There is no better feeling at the beginning of each new year then getting out there, exploring nature and just exercising those slightly fat laden thighs and hips. We did exactly that yesterday and spent a wonderful day among the canopy of the rain forest in a place called Skywalk https://www.rainforestskywalk.com.au.
A walkway built high up in the canopy of the rainforest.The rainforest is alive with the calls of birds and cicadas. We were looking for many creatures but in particular the Scarlet Sided Pobblebonk. The Skywalk is in an area called Tamborine, a beautiful plateau of mountains about an hour and a half from Brisbane, with gorgeous mountain trails and cool breezes.
The Scarlet Sided Pobblebonk proved elusive, (here is a photo taken by Robert Ashdown) which shows clearly how apt the name is - the scarlet bit that is ! There is an explanation for the bonk - its call is like a bonk or a dunk. Dont know about the Pobble though.
It is one of the many frogs that can be sighted in this particular area.
What we did see were two Magnificent Fruit Doves also known as the Wompoo Dove. We think it was a mother and a baby as the mother kept flying off, finding some tasty fruit and bringing it back to the baby. They were extremely difficult to spot as they blend into the leaves but a flutter warned us and after that we got some lovely sightings of them. This is a photo which I didn't take but cant find who to credit it to.
We got all tangled up in the undergrowth looking for the amazing Richmond Birdwing Butterfly which we saw fleetingly floating by- iridescent blues and greens shining against a backdrop of sky.
Later on in the day we stood at a Lookout and read the sign to see what we were looking out at, and there in front of us was Mount Misery. Here it is in the distance, that little peak. Yes I agree its miserably insubstantial, bu there is no doubting its existence in amongst the lovely green leaves. Can't imagine why it deserved to be named as such but we smiled and wished it a less miserable 2019.
Finally as if to seal the unconventional nature of the day there in that sky was the moon as I had never seen it before. Upside down. Made us feel truly Down Under !
Gorgeous
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