Ribh's D'Coopage

[RoyalChick]

I travelled up the highway with my oldest girl yesterday to do one of the Cunningham's Gap walks. We did the Box Forest Track. It's only an hour in & another out but very pretty rainforest & mostly easy walking.

We picnicked beside the stream.
View attachment 3062961
And for the non ~Aussies who think all our wildlife screams & is out to eat you, these are bellbirds. They are tiny & high in the canopy so you can't see them but their bell like chiming filled the forest. You might need headphones to hear them really well as part of the track runs beside the highway.

How lovely. But I don't understand, if they are so tiny and so high up, how do they kill you? Deadly droppings maybe?

 

[Ribh]

How lovely. But I don't understand, if they are so tiny and so high up, how do they kill you? Deadly droppings maybe?

They don't. It's because @BY Bob always thinks all our wildlife is out to kill everyone. This is to prove 'tis not so.

 

[Ribh]

My girls are acting odd. I'm not sure what's gone on exactly but I heard Luna going berserk yesterday morning so I went out to see what was going on. Luna was standing semi sheltered screaming & everyone else was deep under the Murraya. I had a look round. There was a biggish bird in the trees ~ not, I don't think,~ a hawk but it had obviously shown some interest in the chickens. I had to go out so I wasn't around to see if the bird came back or hung around but when I let the girls out in the morning they usually fan across the lawn racing to see if any treats have mysteriously appeared overnight. Not this morning. The less savvy raced across to the patio in a tight huddle. That included Olivia, Beatha, the Vorwerks & Portia. The rest sheltered in the doorway of the shed obviously reluctant to cross open ground. Ha'penny was making a low, soft growling noise & standing very alert. The Japs wouldn't leave the shed & there was a bunch of chickens around my feet. Eventually I moved into the open & scanned the skies. The girls bunched up & raced across the lawn to the patio to join the rest & they then moved as a big huddle to the edge of the patio to hop down & under the awning @ the side of the house. They then moved to the strip of garden using it as shelter to make a quick dash for the Murraya. This early they are usually spread out foraging. Not this morning. I'll have to keep an eye out for what's spooked them.

 

[LozzyR]

I travelled up the highway with my oldest girl yesterday to do one of the Cunningham's Gap walks. We did the Box Forest Track. It's only an hour in & another out but very pretty rainforest & mostly easy walking.

We picnicked beside the stream.
View attachment 3062961
And for the non ~Aussies who think all our wildlife screams & is out to eat you, these are bellbirds. They are tiny & high in the canopy so you can't see them but their bell like chiming filled the forest. You might need headphones to hear them really well as part of the track runs beside the highway.

I love bellbirds and whip birds.

 

[LozzyR]

How lovely. But I don't understand, if they are so tiny and so high up, how do they kill you? Deadly droppings maybe?

Bellbird poops weigh a tonne.

 

[LozzyR]

My girls are acting odd. I'm not sure what's gone on exactly but I heard Luna going berserk yesterday morning so I went out to see what was going on. Luna was standing semi sheltered screaming & everyone else was deep under the Murraya. I had a look round. There was a biggish bird in the trees ~ not, I don't think,~ a hawk but it had obviously shown some interest in the chickens. I had to go out so I wasn't around to see if the bird came back or hung around but when I let the girls out in the morning they usually fan across the lawn racing to see if any treats have mysteriously appeared overnight. Not this morning. The less savvy raced across to the patio in a tight huddle. That included Olivia, Beatha, the Vorwerks & Portia. The rest sheltered in the doorway of the shed obviously reluctant to cross open ground. Ha'penny was making a low, soft growling noise & standing very alert. The Japs wouldn't leave the shed & there was a bunch of chickens around my feet. Eventually I moved into the open & scanned the skies. The girls bunched up & raced across the lawn to the patio to join the rest & they then moved as a big huddle to the edge of the patio to hop down & under the awning @ the side of the house. They then moved to the strip of garden using it as shelter to make a quick dash for the Murraya. This early they are usually spread out foraging. Not this morning. I'll have to keep an eye out for what's spooked them.

I’m glad they were being cautious.

 

[MaryJanet]

I travelled up the highway with my oldest girl yesterday to do one of the Cunningham's Gap walks. We did the Box Forest Track. It's only an hour in & another out but very pretty rainforest & mostly easy walking.

We picnicked beside the stream.
View attachment 3062961
And for the non ~Aussies who think all our wildlife screams & is out to eat you, these are bellbirds. They are tiny & high in the canopy so you can't see them but their bell like chiming filled the forest. You might need headphones to hear them really well as part of the track runs beside the highway.

What a wonderful spot for a picnic I used to live a few kms from a waterfall and lov.ed stopping there for lunch. So peaceful and soothing.

 

[MaryJanet]

They don't. It's because @BY Bob always thinks all our wildlife is out to kill everyone. This is to prove 'tis not so.

I was going to say "they steer the drop bears"

 

[MaryJanet]

My girls are acting odd. I'm not sure what's gone on exactly but I heard Luna going berserk yesterday morning so I went out to see what was going on. Luna was standing semi sheltered screaming & everyone else was deep under the Murraya. I had a look round. There was a biggish bird in the trees ~ not, I don't think,~ a hawk but it had obviously shown some interest in the chickens. I had to go out so I wasn't around to see if the bird came back or hung around but when I let the girls out in the morning they usually fan across the lawn racing to see if any treats have mysteriously appeared overnight. Not this morning. The less savvy raced across to the patio in a tight huddle. That included Olivia, Beatha, the Vorwerks & Portia. The rest sheltered in the doorway of the shed obviously reluctant to cross open ground. Ha'penny was making a low, soft growling noise & standing very alert. The Japs wouldn't leave the shed & there was a bunch of chickens around my feet. Eventually I moved into the open & scanned the skies. The girls bunched up & raced across the lawn to the patio to join the rest & they then moved as a big huddle to the edge of the patio to hop down & under the awning @ the side of the house. They then moved to the strip of garden using it as shelter to make a quick dash for the Murraya. This early they are usually spread out foraging. Not this morning. I'll have to keep an eye out for what's spooked them.

A dog or fox maybe?

 

[Ribh]

A dog or fox maybe?

I don't think so. They know the neighbour's dog & the fences & gates are pretty good. It seemed to be an aerial problem from what I understood of their behaviour. The Murraya is near a gate so I think they would have moved away if there had been a dog close by. The back & side fences are solid on 2 fences & the 3rd is wire & as they have chickens too the dog doesn't bother them. That's the fence Ha'penny hops & she & the dog get on. Whatever it was they are being super cautious ~ & that is a good thing. Luna & Ha'penny are quite neurotic that way.

What a wonderful spot for a picnic I used to live a few kms from a waterfall and lov.ed stopping there for lunch. So peaceful and soothing.

It was beautiful! So refreshing for us both. The girl is studying for exams & I have an assignment I am dreading so it was good for both of us ~ only there were leeches. Unless I know a track is going to be really rough I hike in my thongs so my feet were quite bloody by the time we came out. The girl got quite paranoid & went so far as to take her shoes & socks off to check for the little suckers!