Before the project began, I had about five free days in Brisbane with members of the work crew. We rented a car one day to head up to parts outside the "ten block radius" some of us had been stuck in. During one of the trips, we got to see perhaps the most colorful bird I have ever seen, the Rainbow Lorikeet, in spades. This was taken at Thunderbird Park.
Well, while in Brisbane, me and the gang did various things. Our last night before the project, we all went out for our last "real" meal, knowing we had only a two burner stove for 8 person meals. This picture was taken that night, heading back to the hostel.
Two months at the field site produced a lot of images. It isn't hard to decide on those that will be my strongest impressions. First, of course, would be the large quantity of gear we would carry on our routes. Day pack plus battery on the A-Frame. Later we would add a bird blind to the mix, as well.
Daily, I would walk to each of my four bowers twice, more or less along a straight line route. I doubled back a lot. I covered 10 miles every day, 5 miles on Friday, our half day. Every morning, on the way to bower 45, I would encounter Kangaroos. I never got tired of their unique pose. And once they got used to me, they would just stand, chew, and stare. Seeing joeys of all ages with their moms will stick with me forever.
Finally, the view I had every day, at the end of the day, after finishing my route. When I walked down this hill, I would always pause and reflect on how lucky I was to be there. In spite of the 40 degree heat (= 100 F). The intense sun. The long days. The sometimes boring blind stints. The paralysis ticks. The flies. The same routine every day. Some people pay to experience this; I had someone pay me. This is definitely NOT your typical work place. And knowing when I got to the bottom, a hot meal and friendly faces and perhaps a refreshing creek dip were waiting.As a short side note, the one day that really sticks in my mind was the first time we did our fully scheduled activities. It turns out I had equipment problems that day. Normally, when I would walk down this hill, it would be around four in the afternoon. As a result of needing to repair equipment, combined with measuring one bower, and mapping another, I was not walking down this hill until around 7 pm, very close to full darkness, meaning my work day was nearly 14 hours long.
Yet, I was smiling.
Of course, being a bird watcher, at least one bird had to leave a lasting impression. In spite of all the time watching the Satin Bowerbirds, the numerous parrots and cockatoos and magpies, this guy, the Superb Fairy Wren, will stick in my mind. For it's friendly personality, vivid colors, and constant cheeriness. One couldn't have a bad day when you saw one of these a few feet away.
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