
After a while the little birds started to sound their alarm calls and the honey eaters and minor birds began attacking our kookaburra friend and after a valiant attempt at nonchalance he made a hasty retreat.
Thank you Mr Kookaburra- Mr6 commented that
"Our kookaburra was probably a homeschooled kookaburra doing a study unit on people, and was studying homeschooling kids this week!"
We settled down to journal about our kookaburra, when we heard some loud rustling in the undergrowth, and then our next visitor arrived.
A Goanna or sand monitor- He is also known as Gould's monitor or a racehorse goanna.
Varanus gouldii.
Mr6 was closest so he took the photos. He is a good little photographer.
We watched him until those little sentinel birds once again sounded the warning calls and then the bird troops all converged on Mr Goanna and harried him away as well.
We headed down to the beach to see who we might find there.
The beach was piled with stuff washed in by the big tides and rough seas we have been having.
Perfect for adventurous and energetic little boys!
They found 2 coconuts, just like Robinson Crusoe apparently.
We drove over to Minnie Water next and went for a bush walk through some bird filled banksia and melaleuka bush on top of the cliffs.
There were lots of birds here, we saw sea eagles up high, and black cockatoos, lots of little bush birds and our 2 little friends.
We really didn't spend much time here as the sound of the surf below was distracting my 2 little birdo's
and they wanted to go and build castles on the beach.
Some of the journal pages inspired by this trip.
On our way home we kept an eye out for birds and saw lots of kookaburras, but we also passed 2 wedge tailed eagles close to home. One was on top a a telegraph pole at the side of the road and the other one flew really low across the road in front of us- A terrific lead up to next weeks theme- Raptors.
We set up on a table in a beautiful spot and started to talk about feathers, wings and tails.
The trees were filled with bird song and birds were flitting about every where.
Mr6 constructed some little wings to feel how birds wings feel.
Mr10 was busy journaling about the different shapes tails come in and what they are used for.We were hoping to see some kookaburras
and this inquisitive little fellow came to visit us!
We sat enthralled as he flew and perched quiet close to us.
We had the opportunity to watch him for about 15 minutes, in that time he perched on various branches and watched the ground. We were a little concerned he might catch a snake right near us, but we really wanted to see him do the swoop and bashing technique all kingfishers use to kill their prey.He did swoop and caught a worm, conveniently right next to us. He bashed it and swallowed it, with his small but appreciative audience riveted on his every move. There was also a little butcher bird catching worms and our friend the kookaburra was very interested in what he was doing as well.
After a while the little birds started to sound their alarm calls and the honey eaters and minor birds began attacking our kookaburra friend and after a valiant attempt at nonchalance he made a hasty retreat.
Thank you Mr Kookaburra- Mr6 commented that"Our kookaburra was probably a homeschooled kookaburra doing a study unit on people, and was studying homeschooling kids this week!"
We settled down to journal about our kookaburra, when we heard some loud rustling in the undergrowth, and then our next visitor arrived.
A Goanna or sand monitor- He is also known as Gould's monitor or a racehorse goanna.
Varanus gouldii.
Mr6 was closest so he took the photos. He is a good little photographer.
We watched him until those little sentinel birds once again sounded the warning calls and then the bird troops all converged on Mr Goanna and harried him away as well.
We headed down to the beach to see who we might find there.
The beach was piled with stuff washed in by the big tides and rough seas we have been having.
Perfect for adventurous and energetic little boys!They found 2 coconuts, just like Robinson Crusoe apparently.
We drove over to Minnie Water next and went for a bush walk through some bird filled banksia and melaleuka bush on top of the cliffs.
There were lots of birds here, we saw sea eagles up high, and black cockatoos, lots of little bush birds and our 2 little friends.
We really didn't spend much time here as the sound of the surf below was distracting my 2 little birdo's
and they wanted to go and build castles on the beach.
Some of the journal pages inspired by this trip.
On our way home we kept an eye out for birds and saw lots of kookaburras, but we also passed 2 wedge tailed eagles close to home. One was on top a a telegraph pole at the side of the road and the other one flew really low across the road in front of us- A terrific lead up to next weeks theme- Raptors.
3 comments:
How do you get your boys to stay quiet enough to have the birds & wildlife come out??! B would scare them all away!
They are noisy active boys Kez, but are so interested in the birds and the goanna, they were quiet- awe helps.
I also think the fact we were in a public camp ground, where the animals are used to all sorts of people helped.
LOL! A homeschooled kookaburra.
Ah, that made me smile. :)
'Kookaburra sits at the picnic table,
Studies human subjects when he's able,
Watch, kookaburra, watch, kookaburra,
Learning give you glee.'
(alecat)
Beautiful photos, Louise. :)
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