Mothers and rambling

2 mothers, one old, one new on Mothers Day

Hazel often has one arm up

Good listeners

Two months old - is that a smile?

Burp!!

Nats rambling at Gold Creek Reservoir

After negotiating the traffic at Brookfield because of their Fair, we enjoyed a great morning here on 28 May. 

Male King Parrot

Birthday, baby and bats

Nic's 8th birthday

 Suzy started full-time work on 7 April.  We were happy to fill the gap after school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until her contract ends on 27 June.  After that, we plan a long trip around Australia and she will need to use after-school care each weekday if other work arises.

Hazel knows how to dress for an occasion!

Trying to teach Hazel what sleeps looks like

The QNC Easter camp was held at Apsey, near Inglewood, with current status of Proposed National Park.  It is sandstone country with a woodland of eucalypt and cypress, and some brigalow along the creeks.  48 members including 12 under the age of 8 camped near 2 small dams in perfect weather. Highlights included finding many specimens of Macrozamia machinii, a cycad listed as vulnerable. A single  individual  of  the Homoranthus vagans was also seen. This myrtaceous shrub is endemic to the property and it is estimated  that only a few hundred individuals exist in the wild.  Harry Hines  and  Melanie Venz  set funnel traps, Elliott traps and a single harp trap. 273 Elliott trap nights yielded a  yellow-footed  antechinus and  a common dunnart. Five  bats  were  captured in the harp trap:  Gould’s  long-eared  bat,  lesser  long-eared  bat, a broad-nosed bat Scotorepens cf. greyii  and chocolate wattled  bat. 67 species of birds  were seen, including  the  beautiful  plum-headed finch. 

Looking at mammals

Broad-nosed bat

Chocolate wattled bat

Gould's long-eared bat

Common dunnart biting Harry

Yellow-footed antechinus also biting Harry

This camp was our first trial of the new Cub camper-trailer and we were happy with it.  David has yet to install the electric water pump and internal 12V lights but everything fitted in with room to spare.

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

South Island New Zealand

Kaikoura was our first South Is destination.  We had been here in 1994, the day after a terrible storm had sent seas up into the town.

Long white cloud over Kaikoura

  Seals were observable but not close-up as on this visit.  Many seals were visible at low tide on the rock shelves.  Some people ignored signs and actually touched one large seal. 

Birds seen there included (in order) , NZ Dotterel, Grey Heron and Variable Oystercatcher.

 Travelling south we crossed Waiau River, a rare bird breeding area for Wrybills, Black-billed Gulls and other birds.

We saw Black-billed Gulls in Christchurch Botanic Gardens the next day.

 

Finally we arrived in Christchurch and enjoyed much time with the main object of our visit, Veronica.  She will be 5 years old in May this year.  Lisa started work with the Earthquake Authority the day we arrived, but we were happy to look after Veronica on Wednesdays and pick her up from a nearby kindy at 2:30 several days.

 

They live in Riccarton, a pleasant cosmopolitan suburb close to the city.  One of the few remnants of  native flora, Riccarton Bush, is nearby, a favourite haunt for Veronica, though she would prefer to play in Deans House rather than walk the fenced-off bush track.

We made many visits to Canterbury Museum and the Botanic Gardens next door in our 2 weeks here.  The Museum seems very popular and offers excellent exhibits, including much original Antarctic exploration items, from modified tractors and big snowcats to clothing.  The Bird Hall was great - check the ceilings. 

Quake City in ReStart Mall is run by the Museum and we found it a powerful evocation of the devastating experience.  Their Rebuild Tour added much to our understanding and was conducted very professionally.

The Botanic Gardens were extensive, featuring many huge trees, great floral displays and a small lake.

 Christchurch has succeeded in putting a bright face amid the ruins of the central city.  Interesting to  tourists but locals are not flocking to new or restored commercial ventures, partly because they are tied to leases in other areas and traffic problems as roads are closed for reconstruction.  A Festival of Flowers included a viewing point for the ruined Cathedral.

Viewing point for Cathedral

Bodies couchant inside

Old shops repaired after quake - customers??

Re:Start Mall makes innovative use of shipping containers but at 5pm few people are around.

Cathedral Junction

Resting on our Cathedral Square walk

We drove east to Lyttleton which surprised us with its very steep streets above the harbour and the earthquake damage not apparent from a distance.  Many older homes on stumps fared better than others - easier to repair.
The water views make this area attractive.

Governors Bay

We spent a very pleasant long weekend at Lewis Pass with Matthew, Lisa and Veronica.  Our accommodation at the motel was very comfortable and the scenery superb.  Lewis Pass is about 2.5 hours west of Christchurch and has an elevation around 890m.  There are several good walking trails in the area.

Alfred River

Leave no stone unturned

Tarn on Alpine Walk

Veronica is Little Red Riding Hood

But, Mummy, Daniels River isn't too cold

Back in Christchurch we explored the suburbs, looking for scenery and birds.  A booklet on bird-watching suggested an area at Bexley, where we navigated around road blocks as roads were under repair.  Spent 30 minutes at a swamp before wondering at the absence of life in adjoining homes, most of which looked new.  Drove around and realised that this suburb was affected badly by the earthquake (800 homes here were condemned - see an example below).
We also went to Sumner, knowing nothing except that it had a beach.  Again, we were shocked by the damage and saw another way in which shipping containers were used - to stop undermined cliffs from falling on roads.

One of several houses near the church

At Sumner Esplanade, high school students were not enjoying a surf lesson on land in the bleak weather.

A drive to Banks Peninsula takes about 1.5 hours but was well worth the time. We headed for Akaroa, choosing the longer Summit Road to enjoy the views.

Looking down to Okains Bay

NZ Pigeons are BIG

Akaroa Bay

Jetty seen from Montgomery Park

 On our last day we took Veronica to the caravan park where we had stayed in a much too Kosy Kiwi cabin.  She enjoyed the playground.

 

We had a wonderful holiday in NewZealand and know there's much more to explore, especially with our lovely Christchurch family.