Late 60's since I spent a lot of time hanging around Heron and neighboring islands and reefs. But a request for some snorkeling from a visiting pom recently changed all that. If you haven't been, a stay on Heron is like living in an aviary. At this time of the year, nearly every tree is filled with nesting birds; as are the ground areas. Some are at eye level and photos are a snap. Top of the food chain on land is the silver gull. They were nesting everywhere and often in the most public areas: one, 5 feet from the edge of the outdoor chess set. Gulls spent their day trying to catch unguarded Noddy Tern chicks and succeed only too often. Banded Rails roam the forrest floor and are constantly under your feet in the restaurant. The restaurant is protected by a curtain of mesh as at any time a mutton bird will do one of its hopeless landings and without the netting, would be in your salad. Happened to us: nearly 3 feet of wingspan flapping madly, a foot from my face. Then long into the night the island comes alive with moaning mutton birds, talking to each other. It's a ghostly and eerie sound. Heron was named after the bird of course but the bird was later found to be an egret.
A mother arctic tern returns with a feed, but before that, a little ritual bowing
likewise if dad wants to feed, a little more bowing please
Some noddy nests are so low you can reach them by hand. As a result some fallen chicks are put in reachable nests by misguided guests. This mum had three chicks in the nest.
One of the egret types
A noddy chick a few feet away from my balcony up in the canopy
This noddy was always bored or impatient, and always checking the egg
Patience eventually rewarded
The banded rail
The other egret. All I said was "I'll show you mine if...."
Not a good idea to fall out of the nest, but most probably knocked out by gulls
The silver gull. Top honcho, nesting in the roots of a pandanas; 20 feet from the bar entrance
Noddy and son
Late arvo. The sky was full of smoke from the Qld bushfires
These two noddies return to find the chick gone. We had seen the gull try to take it but it had been dropped into the ground litter below. They both started lifting bits of nest trying to find it. All a bit painful to watch
The same pair; bereft
And the little tyke. Mummy, is that you
Sunset with the smell of smoke in the air tinged with the fragrance of a good shiraz
An original owner bought this old navy vessel and towed it here to help protect the modest "harbour".
