Queensland Naturalists' Club has provided us with many great experiences over the past 33 years. March began with a day excursion to Shelly Beach, Caloundra. Our grandsons, James and Nic, came with us.
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| Busy Byrnes boys |
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| James holding Sea Hare |
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| Aplysia dactylomela Black-ringed Sea Hare |
Extract from the Excursion Report: Approximately
30 club members and their guests assembled at noon for an amble
across the exposed, rocky platform on the south side of Shelly Beach... Some
of the species we encountered included: the Toxic Black Slimy Sponge, Iotrochota coccinea, clinging
to the underside
of a rocky
overhang; a Magnificent-banded
Fan Worm, Sabellastarte australiensis,
in the deep shadow of a rock pool;
miniscule entoprocts clinging to the green alga, Halimeda; a Blue-lined Octopus,
Hapalochlaena fasciata, which
scurried for cover under a rock; and even
a lone Eastern Reef Heron contentedly feeding among the
rock pools. The beauty of the coastal scenery itself attracts many visitorsto
the sea shore, so it surprised our members to learn that a species as showy and abundant as
the Rocky-shore Crevice Anemone, Anthopleura
sp., is still recorded
as an unidentified species; that coral colonies exist in the tide pools here;
and that a few
Cunjevoi had escaped becoming fish bait in a location that was so close to
a sizeable urban population.
My sister Pat stayed overnight on a trip for another baby shower - her grandson Scott and partner the expectant parents.
My sister Pat stayed overnight on a trip for another baby shower - her grandson Scott and partner the expectant parents.
The QNC excursion was on 15 March at Lindum Wetlands and Sandy Camp Road, Wynnum. There were many water birds at Lindum including glossy ibis, dotterels, stilts and magpie geese.
On 17 March we picked up our new Cub Escape camper-trailer and we spent much time in the rest of the month sorting out what to buy and where to store things. David opted to buy and install several items, thus saving thousands, so the search was on for the toolbox and 12V system for lights and electric water pump.
James had a big operation involving his hip and jaw in March. He survived fairly happily in hospital for 4 nights with his mother staying there all the time. The only bad repercussion was a ban on soccer, ju-jitsu, running club, long walks and cycling for 6 weeks, as muscle was cut in the hip and had to repair itself.
A real BIRTH-DAY trumped other March events when Hazel Alice Shaw was born on 26 March to Tania and Peter.
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| One day old |
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| Two days old |
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| 48 hours and ready to engage |
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| Hazel prefers to be swaddled |
