FIRST IMPRESSIONS...

There's something wondrous about seeing something for the first time and since moving to Maleny, I seem to have had more than my fair share of them.  Here are a few of my favourites, some which I've already posted about here, here or here...

3 "first" butterflies taken through my window not long after I moved in. From left:  Green banded blue, White blue-line and a Macleays Swallowtail.

 I do love a pretty butterfly...

I had seen some tiny birds flitting around my trees but had a lot of difficulty trying to get a decent shot of them, because of their size, wind blowing the branches in and out of focus and their quickness. I couldn't even tell what they were. I was very excited to get this snap of a brown thornbill after playing hide and seek with them...

Eastern yellow robin spotted at Ewen Maddock Dam at Landsborough, where there is a great walk and now, I've observed while driving past, even has public toilets.

 My favourite "first" has to be my first sighting of a platypus in the wild.

I've spotted them in several spots around town now and was surprised at how small they are. There was concern that when Woolworths moved into town some years ago, building on the creek which meanders through Maleny, that the platypus would die out. Doesn't seem to be the case, fortunately.

Thanks to my eagle eyed daughter I was treated to my first azure kingfisher. Absolutely stunning plumage on them, and again, very small.  I've not seen another since that azure letter day. 

The large trees outside my windows are visited by many different birds, so far I've counted 19 different species. Of course, that includes many very common birds like magpies, crows and sparrows.

 So I was very pleased to see a bird with stunning blue eyes which turned out to be a female satin bower bird. I counted six females one day and then a week or so later this male turned up wearing his black coat. 

 I heard a strange call one morning, so was out the door in a flash with the camera, scanning the trees to see what was visiting (sometimes I think I might have an obsession) and finally spotted this bar shouldered-dove hiding out on the far side of the largest tree. 

Today I ventured to Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve  where I attempted some photos of the many birds that live there. My talents were lacking in the rain forest gloom unfortunately. Blurry shots galore. Then I found this... a nesting wompoo fruit-dove. My first sighting after hearing their calls! It was too high to get a good perspective but I gave it a go. Perusing the shots when I got home I was very annoyed to find that the only shot that seemed to be not blurred was marred by a twig right in front of her eye! Curse you twig!  Will try again one day. Such colourful birds.

I'd heard of pademelons before but hadn't seen them before moving to this area. Not to be confused with paddy melons, that are used for jam etc. The ones at Mary Cairncross are very quiet, obviously very used to humans who wander the trails. Can't wait for my next "first".