A Good Friday indeed

I am using the adjective in the sense of an enjoyable day rather than the etymology suggested by Wikipedia.  The only potential blot was being unable to acquire any Hot Cross Buns at the bakery as they only do them to order.  So I ordered some for tomorrow knowing that Graham Chapman won't mind me being a day late.

The weather was overcast all day, but gave it a bit of a go at dawn.
 This is a shot of the nicely painted front of the house without any scaffolding in the way.
  We went for our usual walk into town this morning and then to the heath-land around Davis Creek.  The most interesting flowers were this Billardiera  (with bonus ant) ...
 .. and a good collection of Banksia marginata.
As we walked along the beach we were impressed with the range of colours available.  I think this is a fruiting body (not sure if that is a correct term for algae)cof kelp.
A kelp attachment iorgan well covered with sponges that have adopted a red tone.

This sponge looked quite mauve in reality: here it looks faintly off-brown.  (I am reminded of a very weak SA politician whose name was Dean Brown: he was such a wimp it was suggested he change his name to Dean Beige.)
There was a lot of kelp on the beach!
This image was intended to show the difference between adult and immature plumage on Crested Terns.  It also helps resolve any problems you might have in telling Terns from Gulls!
A young Red-capped Plover.
They have been absent for a while, and it was good when (later in the day) I was able to count them in the Inlet about 300m away.  I do like my new telescope.

I didn't need the scope for this lot of assorted waterbirds.
Bird of the day was none of these, but a Rose Robin I heard calling at the house.

Earlier in the day while in the heath I noticed this jewel spider (the one with yellow markings).  Suddenly another spider rushed onto the web and appeared to grapple with it.  Was this making love or war?  Advice welcome!
Through a foot of water dimly.  There is an octopus in there somewhere.  A bunch of young fisherpersons had jagged it, but it dropped off before I could get a better shot.
When I walked back past them they said they had a dead Flathead and a crab and asked if I wanted to photograph them.  I said thanks but pass, at which they said they were thinking of flathead and crab soup for tea: the 'pus was let go!

Here's some images of bait pumping out in the Innlet.
I reckon it is cheating to use a cattle dog to suss out the worms!
Fishing happens at the mouth of the Inlet.  A lot of people had walked there.
Others went by boat.
I also reckon it is cheating to use a Border Collie to suss out the fish.

Generally we were astonished at the number of folk around today.  And for some reason they seemed to be a lot younger than on our recent visits.

As evening approached I went to check the bats.  They were a lot quieter than they had been during the day, at least until I walked along the track, at which time the noise got incredible.  They still seemed to be just hanging out however.
The moon rose, but due to the cloud it was up high before I could get a shot at it.


Comments

Ian Fraser said…
Your bird of the day was only HEARD?!?! Please tell me it isn't so....
Flabmeister said…
Alas I cannot do that. My criterion is whether the bird was there or not, and with my eyesight hearing is often better than seeing (especially somewhere like Mallacoota where there is enough rain to promote tree growth). Even with the lawyer driven VICPARKS ethic of burning everything in sight.

I'm sorry if I have now lost all credibility with you but the truth must out!
Ian Fraser said…
Oh Martin, I'd not say you'd lost ALL credibility....

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