Wednesday, 9/5
We got up in the dark and set off at 6:15 so as to catch sunrise at the dam at 6:40. In typical Aussie fashion the trails in the park are all well maintained with wooden boardwalks through the mangrove swampy parts. We managed to see one of Bob’s target species, the Rainbow Pitta, a small jet black bird with green wings and turquoise shoulders, red under parts and a chestnut streak on its head. It stayed near us for about ten minutes walking on the forest floor flicking leaves over to look for insects.
We returned to the B&B for a full English breakfast and a walk around the farm. It was getting hot again and the mosquitoes were getting fierce, so we returned to the park where it was breezier and birdier. We met Pete and Sue, birders from southern Ontario, and picked up several more species some with the help of their Ipod playing birdcalls to lure out the elusive White-browed Crake from the marsh grass. It was almost three and we were getting pretty exhausted and hungry and, as we were on our own for tonight’s supper, headed to the town of Humpty Doo to get provisions. Bush town are pretty limited in what they have to offer, so we settled on beer, rum, cokes and meat pies for supper and split a hamburger (without the customary bacon, egg and pineapple) for lunch and returned to the Eden. Heather and Jeremy were going out for the evening and kindly gave us the run of their house and use of their computer so I could pay a couple of bill that I’d forgotten about.
After the microwaved beef pies and Cuba Libres we took a stroll outdoors under the brilliant Milky Way with Scorpio, Saggitarius and the Southern Cross glowing like neon in the sky. When we went to bed, the Eden’s friendly cat was fast asleep inside my suitcase and later when I woke up briefly, there she was under the covers by our feet and stayed there until dawn. If only Jane Cat were that friendly to strangers!
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