Greenie, Birdo, Foodie, and Karaoke nut

I guess I lied.


Hey, this isn't so bad.


Ah, now I remember why I said that.


Aww crap.


Of course, I made it across and back again. Currently starting to upload lots of Broome pics so expect more. I promise they will be smaller/cut in the future. This sequence is too damn good to cut though.

Stu just broke the news to me.
Seeing as my contract has ended, I am no longer covered by BBO's insurance.
Thus I technically should not be using the BBO vehicles.

Fuck.

I had plans, which involved me driving somewhere.

If I'd known I would have booked an earlier flight home. 3 days of sitting around was not on my to do list.

Well, it's my last day as an employee of BBO. Did the obligatory last shorebird tour this morning which was okay - would be been better if I'd people who were actually interested.

Now just sitting around vegging. Mudding is at 3, then after the sorting that'll be it.

Trying to figure out how I'm gonna bet on the Cup.

And tomorrow will be my last day on. Wow. I made it.

Just tried rice milk. It's not half bad.

Went exploring around Coconut Wells this morning. Saw a pair of beach stone curlew. There is still quite a bit of reef there so I may still get there at low tide and explore. Also have the Port reef to do before I go. May do one of them this afternoon - but right now it's hot so I might retreat back to my room and air-con. It's starting to feel like a holiday finally. :)

For Chrissakes people you are not going to get bird flu from LOOKING at birds. It is a disease most potent among high density poultry farms, not wild passerines or low density migratory waders.

Geez.

Just explained to a visitor that the blue and white flycatcher - a bird seen here, which was one of the 3 sightings for Australia - is from south-east Asia. Her response "Oh you know what THEY carry!" *rolls eyes*
I just had to say, "Well if it sneezes on you then start worrying."

There is a border dispute going on just outside the office window.

Two male rufous whistlers calling loudly and bobbing up and down and generally posturing. It's wonderful to watch.

Aww, and there are those two young honeyeaters that despite being fully fledged STILL bug mum for food 24/7.

Both the rufous whistler and singing honeyeater are common around Perth, so I won't miss them. I must say I think the Singer is one of my favourites.

Took my crates into Nexus today to go on a truck back to Perth. Now the guy there had quoted me "around $60" for 2 crates and maybe a cardboard box. I e-mailed and was quoted "around $80" for the 3 crates and the box. I got charged a little less than $50 all up - nice.

Last night Stu had the crackpot idea of going onto the plains to look for grass owl. Nevermind the fact that grass owl haven't been reported there for over a year and we have no spotlights! So anyway, we went out, I got a lungful of dust again (we'd gone out the morning the day before - and got about a hundred yellow chats so it was very successful).

We drove all the way out to Kidneybean. We drove off the track. Stu proceeded to do a lot of turns and figure eights that made me rather disoriented. So I reassured myself.
- He CAN'T be dumb enough to so deliberatley get us lost out here, he's gotta know where he is.
- He was a scout.
- He was a scout, in Africa (useful when driving around cows that like to take on cars, Stu is used to elephants).
- He's generally the adventure type and knows what to do in the wilderness.
- I know Mars is vaguely to the east and Pleaides is northish.
- We have the satellite phone. I can stretch out and sleep on the backseat till morning.

It got to a point where even Stu was scratching his head and wondering where the track out was. I was thinking, even if we do find a track who knows if it's the right one? This is a claypan, there aren't really any distinguishing features. After a while he jumped out of the car with a torch and had a run around. Then came back declaring he should have trusted his instincts and drove out to a track not very far away - it was the right one.

No grass owls (but who knows what those birds fluttering off in our peripheral vision were?) We did get 5 red-capped plovers on the claypan, which was just weird.

I think I'm suffering a case of going home anxiety.

I'm so excited to be going home back to everyone and everything. Things between me and Matt are better than ever and I have visions of things being wonderful when I return.

And then I'm terrified of getting back and it not being so.

"What sort of bird baths are they?"


Uhhh, ones with water in them?

This is just me saying I'm awfully homesick and the next 13 days are gonna be the longest ever.

I miss Matt
I miss Phantom
I miss everyone
I miss karaoke

So, a few events when I get home
- Sushi at Jaws (date to be announced)
- Karaoke on November 4th at KK's. I am gonna be a singing and dancing MACHINE. It has been way too long.
- Oktober party