209) Escaping to Lamo

Satin Bower Bird decorating

I have been escaping up to Lamo - our "neighborhood" rain forest (Lamington National Park) as often as I can. Its a short(ish) drive and as the summer ends, there are lots of birds moving about. Though the Satin Bower birds are quite common in summer and great fun to hear as they yak at each other in the campground every morning, it is great to find the males meticulously building their bowers -moving the same twig back and forth, back and forth, until it is...just...right. All the twigs in the u-shaped bower were collected and placed by him.

My last Lamo trip was a day of 'scuffers' - the birds which are really hard to photograph as they are down in the litter scuffin for bugs. That means they are in heavily shaded, dense undergrowth. Interestingly, at first light many are quite oblivious to me (this one practically walked over my foot. But by sunrise they are skittish - can't get anywhere near them. This is the often heard, rarely seen Eastern Whipbird

The Logrunners are also tough to see in the open. This pair (female to R, male below) were moving with constant calls through the undergrowth and didn't seem to mind my thrashing about in pursuit.

As winter approaches the Albert's Lyrebirds start calling more. This female walked up a fallen tree (from the last big storm) right over my head - too close to focus!

Another favorite easy destination is Terra Nora Broadwater. This  pair of Ospreys nest here every year

 A female Mistletoe bird having brekkie!

A Leaden Flycatcher having a snack...