After dashing off to the UK for a total of 6 nights and back our heads are still spinning, so it is great to be home and settled back in to paradise.
The British Birdfair went extremely well with 24, 000 people+ attending over a weekend of perfect weather. We had a great team on the Australian Birdwatching stand and spoke to a lot of people about coming to Australia for birdwatching holidays. Between us we had 4 lectures, which were well and well received.
The Australian Team Birdfair 2014
Australian Birdwatching Stand - busy, busy
The event was busy, inspiring, exhilarating and exhausting. One pint at night and time for sleep! It is worthwhile but it certainly takes it out of you at our age!?
It is lovely to be home amongst the trees, the birds, the clear skies and the warmth of a tropical winter.
Lots of good growth in the forest following from our dramas earlier in the year, and lots of fruit such as figs, bleeding hearts and palms to keep the birds happy.
Some great new sightings with Pied Imperial Pigeon returning from New Guinea in good numbers for their breeding season.
Pied Imperial Pigeon
Other summer migrants which have made their way back include Brown-backed Honeyeater, Metallic Starling and Australian Koel.
The Laughing Kookaburra family continue to wake us each morning at 6am, Double-eyed Fig-Parrots in the fig trees in the garden at Red Mill House, unusually high numbers of Wompoo Fruit-Dove in the garden, Azure Kingfisher, lots of monarchs and flycatchers plus the usuals. Lovely Fairy-Wren just around the corner, Papuan Frogmouth, Great-billed Heron and Little Kingfisher on the Daintree River and Southern Cassowary at Jindalba boardwalk.
It is great to be home!!
