Thursday Jan 7 : Burrum Heads and Woodgate

Rain and more rain, some of it torrential, for most of the day. A late and leisurely breakfast after last night’s exertions, 7.30. We took the opportunity in a slight weather lull to photograph some of the lovely trees in the garden.
Cassia Fistula + bamboo hedge Cassia Fistula panicle-Indian senna
Pink flowered cactus


Pink cactus bud


Tina drove us to Burrum Heads, Woodgate, the opposite side of the river to that which we visited en route on Tuesday. Tina pulled in suddenly saying ‘Crested Hawk’. Pam and I walked back a little way and had very good views of the Pacific Baza, the modern name for the bird. It has a good crest and a heavily barred cream breast, it’s habit of flying short distances from tree to tree soon apparent.
Stopping at Theodolite Creek, a small 3 car parking area overlooking the Burrum river, I spotted a picnic table under an awning. There we sat, sheltered from the rain, watching the sand banks as the tide rushed in. The birds were a little distant for comfortable ID but we managed: Eastern Curlew. Red-capped Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Sand Plover, Caspian, Little and Black-naped Terns. A lone Pelican amused us by opening his beak as wide as it could go and pointing it at the sky - was he catching the rain? A Brahminy Kite and a White-bellied Fish Eagle perched in some bare trees to the north, two Osprey in some to the south. We thoroughly enjoyed about an hour and a half’s birding here.
What to do now........I could imagine the thoughts going through Tina’s head. Woodgate Esplanade is an attractive road beside a tree-lined beach, houses and the occasional shop on the other. We lunched at a table under an umbrella beneath a lovely beech almond tree. The food was good too; a bacon, egg, tomato, cheese and lettuce toastie which we all chose.
We then drove to Walkers Point but, there was no let up in the rain so we couldn’t walk in the hope of Black-breasted Button-quail. After a short detour along Foley’s Road, we were back at the house by 2.30 for a cuppa and some of Tina’s delicious cake. Pam loves the macadamia slice best, I like the Pumpkin cake (as well as the macadamia!).
The afternoon passed very pleasantly, chatting, discussing Tassie where Tina hopes to go with her son,doing our bird lists and starting to-day’s Blog.
It’s now past eight after a delicious supper of beef casserole and polenta followed by mango and white peach (me), ice-cream (Pam and Tina). Tina is a very good cook, Australian with Italian influence.