July 2017 - Green Path

A Jabiru beside Jerona Road

This Jabiru was our bird of the day, without any doubt, on our trip with Wildlife Queensland to Jerona, in spite of stiff competition from raptors including numerous Black Kites, a Brahminy Kite, a Sea Eagle and a Wedge-tailed Eagle.

The Jabiru is Australia’s only stork and one of our tallest birds. It is very much the same size as the far more common Brolga but is heavier in the body and (very obviously) beak. I have seen them occasionally on the Town Common and elsewhere but never so close as this one, which was foraging in a water channel about 50 metres from the road.

It didn’t mind us taking photos from the car but took off when I walked, ever so quietly, towards it. Continue reading “A Jabiru beside Jerona Road”

Dragonfruit in North Queensland

This post is little more than a footnote to my post about dragonfruit in Bali but I thought I would keep it separate.

We saw dragonfruit growing in a plot among mangoes down near Giru yesterday, the first we have seen growing here. There were far too many for domestic use or even a Cotters Market stall, so we assume the farmer supplies local greengrocers.

We were with a long-time conservationist when we saw the plot and she was not at all happy about the plant, telling us that it had long been, and still was, a very serious environmental pest on Lady Elliot Island near Bundaberg. Continue reading “Dragonfruit in North Queensland”

Changes to Comments policy

This site has been receiving so much spam that I have, reluctantly, had to disable visitor comments and the email form on the Contact page. If you have something to add to one of my posts, please email me as per the instructions on the Contact page (yes, there is a workaround) and I will add your email as a Comment on the appropriate post (unless you ask me not to, of course).

There must be better ways of dealing with the problem and when I find time, I will install one. Until then, please accept my apologies.

Trees in blossom

paperbark flower spike — One single flower spike – of hundreds, or thousands

Paperbark trees all around town are now blossoming enthusiastically, filling the air with their overpoweringly sweet scent. They are a few weeks earlier this year than in some previous years (August is more typical, according to my older posts here on Green Path) and I just hope that they aren’t a sign that our winter is over and our temperatures are about to start rising again. Continue reading “Trees in blossom”

A winter morning at the Palmetum

Early mornings have been so beautiful recently that staying indoors unnecessarily is … criminal? silly? wasteful? something of that kind, anyway … and a week ago I took advantage of a couple of free hours to visit the Palmetum.

My top photo shows Mount Stuart as it has often appeared recently, with a delicate blanket of cloud which catches the sun beautifully until dissipating mid-morning. Continue reading “A winter morning at the Palmetum”