“Bogan” – I’m not quite sure how to describe this other than saying that it’s
basically the Aussie term for a redneck. Yeah… that’s about it.
It was a return to Alligator creek this week, and we
definitely made sure to pack the mossie repellent and coils this time! It certainly
made the experience much more enjoyable not having to constantly run from and
swat at an encircling swarm of mosquitoes. One of Michelle’s friends from
Cairns came down this week to join us in our adventures and it was fantastic
getting to hang out with her for even the few days she was here!
Toni, Michelle, and I sitting on a rock in Alligator Creek
I’ve been slowly increasing my list of Aussie wildlife sightings
with the addition of three new lizard species this week! If I was at home I
would totally have picked the things up but with the looming threat of “everything
in Australia can kill you” sometimes I feel that it’s better safe than sorry
when it comes to the wildlife… Though I seriously doubt there are many truly poisonous lizards.
Lemon-Barred Forest Skink
I also witnessed something I have never seen a
bird do before. While eating lunch at
Alligator Creek the four of us looked over and took notice of a bush turkey
sprawled out on its side, its wing thrown up at an odd angle and sitting so
still I thought that something was gravely wrong with it. The fact that it lurched up into the air and ran
off in its velociraptor like run when I got too close proved that it was in fact
in tip top shape. I have since seen
several bird species do the same thing and have concluded that it may be their
way of sunning themselves. So don’t be
too alarmed if you see a bird flop to the ground, roll over, and lift up its
wings. Apparently that’s normal.
Orchard Swallowtail at Alligator Creek
Another thing, if Jurassic park based their velociraptor
animation on anything, I would bet you it would have been a Bush Turkey. The run anyway. Those things have the most hilarious run! And
while we are on the subject of running, might I just make you feel that much
safer around crocodiles by telling you something I learned in class this week;
apparently some species of crocodile can actually GALLOP. No joke, those things
can book it and it is ridiculous to watch!
We also were able to make the trek (the driving kind) up
to the crest of Mount Stuart to see the sunset at last! And wow, it was
gorgeous!
Driving up the mountain
For some reason, the bluntness of this sign brought a spout of giggles out of all of us.
The sunsets here are always spectacular and they are
certainly one of my favorite things to witness. Unfortunately it’s a little
hard without access to a car to drive out on a regular basis to a good place to
watch but I guess that makes the days I do get to see the sunset all the more
enjoyable J.
Now I just need to drag myself out of bed early enough to be able to witness a
Townsville sunrise!
Overlooking the whole of Townsville
Waiting for the sun to set
That butterfly flew right into the sun the moment I snapped the picture. Whoa. That timing!
Beautiful way to end a wonderful day
I also made a bit of a fun acquaintance this week. A
couple weeks back I agreed to help out in counting the offering at church every
several Sundays and this week it was my turn. I was counting with this older
lady that I had never met before but I think it’s safe to say we hit it off
pretty well. She started off by asking
me what my studies were and by the end it we were in a full blown
discussion about birds and veterinary work, namely cockatiels and bird
doctors. When we were done counting she
invited me to her house to meet her birds and I had a nice
afternoon tea with her and her husband getting to know them and their birds, Liam and Buddy. I definitely think I’ve made some pretty good
bird savvy friends there!
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