Norfolk Island ~ Part One

The shuttle came for us at 3:45am. I am used to getting up early, but this is before early. I reckon I was awake from about 2:30 on, but actually got up at 3:00. Our flight (at 9:50am, we were very early) was delightfully uneventful. It also had more old people on it than any single flight I have ever taken. I felt like I was on the set of a new Cocoon movie. Evidently Norfolk Island is a bucket list item and it looked like some of these folks were cutting it mighty close. I felt like a kid. I am grateful.

Our little cottage here is comfy, lovely and wood paneled. It has one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I am looking at it now as I write this at 5am on Tuesday because I am too excited to sleep. It is wondrous. I got my lifer White Tern(s) from the deck before I had even opened my suitcase. I am grateful.

Lynn grabbed a nap and I went birding, I mean to the grocery. Ok, I did both. When I returned I took her to a spot where I had seen the Norfolk Island Gerygone. She was not disappointed in these busy, yet confiding birds. They are cute and they are pretty much around (I am writing on Wednesday morning now and I have see a lot of those little birds).

Tuesday morning we drove up to Captain Cook Monument at the north end of the island. The view is amazing. The birds were wondrous. I will post some photos. I am ridiculously grateful.

Sooty Tern

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird again because they are amazing. 

Parent Masked Booby and child

Cute as

Mr. California Quail  

Ms California Quail and the kids.

We did a bit of sightseeing around the island in the mid afternoon. Here are a couple of photos from Queen Elizabeth Lookout. It is breathtakingly beautiful (evidently she thought so too, hence the name).
       

Phillip Island (we hope to go there, but it depends on one person who has the license to take people there. We will see and I will let y'all know if we do). 

Kingston and the jetty (to the left of the jetty is Slaughter Bay).

Later in the afternoon we headed to Slaughter Bay as the tide was dropping and the rocks would be exposed, hopefully providing a spot for a Wandering Tattler to stand. After a bit of looking we both got long scope views, but the bird flew off before we could get satisfactory looks. We checked along other spots down that shore, and then returned to find a Wandering on the beach rocks near the jetty. I am so grateful. This is one of those birds that I had wanted for a long while. Tick.

         

Wandering Tattler 

The internet is frustratingly intermittent here at the cottage. I will go up the hill and try and post this. Yes, it is better "up the hill." I am sitting by the gazebo and the wifi is good. I am grateful. There will be much more to come later...


Birds. Peace. Love. Earth. Laughter. Music.