Sunday, 30 March 2014

Birthdays and QNC excursions

February ended with a baby shower for Tania, give by sisters Alison and Roslyn at Tania's home.  It was a very happy occasion. 

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.
Busy Byrnes boys
James holding Sea Hare
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.
Our grandaughter, Rosie Byrnes, celebrated her 14th birthday on 7 March at our home (and other places).

Suzy's birthday followed on 13 March, but we have no photos (Matthew Shaw was born on 1 March and again we have no photos).

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.
The shady track through the Sandy Camp Road reserve was very pleasant to walk.  Birds here included chestnut-breasted mannikins, rainbow bee-eaters and white-breasted woodswallows.

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. 
One day old
Two days old
48 hours and ready to engage
Hazel prefers to be swaddled

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