Sunday.
In every small coastal village or town where there is a headland and other beaches beyond the main town beach, the first one is nearly always called ‘Back Beach’. I’ve given up counting how many Back Beaches I’ve been to over the years. They are generally quieter and harder to get to than the main beach which to me is their main appeal as you’re more likely to have the whole beach to yourself, particularly in winter.
Saturday.
A very dark beginning to the day with heavy cloud cover that turned out to be a large low storm cloud out over the ocean. A very well defined storm cell that looked like it was coming straight for Hastings Point but thankfully stayed out to sea. It was quite spectacular to watch as it changed shape over a period of about half an hour.
Friday.
A little trip down to the NSW far North Coast and a few days at Hastings Point. This little place right on the beach never fails to deliver wonderful photographs. In my first afternoon there I saw the Ospreys, six of them, three Beach Stone Curlews, an endangered species, three different species of dove plus the more common terns, seagulls and Masked Lapwings. But also the magnificent views from the Point.
Thursday.
These two little cuckoos have been hanging out on my back fence the past few weeks. They both have the distinctive banded tail of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo not seen in these photos and the yellow ringed eye on the adult.
Wednesday.
Banksia are native plants to Australia with over 170 species and grow just about anywhere. This Swamp Banksia is a sprawling plant that has huge leaves with harsh serrated edges and a large flower head. I can see this one from my kitchen window.
Tuesday.
Multiple exposures in-camera at Lake Somerset.
Monday.
A week ago I was posting about a mum and joey wallaby at Lucky Bay in Western Australia (last years’ big trip) and now another wallaby but bigger at Lake Somerset this past week! And another first, a clear sharp image of Pacific Black Ducks in flight showing the brilliant colours of the wing feathers.
Sunday.
Mornings at Lake Somerset were magical with the sun topping the hills and clouds later than at home and often with mist as the Lake is away from the coast and NW of Brisbane, rural even.
Saturday.
One bird that I never expected to see at Lake Somerset (it never even crossed my mind) was a Bush Stone Curlew (or Thick-knee). And I saw three! They were extremely shy and I was very fortunate to stumble across them by accident before they realised I was around. The same day I saw a large Wedge-tailed Eagle and two Whistling Kites flying over the lake.
Friday.
Lake Somerset was full as we have had a lot of rain in the last month with more to come. All of Australia this year seems to be in flood, Outback Queensland is awash, Outback New South Wales is flooding and northern Queensland has a cyclone approaching with more rain. Even Central Australia is flooded with a once in a generation flood gradually working its way down to fill Lake Eyre. Floods move very slowly in the Outback. While here on the East Coast we get heavy rain and flash flooding and the dams fill to capacity, like now at Lake Somerset.
LEE CLELAND 