First off the Mark

I was first off the mark and lodged my entry into the 'Black and White' challenge last night before I went to bed.

A foggy morning on the river

No other entries yet, but I'm sure that there will be some spectacular ones.

I had another movie day today with Kaz and Lady Lynn.  We saw 'Tower Heist'.  It was funny and required no brainwork at all.  It was nice to have some girl time.  It's been a while.

This morning I left bright and early to go looking for my Red-backed Fairy Wren.  I was successful in my mission, but I didn't capture a good shot because while I was sitting in wait, I was attacked by march flies!

I had covered myself in 'Off' to ward off midges and other insects, but apparently, march flies are not deterred by these chemicals!  So I spent the time 'shoo-ing' or 'slapping' march flies, which kept the little Wrens at a distance.  This was the best I could do ...

... it's very noisy, taken from a long distance, and then cropped very tightly but my goal is to get the perfect Wren shot eventually!

A disappointing piece of information that I received today was about the Pacific Baza that I have been observing in and around the caravan park.

I can't believe that I didn't know this, but there are two of them nesting in the caravan park in a tall Melaleuca Tree!  They have two babies in the nest.  Two babies who are already flying out of the nest!  How did I not know this???

Here is one of the babies ...

I will be observing more closely now and I hope to get some good shots over the coming weeks.  This baby is about 10 days out of the nest and is still being fed by the parents.

One of the men who live in a house near the caravan park, showed me some photos that he took of one of the babies, which landed on his front verandah while learning to fly!  How amazing is that?  I am so envious.

Apparently the adults bring frogs, lizards and grasshoppers to the chicks (or are they juveniles now?) and feed them, which has provided good entertainment to the park visitors.

I am disappointed that it took so long for this information to filter through to me because I would have loved photos of the chicks when they first hatched.  It was the busiest time of the year in the caravan park, so I imagine it would have caused quite a bit of excitement at the time.

Bugger!

Ah well.  Everything happens for a reason!

It was hot today.  Very hot.  It will be just as hot, or hotter tomorrow.  Ugh!  So it will be an early start for me, so that I can get some photos before it gets too hot.

So I was first off the mark with my challenge photo and I'll be first off the mark tomorrow morning.  I think I'll be first into bed tonight too!

Nite all.