Smelly encounter

Lychee Stink Bug

As we came down the path there was an overwhelming smell. This Lychee Sink Bug (Lyamorpha rosea) and his mates where enjoying the leaves at the Connections Garden in The Australian Botanical Garden, Mt Annan.  They are from the Tessaratomidae family, called the true bugs. Some of this families characteristics include:

• strong smell
• colourful
• flat shield like bodies
• six legs
• small heads

There are about 240 different types of bugs in this family, many from Queensland.

A walk to an island

Red-capped Plover

Australian Pelican's

Taking flight

Godwit's

Godwit's in flight

Flycatcher?

Sacred Kingfisher

White-fronted Chat

Juvenille Red-necked Stint's

The sky was blue and clear, an unusual sight this summer so we headed south in search of birds. Start point was Shoalhaven Heads, from here we walked out across the beach and dunes to Comerong Island at the mouth of the Shoalhaven River.  The edge of the water had many different birds from tiny little Red-capped Plovers scurrying around the edge with their fluffy young to majestic Black Swans feeding among the reeds.

Often the birds would be spooked by a boat or even a gyrocopter and they would all take flight in a big group. We also explored the inner part of the island with very hungry mosquito’s and lots of different forest birds mingling among the trees.

A great day out.

The cycle of life

Mouths wide open

In the nest

These three Gouldian Finch babies are two days old. They are so keen on food that the moment they sense any movement they open their mouths wide. Their eyes are still not formed, just black spots covered by skin. If all goes well it should take another 18 days till they fledge (feathers and wing muscles developed) and then onto adulthood a number of months later.

Feeding time

St Helens Park, NSW

On a cold rainy morning walk we came across this family of Bell Miners enjoying breakfast. Little do they know that come August, the local Peregrine Falcons will be swooping at very fast speeds to catch them to feed to their young for breakfast.