I shall return

I've taken some nasty punches this year. Feels like I've done ten rounds with bloody Mike Tyson and four halves against the All Blacks.

And it ain't over yet, neither. I've still got some serious legal shit to deal with. Looks like I'll get that refund on that gold brick my father bought but there's more work to do on it.

Anyways, this is not a goodbye post. I just need some headspace. I'll be back at the end of the month with pictures of wooden boats from the Putt Putt Regatta.

Comments and email will be answered (eventually) and I might even get time to catch up on my blogroll.


Stone Curlew update

The Council won't mind my pasting most of their update about the stone curlew:

"Gosford Council has called for the cooperation of Peninsula residents as the endangered bush stone-curlew enters its breeding season. ...

Only 20 of the birds are thought to exist on the Central Coast and the Peninsula is thought to be home to at least one breeding pair.

Guidelines for their treatment during the breeding season:

Dogs, foxes and cats to be kept away from these birds at all times.

Adequate habitat needed to be protected and maintained in the area.

This include[s] sufficient fallen timber being left on the ground as the Bush Stone-curlew required logs for camouflage when roosting or nesting and for foraging for insects.

No fertiliser, insecticide or herbicide should be used in areas used by the birds.

Mowing of grass areas near nest sites should cease until eggs hatch.

Disturbance to the birds should be limited... This may be supported by installing temporary or permanent fencing around the nesting site.

If a nest was abandoned before the eggs hatch, residents should contact Ms Bennetts at the Council offices or contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service Gosford office. ...

This bird is easily recognised as it stands 50-60cm tall with long legs, mottled brown, white and grey plumage, a short, dark beak and a large yellow eye.

It tends to stand or lie motionless in woodlands where it is well camouflaged during the day and becomes active between dusk and dawn while foraging for food.

Its presence is more often indicated by a wailing 'weer-lo' call after dark.

The breeding season usually [begins] around August or September with a noisy courtship.

When preparing for breeding, bush stone-curlews begin to call more frequently and will be seen regularly at their chosen nest site until a clutch is laid.

A pair may have one or two clutches per breeding season containing one or two well-camouflaged brown speckled chicken egg sized eggs.

Eggs are laid directly on bare ground and the site is typically near the edge of open grassy woodland.

The incubation period is between 22 and 30 days after which the nest site will be abandoned.

The parents feed the chick until it is four weeks old and it will be eight to 10 weeks before the chick can fly.

Until this stage, the chick is extremely vulnerable to predation.

The parents may also chase the chick away one to two weeks before attempting to lay a second clutch in the same or nearby site.

The bush stone-curlew (burhinus grallarius) is listed as endangered on Schedule 1 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. ...

Recovery Plan and further information about bush stone-curlews

For further information or to report abandoned nests, contact Ms Bennetts at Gosford Council on 4325 8844 or the National Parks and Wildlife Service Gosford office on 4320 4280.

Media release, 10 Oct 2007 Nikki Bennetts, Gosford Council" (Full thingy in local rag)

Veron Road

(Random walkies)



Strelitzia (Strell-it-zee-uh) also known as Bird-of-Paradise, proper name Strelitzia reginae. It comes from South Africa and belongs to the banana family (Musaceae). Seriously.

I was going to post you some close-ups but Flickr's having some sort of fit. See if you can get there.



Sheep & veg garden in the Umina High School's hands-on department.

Some dickheads jumped the fence a couple of months back and killed one of the pigs.



Tiny piece of bush opposite the High School's sheep (behind camera), backing onto the Catholic primary school in Meacham Way and across from the golf course (right of photo) (Map). It is also the home of the Stone Curlew.

This photo will have to be added to my Gone photos in a while. The church got the go-ahead to clear it and bung up some luxury villas. Because Woy Woy's so short of luxury villas.

The bulldozers will be moving in soon and after that we may never hear the Stone Curlew again. That pisses me off because I like hearing its weird midnight call.