We had an unusual series of unexpected run-ins with the wonders of nature, both out on our daily roaming and in our backyard. The banner at the top of this post shows the pageant of turtles out sunning themselves at Airlie Gardens during our visit this week. The annual highlight is the azaleas in bloom.Continue reading “A week of Nature’s surprises”
Tag Archives: Birds
We find adventure in Wilmington NC
On Sunday, we made the drive from Virginia Beach, VA to Wilmington, NC. It’s a 4 1/2 hour drive according to Googlemaps, but we stop a bit more frequently than it does. We were settled in our new house by the end of the day. It’s the most playful place we’ve ever stayed. The spaceContinue reading “We find adventure in Wilmington NC”
Spring: Birds and Flowers in Virginia Beach
We’ve spent a lot of time visiting parks this month as the weather shifted toward spring and warmer temperatures. There are miles of trails through state and city parks, national wildlife reserves, and beaches. We’ve visited a few markets and museums, yet at this time of year, the outdoors is the place to be. TheContinue reading “Spring: Birds and Flowers in Virginia Beach”
Wild Ponies
We try not to drive more than two hours from our home base unless we’re going to stay the night. We pushed our limit to get from Virgina Beach to Chincoteague, a few miles shy of the Maryland border. We wanted to see the town, visit Assateague Beach and see the famed ponies. We droveContinue reading “Wild Ponies”
In Search of the Shore
From the activities I described in my previous post, you might think Bainbridge Island is one big village full of performance spaces. Not at all. What has surprised us most is how heavily forested the island is. Where I think there will be grassy space, even near the beach, tall trees and undergrowth thick withContinue reading “In Search of the Shore”
River of Birds
It’s migration season and over the past few days there have been birds flying south along the coast. Overhead there is a constant line or V- or swarm of gulls, terns, pelicans, and other birds making their way past us. Yesterday, we were amazed by the sheer number of birds flying overhead. At one point,Continue reading “River of Birds”
High Noon Birding Society: Australian Cockatoos
One of our goals in visiting Australia was to see as many of the cockatoos as possible. We heard that in some places there were so many cockatoos in city parks that they became a pest. We wanted to see that many cockatoos. And we did. As we traveled around the country, we tried toContinue reading “High Noon Birding Society: Australian Cockatoos”
Winter Solstice in New Brighton
Welcome to this post on our current home in New Brighton, New South Wales. This is also my 500th post on Llywindatravels.com (Where does the time go?) Thank you for reading and joining me on our travels. I hope you’ll keep coming back. It’s been just over five years since we retired and set outContinue reading “Winter Solstice in New Brighton”
Riflebirds share Breakfast at Cassowary House
I read about Cassowary House online and it sounded like an unusual place to stay overnight and do some birdwatching. This small, family-run guesthouse just above Kuranda is set in a thick patch of rainforest, with frequent visits from local birds, including a cassowary or two. We’ve seen cassowary in the zoo and animal parks,Continue reading “Riflebirds share Breakfast at Cassowary House”
High Noon Birdwatching Society, Tasman Division
We knew the birds would be different in Australia, but we didn’t realize how quickly we would see them. On one of our first afternoons in Tasmania, driving home across dry, sandy colored farmland, we swerved to a halt to see a flock of cockatoos! If you haven’t been to Australia you will never seeContinue reading “High Noon Birdwatching Society, Tasman Division”