11 April 2012

Galgabba Point, Swansea, N.S.W., Part One

The weather has turned from really nice, to windy, wet and colder over the past two days.  Today had been planned to visit this location for my very first time; it's 40 klms from home, and parts of this walk still looks out over Lake Macquarie too.  Galgabba Point is noted on this local tourism site here as "a significant bushland remnant with an endangered ecological community and threatened plant species."

The skies changed from clearing, to grey, to a touch of sunshine, enough at least for a couple hours of walking.  Enough time to take some snaps to share with you, a snippet of Aussie bushland, some with a rainforest flavour.

While there were plenty of birds in the area, they were never  close enough to get a good photograph.



 with bracken growing in the foreground

  
 ...and cabbage palms




The medium-small sized olive-green honeyeater, Bell Miners (Bell Birds), are very vocal in this area and melodiously so; they tink-tink very sharply (am not sure that's how it describes in the bird book though).  Well now I'm wondering quite what they do say, hang on a minute .... well, their voice is described as a high-pitched 'ting' closely resembling a bell, quoted in my Reader's Digest Birds of Australia.

Whenever driving by an area where they abound you're likely to hear them even though the car windows may be wound up, reminding you, ah yes, bell-birds live around here, I remember hearing them another time I went by.

If you haven't heard a Bell Miner before, I did try a little video just to pick up the audio to share here.   For the sole purpose of audio, here goes ...listen for the tink-tink-a-ting :) 








by the look of these casuarinas (she-oaks), it wasn't just today that was windy in their lifetime


Eraring Power Stn (white towers) and the older defunct Wangi Power Station to the right, looking rather like a stately old building from this distance.

An opportunity here too, to add this wonderful poem found on rinklyrimes blog some time ago now.




Sharing with Outdoors Wednesday

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Bell Miners definitly have a unique sound, which really does sound like a bell! I wouldn't have a problem listening to them all day, I find it very relaxing!

TexWisGirl said...

love your trees! and that bell miner is too cool!!! who needs chimes when you've got those birds nearby!

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

Wow, that sound is like nothing than one would expect to come from a bird or any living thing for that matter. That was neat and thanks for doing an audio of it. Goes to show a video doesn't have to be all bout seeing something. That forest looks so inviting to explore but I suppose it wouldn't be too safe. Lots of dangerous snakes or have I been watching too much TV?

Micha S. said...

It sounds to me a little bit like the brakes of a train ;-) But I like the impressions you give from Australia! Thank you! Micha

Brian King said...

Again, I love the trees there! Those oaks near the water are so cool. They've definitely been battered by some wind. Love the Miner call!

Unknown said...

Very pretty sound! thank you for that! :)

Karin M. said...

Wow...such beautiful landscap..love the forest...great series...
Greetings Karin

Sharyl said...

I love those cabbage palms, Carole, and all the variations of trees. And it strikes me that hearing a bird sound that you recorded clear around the world is just as exciting as seeing photographs from so far away too! Each are such a wonder! What a gift you are to us! Thank you!