Dragon

It was Mr Three who saw him first, in the darkest shadow in the cotton tree thicket.  He was showing us his frilled neck and looking terribly fierce until I pulled out my camera.   He had a few mates as well, but I was fortunate to catch him while he still had the red "fire" in his throat!  

He(she?) is a bearded dragon, about two and a bit feet long, and quite common round the coast.   This one was in the trees near that little camping spot that I featured in the past week or so.  Oh, and have no  fear, they are entirely harmless...  mostly!

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Steve

The Crocodile Hunter lives in our memories on the Esplanade in Mooloolaba, where a marble sculpture depicting himself with his two children Bob and Bindi holding a baby crocodile is positioned so that he is gazing out to sea in perpetuity.

This was his neighbourhood of course, and Australia Zoo continues to be bigger and better managed by his family, just a few kilometres inland.

The kisses aren't a permanent feature, young Robert and Steve received more than their fair share on New Year's Eve.

For more information you may care to visit the website of the sculptor, Silvio Apponyi.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Watch Out

A sign that really means what it says.

Even in some of our urban areas, wildlife can prove to be a hazard particularly after dark, and while a kangaroo may not win an argument with a car, in the event of contact at any speed, serious damage can occur.

I like the way the sign matches the colour of the gazanias down the road too.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Croc

Never smile at a Crocodile.

Underwater World
Mooloolaba

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

We are presently on the road again without a reliable internet facility so this blog is being updated by a machine. You can keep tabs on our wherabouts here!

The White Faced HeronToday's Skywatch from the Sunshine Coast

Find links to lots more Skywatch images from around the world on the Skywatch Portal!

According to Wikepedia, the White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae, also known as the Blue Crane, can be found almost anywhere near shallow water, fresh or salt, and although it is prompt to depart the scene on long, slow-beating wings if disturbed, it will boldly raid suburban fish ponds.

If you look closely enough, you will see that this fellow's neck is wet, all the way down to his shoulders, although you aren't to know that he got into that state fishing in my pond. I suspect that Mr Goldfish in yesterday's post is no longer happily swimming around, although he has plenty of siblings remaining.

I can't imagine a more perfect setting to photograph a Blue Crane, than in front of a pale grey sky, while standing on a pale grey roof. The sky almost looks as though it's been painted as a studio backdrop.

We've seen a bit of sky that colour of late, another 125mm (that's five inches) of rain overight, and we're only on the edge of the system!

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Gold Fish

I very nearly made this my "yellow" theme picture, arguing that a goldfish is really not gold, since fool's gold is yellow and since it was April Fool's day yesterday, and in some countries it was "poisson d'avril" (I hope I got that right!). In the end, it seemed as though I was stretching the whole thing a bit too far.

So here is a soon to be ex-goldfish in my pond.

A prelude to tomorrow's skywatch!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Waiting for dinner

A much happier bird than yesterday's!

This little bloke is one of a family who fly in for a feed each night at our friend's place. For those who don't recognise him, he's a Kookaburra, the largest of the Kingfisher clan, famous for their distinctive laughing call.

One of the great sounds of the Australian bush.

Yandina
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Road Kill

Life is short.

Remember: always look both ways before crossing!

Beerwah

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Bats Skywatch

Sometimes skywatching is more about what's in it than the sky itself. These flying foxes or fruit bats as they are known roost in the mangroves by day and had their sleep disturbed by something. In the evening, they can be seen heading off in their hundreds in long silent columns, towards their feeding grounds.

Ann's Sydney Meanderings featured a much closer view of a single flying fox two weeks ago, but these are over a rather wide stretch of water, so it was not quite possible to get closer!

Find links to lots more Skywatch images on the Skywatch Portal!

Mountain Creek

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Grevillia

Just a nice gratuitous flower pic with an ant enjoying himself.

Maroochydore

Skippy

Kangaroos don't run in the main street, but they are quite common in any bushland area or particularly where there's a grassy patch adjoining bush.

This one is part of a large mob which inhabits the grounds of the Sunshine Coast University. They are not domesticated, but happily graze within a few metres of human activity.

Sippy Downs

Fig Tree Walk

There's this beaut little bushwalk near Little Yabba Creek, which is paved with tarmac to make it wheelchair friendly. A one kilometre circuit through the forest, and if a tree falls over the path, two cuts with a chainsaw will fix!

Kenilworth

Rainforest Canopy

It's hard to explain a rainforest canopy to those who haven't experienced it. My skills aren't sufficiently well developed to properly convey the message either.

The forest itself is quite dark and dense, so when there is a break, the light is quite severe and the contrast between deep shade from the dense canopy and the stunning sky are huge. Another reason to attempt some HDR work in the forest I think.

Kenilworth

For Joan

For Joan, who is much cleverer at photographing this sort of thing than I can ever hope to be. Taken near our fish pond at the home of the bitingmidge.

Mooloolaba

Beach Hopscotch

Have you ever wondered why sea birds have two legs? They seem to spend an awful lot of time standing on just one of them when they are ashore. I suppose if they only had one, they'd swim in circles.

A Pied Oystercatcher I think, but because I'm not much of a bird watcher. I'll happily take any suggestions!

Mooloolah River

A Neighbour

It may seem strange to kick off a photo blog notionally about a town with a couple of election posters and pelican, but they are just as important a part of where we live, typos and all, as the surf, the beaches and the coffee shops.

I am not sure how long it will take to convey a feeling for the fabric of the place, but initially I don't see too much point in replicating tourist postcards.

Think of it as a quilt in progress, come back often and enjoy the ride!

Photo taken at the Home of the Biting Midge, Mountain Creek.