Monday, July 4, 2011

MORE MALENY

Just a small add-on about yesterday's trip up the mountains to Maleny.
This lush , green area has many patches of rainforest and where there's bush, scrub or rainforest there are always lots of birds.

This is a Bush or Brush or Scrub Turkey.
They are a very common bird often found even in suburbia ( much to the annoyance of the humans).
They are not at all afraid of humans.
They are NOT good to eat (so I hear, anyway they are protected !)


They build HUGE mound nests from leaf litter which they seem to spend their whole time gathering .
The eggs are laid and placed inside this mound where the heat generated by the decomposing leaf matter hatches them.

(photo from the internet)
Pity help you if your garden is covered with mulch when one of these moves into the neighbourhood.


These photos ( from the internet ) show the results of a busy day's work.
The bush turkey is making a mound on the other side of the road and will scratch and drag all the material from the surrounding gardens to create it.


They are very difficult to re-locate, often returning to the neighbourhood within a day of trapping and removing them.

Another bird we saw up close was this one.


It is a Lewin's Honeyeater and it seems quite fearless about humans too.


Tony's new camera takes a brilliant photo doesn't it?

Later in the day I spied this quirky letterbox made out of this huge tree trunk.
House number 148


It was polished and varnished to a lovely sheen.


You take the letters out of the back through this door.

That's my bit for the day.
Cooler and windy here today but still bright and sunny.

Cheers.

7 comments:

  1. Correction... Tony takes a great photo not his camera !!!

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  2. Interesting stuff Helen. Glad we only have the badgers to contend with here and not those turkey birds! Love the little honeyeater though. Indeed Tony is a good photographer and I am sure even with my ooint and shoot he could take a great pic!! Quirky letter box - not sure if I like it or not.

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  3. Oops that should read point not ooint!!

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  4. I love that letterbox - genius. I never heard of those turkeys before, interesting to learn about them. The honeyeater is lovely - haven't seen one of those before either!

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  5. It's always fasinating to see a bit of your world down under. Now, about the retirement. Yes, I enjoy it, but am I ready for Scooter home all day.... he needs a hobby for that to happen... giggle-giggle. You know I adore him and we are quite a pair. Most of my stuff is a little exaggerated for a posting, but you know that about me.... right?

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  6. Love the Honeyeater and the mailbox. I'm glad we don't have the turkeys around here!

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  7. That's a MASSIVE nest! They even scatter it all over the road! Incredible. The honey eater is so little and cute by comparison.
    The letter box is brilliant. Fancy thinking up something like that.

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