Teejay's Bird Day Out

I didn't set out to write a book today but that seems to be what's happened. Feel free to skip reading it!

This morning when we got to Eden we went looking for two things: pelicans and a coffee. No pelicans were to be found but I photographed a lot of terns and attempted to photograph a seal who was hanging around the wharf. The coffee was so bad that I sent it back, and the replacement was really no better so we left without drinking it - first time I've ever actually sent a coffee back so that is a true indication of how bad it was.

While I was there a local fisherman came up for a chat and he suggested we try Quarantine Bay on our way out of town. We duly called in there to find another local fisherman gutting his catch and throwing goodies to a seal and some shags and gulls that were all hanging around for a feed. While we were there a couple of huge stingrays also came to visit. Then another seal turned up - it became a bit of a circus for a while - and something of a blippers paradise. So many choices! This is where today's blip came from - there are actually 3 shags in this photo - but of course only one could win the trophy.

When we finally dragged ourselves away from there we stopped for coffee at Genoa. The strangest cafe I've been to in a long while, and although I managed to drink that coffee the beans were clearly stale. We both needed to use the ladies room - which was down the road 200 yards, across a historic bridge (that only had a pedestrian safe strip left on it) and through a snake infested paddock (well in my imagination it could have been).

On leaving the 'facilities' we met another kookaburra who very rudely laughed at us, so I had to photograph him too. Then we spied some Australian bellbirds - a couple feeding their two fledglings. Unfortunately they were behind gum leaves so were seriously hard to focus on. I also photographed another bird while we were there - I will have to research it because I have no idea what it was other than it perhaps being of the swallow family.

I could have stayed there for hours trying to get better shots of the bellbirds but teacherlady dragged me away and insisted we carry on to Lakes Entrance. We had a quick stop at Cann River for a cup of tea (not trusting coffee any more today) and then pressed on down the road.

Heading through Lakes Entrance to our motel we spotted a group of pelicans - so many photos to take today! I took too many to admit to, but then we went for a walk across the bridge to the beach and I had to stop to photograph some swans and their cygnets and a baby swallow.

A very big bird day for me - and hopefully more pelicans tomorrow.

NOTE to Seniormoments: Not all coffee in Australia is good!