Mallee Hyphen-Fest

Blog time has been lacking and truth be told (which I do try to do) I have not been feeling it. I hurt my knee pretty bad several weeks ago and that has recurred on several occasions. It “popped” out yesterday and again today. Today it hurt like hell and seemed as if it wouldn’t pop back, but it finally did with its usual painful “clunk.” It is not an option for it to stay out. I will buy a brace of some sort when we get to a real city (maybe Adelaide). I am grateful that it did pop back in. Although it still aches as I sit here writing this.

The birding has been a bit slow. Robert got his lifer Mallee Emu-wren and we saw them as well. They are awesome birds, but I did not try and chase after to photograph them (I’ve never gotten a good shot of one and that’s ok for now). I am birding more and photographing less and that is what I need to do for the time being. We have been getting up at 5am and then out amongst it ‘fairly’ early. Although I am not one of those who can set their alarm for 5 and then be heading down the road at 5:15. No thank you. That does not work for Bruce.

Yesterday we birded Hattah-Kulkyne NP and today we birded Murray-Sunset NP. I am not sure what is with the hyphenated park names, but they must like them out here. And we saw Chestnut Quail-thrush in Murray-Sunset and a Mallee Emu-wren in Hattah-Kulkyne. We also saw wonderful Shingleback Lizards, which I have also seen written as Shingle-back. So it has been a hyphen fest out here in the mallee. I am grateful to be out here. I love the mallee, even when our target birds remain frustratingly hidden from us. We are still out here and we are still looking. I am grateful indeed. The journey continues and I’ll keep y’all posted.

Ms Chestnut Quail-thrush

Mr. Chestnut Quail-thrush

The first Shingleback... he was kind of laid-back.

The second was a bit more feisty. Well, Robert did pick him up...

an action that he did not seem to approve of...

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