Warning: Achtung ...

Something exciting happened the other week ... I've been hanging to share but just haven't gotten to it.

It involved going to a boat ramp near town where of cause I saw one of those yellow signs so well known in these parts. Warning: Achtung - Crocodiles inhabit this area, attacks may cause injury or death. Scary stuff and who would have thought that a crocodile might cause injury if it attacks. I more thought it would definitely cause injury.

Can you see what I saw? (photo below)

How about now?

 How about now?!

Pretty cool, hey. 

A real, live, wild croc just hanging out in the sun.

 While I was watching a Great Egret that was further back in the mangroves just casually walked past the croc like it didn't have a care in the world. I dare say it knows what I have learned, that unless you go and practically put yourself in that crocs mouth, he really couldn't be bothered. That is apparently because the weather is just too cool for eating and he is too busy getting energy from the sun. Mind you I'm not testing the theory by getting that close to any crocodile. So Warning: Achtung ... don't go near wild crocodiles, no matter the season, just in case you were feeling inclined to.

The Great Egret then happily stood at the waters edge looking for some afternoon tea.

Obviously it thought there was some good tucker and that it was safe enough to get in the water to do some fishing.

The croc couldn't have cared less although I am sure he was paying way more attention than what it looked like.

When a tractor came up near the boat ramp he turned around, head away from the boat ramp and not visable, but after a bit he turned back and closer to the water.

He then did the very sunbaking crocodile like thing and opened his mouth to absorb even more rays and energy and heat.

He wasn't much of a mover that is for sure.

I think even the egret was beginning to wonder if it was a statue.

I don't know whether the egret got sick of teasing Mr Croc or just got bored but it took off after a while.

I didn't though, although I should have as I was being eaten alive by midges/ sandflies/ something that hurt when it bit and itched like crazy.

I just couldn't help myself though, I had to stay and take a few more photos, just in case I didn't see this again.

And just so you know I was pretty safe about it all.

Don't I look good as a stick figure?

 

A bit of Friday

Thursday and Friday this week have been a little bleak but those clouds have nice and low, heavy and good for photos, so that is an upside. The down side is that is was the last two days for most of our students from our latest group.

Friday, or the last day for each of our groups of students is BBQ day. The heavy clouds weren't exactly what we were hoping for so plans about what we would be doing were a bit up in the air but after not much rain during the day, we went for our normal barbie spot, down near the wharf.

Students got in on the cooking while taking pics and enjoying each others' company.

 

We had an onlooker, like usual, keeping an eye on our cooking.

We had a new addition to the menu, something special for a group who didn't quiet get the program that is usual around here. Due to a sudden teacher resignation (resigning 7am by text is not cool when you start at 9am but that is done and dusted now) the class size was double what it should have been meaning students didn't get the amount of one on one they normally would but we coped and students still loved their time and leaned a lot. Back to our addition to the menu, we had crocodile. People say it tastes like chicken and fish and you know what, they are completely right. I loved it.

Even with the cloudy weather the location was great, the students loved being on the waterfront.

While we were eating some extras came around to join the party. It was a good thing they were little and don't eat much.

 

The view from the school in the afternoon was pretty much the same as the view in the morning. At least is was predictable.

Nothing much new ...

Last week we had the mother and children group and one of our afternoon activities was the Cairns Wildlife Dome. Nothing much new there, the visit is a pretty regular occurrence on each group's activity calendar. As I am yet again being slack on regular blogging I have thrown together this post from the Dome. No matter how much I go there (a lot as per above) I still enjoy it and all the animals. I have my favourites and I have learned many of there antics as well as their hiding places. Apologies for the mostly nothing special photos, I was too busy explaining things and keeping kids entertained.

There are the black cockatoos which I would happily smuggle home. I love these birds even though I know how destructive and noisy they can be. There is just something special about them.

There are the three resident Koalas. Always a favourite with the students. I love it when we happen to catch them very awake and moving around, which doesn't happen all that often.

There are the new small birds in their walk through avery. I have watched the construction of this area from start to finish. I enjoy playing spot the bird in here.

There are turtles. They are super cute sticking their noses out of the water and oven stacked together in one corner.

There are the sleepy Rufous Bettongs or Kangaroo Rats. They are pretty cute and as mean as I am I love finding them in their day time hidy holes (they are nocturnal) and watching them slowly blink to awareness when the light is let in. 

There are the flighty Satin Bower Birds, one pair I believe. They are hard to find and take flight when you get to close of they feel watched.

There are the Curlews. They are seen everywhere; sometimes stalking around, sometimes standing like statues and sometimes making an awful ruckus.

There are the kookaburras, three I think. One Laughing Kookaburra, one Blue Wing Kookaburra with it's blue flecked wings and one very special white Kookaburra who is an almost albino one.

There are the watchful Frogmouths. They remind me of childhood and of them sitting in the trees at school while we played below.

There are the various water birds often found around the crocodile area high up on a tree or fitting.

Then there are the Crocodiles, the freshies and the salties. There are even some little salties that come out to play.

There are the various other parrots and bird, some brightly coloured, some rather plain Janes. The funny King Parrot with its close Green Parrot friend, where one is the other is close by. Sometimes they come close, sometimes not so keen but tasty nuts usually get them on board.

Then there are the very social and always happy to eat Eclectus Parrots who this time decided to freely fly from person to person even before food was offered. I think these were very high on the children's favourites list, right up there with Koalas. I think these parrots knew how much the kids would love their attention and how much they would be in the spotlight. Show offs I think.

NOVA Cairns Blog

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