My previous waning faith in humanity is definitely looking up here during our stop in Salt Lake City. Met some really nice people while up in the mountains birding (high Zane!) and the kind and gracious workers at the Mormon Temple were a breath of fresh air from the long days on the road. We have hiked a lot of mountains on this trip and I have to admit, mountain air (and trails) is/are fast becoming my lifeblood. Shout out to all the mountain athletes we’ve met on this trip – monster fitness, badly needed inspiration to keep pushing myself on the recovery to the ultra trail circuit. Been getting some really good bird checks lately, now sitting at 383+3 with the 10 new birds found the last couple of days here in Salt Lake City (at #318 in the top US birders list yay!) . Have I mentioned before how exhausting this trip is heheheh. We are moving base again tomorrow and need to try and get some sleep tonight. Brad is going to take the rudder and sail you across the wide pond to “Where women glow and men plunder” and the birds are a plenty. A fitting topic being we had a great time enjoying the birds of the world at Tracy Aviary today (link here). See ya’ again soon…
Take it away Brad…
Jan and I had spent the morning and most of an afternoon at the Taronga Zoo across the harbour from Sydney. Taronga is a very nice zoo, and there were animals we are unlikely to see anywhere else in the world. How often can you find a Sulfur-crested Cockatiel sitting on a tree branch out in the open handing out its opinion? Or a Southern Cassowary. Even behind electrified cables, these large birds are intimidating. In this case, the electrified cables are more to keep the angry bird inside than to keep less-than-cerebral visitors outside. I say it was angry because we observed a behaviour reserved for territorial disputes or threats. When a Cassowary is “upset” it makes one of the lowest sounds in the bird world, just on the lower edge of audible for most humans. It’s more of a feeling than a sound. It also looks like its whole body is vibrating, sort of like a subwoofer does in a home theatre setup. While not quite ostrich-sized, I think one would be happy to take out an unsuspecting tourist with a camera and not lose a bit of sleep over it.
Leaving Taronga, Jan and I took the 20-minute harbour ferry ride back to Sydney. The ferry dropped us on the next pier over from the Sydney Opera House; one of our life goals to see in person. After another dozen or so photos of the Opera House (who am I kidding, it was probably a hundred more, in addition to the hundreds Jan and I took the prior day), we decided to try to find P. Sherman at 42 Wallaby Way to return his scuba mask. Fans of Finding Nemo will understand the reference. It was, after all, our last full day in Australia and Jan and I wanted to make the most of it. We took a circuitous route back to the hotel, through the Royal Botanical Gardens.
Still on a high from encountering a Laughing Kookaburra in a gum tree (see here) near the Royal Botanical Gardens entrance, Jan and I wandered further through the gardens. Nearing the garden exit, there seemed to be a kerfuffle in a flowering tree next to the path.
This new bird is snacking on nectar from a flower on a Ceibo Tree (Erythrina crista-gall) or Cockspur Coral Tree, native to South America but thriving as part of the Royal Botanical Gardens.
Learn more about this colorful feathered friend after the jump!
Continue reading Pot of Gold…by Brad Marks
Wildlife Intrigued 