Meanwhile let this be a warning to you....

High up in a tree, where animals will surely see it, there is a warning carefully posted.

Humans will have to notice it, and let their curiosity take them across the gardens to a point where they can peer through a long lens to decipher the message.

What is that yellow symbol in the centre anyway?

Tooway Creek
Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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The Butcherbird

Wikipedia says that Butcherbirds are magpie-like birds in the genus Cracticus. They are native to Australasia.

This little guy was quite happy for me to sneak up on him, no doubt content in the knowledge that there was an entire thicket between he and me, but he may well have been very tame as his type becomes with a little judicious hand feeding of an afternoon!

I suspect that those who are heavily into birding will have a lot to criticise in this pic, but I like it, and that's all that matters!

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Senna

Well now I'm not sure... I had always thought of the cassia as a sort of weed that was imported from somewhere else, but while trying to find a bit more about this one, have concluded it's actually one of our native sennas.

I have no idea which one, but it's pretty enough not to get the chop!

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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International flavours.

We could be anywhere really, simple formula buildings with landscaping designed to cope with modest climatic variables and minimalist maintenance practices, all bundled under a sky that lights anything in a favourable way.

Not Florida, not Hawaii.... well it must be Maroochydore!

Maroochydore.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Beyond the skyline.

Another day, another clear blue sky.

Maroochydore.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Waste

Some would say that money spent on public art was a complete waste, but it's going a bit over the top parking a mobile sign adjacent.

Chiaroscuro by Salvatore Di Mauro

Bulcock Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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The Melting Tree

I love the way this coastal banksia in Bulcock Street has responded to being cooped up betwixt road and pavement.   The roots have grown into each other at surface level, making the tree look as though it's slowly melting and slipping out of its trunk.

I am not sure how the poor thing gets water from the subsoil though.

Bulcock Street
Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Wish List.

Oh how I'd like to do this just one more time, (or if the truth be told, just once - since I'm pretty sure I've never pulled off a move like this on purpose), but my knees, hips and shoulder joints  protest at the thought of simply getting out of bed.

But I can still sit ashore and invent stories about how good I was.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Zoom zoom zoom.

I could rattle on about how many points she'll get for this ride and how she'll win the semis, but instead I'll make some trite comment on how women can't even ride surfboards in a straight line!

Actually I was surprised at how uncomfortable I felt focussing on a young lady through a big lens, even though photographing sporting events is a completely legitimate pastime.   It's a very sad reflection on what has happened to our society, and the number of times I have been questioned while innocuously photographing things in public places.

A pox on all those who have brought the world to this!

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Trailing hands.

How many times have we told the children it's not safe to trail their hands over the edge of the boat?  I'm not sure now why it's not, but i't's not!

Moffat Beach.


© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Triptych with surfer - no photoshop.

A Triptych is usually a piece spread over three panels, but I think the textures and colours of the three waves are sufficient to enable me to use that description with a clear conscience.

Two waves, and ocean and a surfer.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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You are not alone

"I think I'll just go out by myself to that little shore break, wait for the sets to appear and contemplate life."

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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At the water's edge. 6 of 6

There's something about going for a surf early in the morning.

And the sharks seem to like it too.

Moffat Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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At the water's edge. 5 of 6

The winner!

I'm not sure if he was in the end, but he was off to the final heat at the Pa and Ma, filled with confidence!   Hey, everyone's a winner on a day like this.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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At the water's edge. 4 of 6

The most difficult part of surfing.

Watching, waiting for a swell that will enable a dive into deep water, avoiding that nasty shock betwixt knee and navel that occurs when first touch of the the water's chill takes one's breath away!

Moffat Beach


© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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At the water's edge. 3 of 6

Even afterwards there's a reluctance to leave.  As though there may be one more wave "just for me" and I don't want to miss it.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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At the water's edge. 2 of 6

You've made your way to the beach, you've decided where you are going to go, you have your board and you are dressed (or undressed) for the occasion.

Why then, do you need to stop to watch the waves just one more time before entering the water?

I don't know why, but everyone does it.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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At the water's edge. 1 of 6

I'm never comfortable publishing photographs of people in a recognisable form, and it's all very well saying it's a simple matter to get permission, but by the time I've scrambled down off my rock, these guys are half-way to their first wave.

Anyway, here's a week of photographs of people intent on one thing....

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Simplicity.

It's hard to describe the feeling of solitude.

All it takes is a board, a wave and an ocean.

This is my take on today's theme "the beauty of simplicity".  To see many others, don't forget to visit http://cdpbthemeday.blogspot.com.au

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

A week ago.

I doesn't seem like a week ago that I was sitting with the mob on Moffat Headland as the umpteenth (forty-second actually) Pa and Ma Bendall Memorial surfing competition got underway.

Here's the news, a week late.

Moffat Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Looper Moth

I have no idea if this is really a Looper Moth, but I can say with some conviction if not certainty that it is of the family Geometridae.   Since that in itself makes it a member of one of the largest moth families in the world, we haven't narrowed it down too far.

I can also observe though, that this one probably doesn't "get" what camouflage is about, and will probably not see the night if he sits here for too long.   There are enough insect eating birds about to make a tasty morsel of any white moth who wants to chance sitting on a dark background!

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Finding wildlife.

 Well yes, I can see that the spider isn't quite in focus, and there's a bit of movement round the web as well.   That's not quite the point.

We've had the grand-boys in our charge for while you see, and the other morning while scratching around in what they so euphemistically call "Papa's jungle", I showed them how to find spiderwebs by setting the hose to a gently mist and watching where the droplets fall.

The noise alone ensured that no web stayed still enough to adequately photograph, so I gave up.

But it was fun.

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Lazy

I admit it, I'm a fan of genuinely clever street art.  Art where the artist has gone to some trouble to make his/her point, taken risks and made a genuine attempt to put a message across.

Mindless tagging in spots which can barely be seen from anywhere, or just mindless tagging for that matter. is not art.  It's destruction of someone's property, and of my potential to enjoy my surroundings.

It is a sad reflection on the lack of wit of the author.

So, dimwit,  Here's your day of fame on the internet.

Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Old Listing

It's been a while since we've made any sales, do you think we should have the sign redone?

Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Neutered!

It's odd how familiar things are instantly recognisable, no matter how badly corrupted they may be.  Vitruvian man without the manly bits, and so the square within which that part of the anatomy is centred becomes superfluous.  Without the square, presumably copyright issues are avoided, so no nasty fights with Leonardo's estate or Vitruvius' family will follow!

Nit picking though we are, we still recognise the intent.

Leonardo’s famous drawings of the Vitruvian proportions of a man’s body first standing inscribed in a square and then with feet and arms outspread inscribed in a circle provides an excellent early example of the way in which his studies of proportion fuse artistic and scientific objectives. It is Leonardo, not Vitruvius, who points out that ‘If you open the legs so as to reduce the stature by one-fourteenth and open and raise your arms so that your middle fingers touch the line through the top of the head, know that the centre of the extremities of the outspread limbs will be the umbilicus, and the space between the legs will make and equilateral triangle’ (Accademia, Venice). 

Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Umbrellas

Another photograph of the umbrella tree canopy, perhaps giving just a hint as to where its name was derived.

Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Under the umbrella tree.

The umbrella tree ( Schefflera actinophylla ) is actually an Australian native plant from the tropical north, although it can also be found in New Guinea and Java, but in urban environments can be quite a pest mostly because of it's terribly invasive root system.

It's a nice thing to stand under though.

Caloundra.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Tree in a roundabout

They're called roundabouts around here, those gadgets that sit in the middle of intersections to force vehicles to take corners in big wide swoops.

The serve as a perfect spot for real estate signs on a weekend, or garage sale signs that always seem to overstay their welcome.

They aren't bad spots for trees either.

Caloundra.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Because too much is barely enough

There's a fair bit of Caloundra popping out from this wall mural.  You just have to know where to look I guess!


© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Between Bulcock Street and Kings Beach

Steven Bordonaro's work has been featured in this blog before, but this one needs a special mention I think.

The eyes have it!

Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

View across the back yard

 Three generations of neighbours turn their backs to me, preferring the view to the ocean from the other direction.

Caloundra

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Downtown on a muggy day.

 There's plenty of humidity about at the moment.  90% and 30°c and I'm trying to paint some clear varnish.

That will never do!  The ocean just keeps dumping it into the air though.

Caloundra.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Intrusion

Timber stairs and boardwalks are subject to all sorts of natural forces.  Rot, termites, even plants take root and eventually tear structures apart.

New structures made of aluminium should keep the blighters at bay.

Shouldn't they?

Dicky Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

The Reno

We have a propensity for shortening any noun that stands in the way,  therefore, working on a renovation becomes "a reno" - pronounced wren-oh.

The number of "Renoes" happening around these parts lead one to suspect that a small increase in property values is just around the corner.

Dicky Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Acting the goat

Dogs are welcome off-leash between the hours of 4:00 pm and 8:00 am on this little stretch of beach.

Through what I think was an administrative oversight, goats don't seem to be prohibited at any time.

Dicky Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Eight today, but it's nature photography challenge Day 7 of 7

The creek closes, the creek opens, the dunes move, get lower, get higher, the trees die and grow again, the houses on top of the cliff age, sites become amalgamated and apartments grow in their place, and one day they too will crumble under nature's footprint.

But for eight years, I have been here recording those little changes.  Eight years of daily photographs on the Sunshine Coast.   It doesn't seem possible.

I still haven't worked out what I'm trying to achieve with this blog.

Perhaps in the next eight years, some grand realisation will dawn!

Moffat Beach
© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

But wait, there're more! ... Nature photography challenge Day 6 of 7

By slightly shifting the focus of yesterday's shot, those blurry things in the background become clearer.    Mum is now a blurry mess as we look beyond to her tiny brood.

I really don't like hurting the poor things, but if I don't move them tomorrow their life expectancy will not be great!

Lots of nature in the house.

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

The most poisonous spider in the world.. Nature photography challenge Day 5 of 7

Pholcus phalangioides or Daddy Long Legs spider isn't actually terribly poisonous at all, despite the rumours to the contrary.   A big one, like this has a body eight millimetres  long, although it's true her legs go on forever.

Here she sits guarding her brood in the top corner of our shower recess.

Nature in the home.

Dicky Beach


© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Nature's way of telling you to go home... Nature photography challenge Day 4 of 7

When we were kids we had a rule that we had to be home before the street lights came on.   There are precious few street lights at the ocean's edge, but I figure that the last ray of sunlight through the trees is Nature's way of telling you to go home!

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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And now for your next challenge.... Nature photography challenge Day 3 of 7

By my reckoning it's a Striated Heron or mangrove heron, but they seem to come in a wide range of markings!

This little guy was quite patient with me, watching me fiddle with no telephoto lens, while keeping a weather eye out for a fish as well.

Tooway Creek
Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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Berries.. but not for eating. Nature photography challenge Day 2 of 7

This is where the "challenge" part comes in.

I find the fruit, you name the bush!

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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and the other taketh away.... Nature photography challenge Day 1 of 7

Having accepted a challenge to post seven straight days of nature photography, I think I should warn visitors that this will not mean posts of glorious butterflies or amazing animals stalking their prey.

Instead, I went for a walk and did not have to go far to find reminders of the power of nature.   Here are the steps at Moffat Beach, now less than a metre above the sand, soon they will be buried under beach and the status quo will return.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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One hand giveth..

And the other taketh away.

That's how it goes, so when there's no sand left at the southern end of the bay, there's no shortage a few hundred metres to the north.

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Don't fence me in!

I like it so much I want to take it home!

Dicky Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Stoned

If you find a stone on the beach, the only sensible thing seems to be to stack it in a sort of balancing mini tower.

The not so sensible thing to do would be to cover it in sand to discourage those who take joy in kicking over sandcastles.

Dicky Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

You can have all of those weird things to yourself I'm afraid.

One of MY favourite things is that first glimpse you get of the beach as you are walking in the shadows of the trees on the dunes.

Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

POETS Day!

"POETS" Day they call Friday.   It's an acronym for "Go Home Early, Tomorrow's Saturday".  OK, perhaps the P and O don't exactly match  the first letters in Go Home, but in polite company they'll have to do.

It matters little, but I suspect those little dots in the water represent people and children who are certainly not home early.

But they are at the beach!

Tooway Creek
Moffat Beach

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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It's the beach Spock, but not as we know it.

The swell has almost gone, but so has the beach at all but the bottom of the tide.   It will be back, though one can't help but wonder if the rock revetment that protects the park contributes to a more rapid movement of sand than might be the case if it weren't there.

Of course if it weren't, then the park may well not be there this morning either.

Moffat Beach.

© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Not as bad as it looks.

Thankfully it's not the beach that's closed, just the access to it.   The monster swells from that cyclone in Fiji have taken their toll, and the last step is a very big one indeed.

Hopefully the sand will be back in a week or two.

Moffat Beach
© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

www.citydailyphoto.org

Where I belong.

There was a time when my response to this theme day challenge would have taken me at least a dozen metres to the east.   I would have considered myself belonging in the middle of any body of water, particularly if there was some sort of surf craft involved.

Now I'm inclined to think that boats are a great solution for travelling across water, and living on one for much of the year, and beside the world's largest ocean for the rest of the time, there can be little argument that I belong somewhere at the water's edge!

This is just one of many photos on today's "where do you belong?" theme.  See more at this link.
© Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

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