great shots thank you. One bird mid size on ground - I don’t recognise species. nightjar? Very peaceful place - enjoy!
Thank you @snowgum . That’s a female Satin Bowerbird They’re completely different plumage to the males, which have a superb electric blue sheen. Both have electric blue eyes, and the males purloin blue items to decorate their bower nests, and entice the females. We’ve found their bowers littered with blue pen caps, bottle caps and other blue bits and pieces. We’ve been entertained watching the male trying to pilfer blue items from around our place that are far too big and heavy, such as our chainsaw carrier, or a section of blue on a large crate. The pair of juveniles below waiting for dad to feed them are similar to the females, but are darker brown and more darkly speckled. You can see on the last picture, an older juvenile male is starting to grow it’s blue-black adult plumage, which they only begin to do when they’re around 6 or 7 years old and beginning to reach maturity.
Someone needs to explain the difference in notation between millilitres and megalitres to whoever writes the Buller Resort Roundup.
Yesterday My Buller lost one of its own . Big Dave from Black Mountain. What a genuine man. Always there to help. Always up for a chat. My Buller and surrounding communities will miss him dearly. RIP Dave
As perfect send off as it could be. Thanks for giving him one last run. Wish I was there to ride with him one last time
What a send-off. Was just perfect, amazing job by everyone involved, tears were shed during the live stream when the boys skied him down Baldy.
watching from the mid station and see them skiing down badly followed by skiddo and groomers was one of the most moving things I have ever seen. A large group of his motorcycle mates met the hearse at Mirimbah and escorted it along the road. RIP Dave
Maybe not the right place to ask but I think someone will know: does Grocon have any connection with Mt Buller? Or are they completely separate?
The last time we were up in the mountains we’d made the most of the snowfall at the start of May, thinking it may be our one and only opportunity to see it this year. At the time, Covid almost appeared licked but how prophetic that turned out to be So it’s been a long time since we were able to access our mountain retreat (ironic, when it’s at least 20 kilometres from anyone and is the safest place to be during a pandemic not only for ourselves but for everyone else as we couldn’t have spread it to anyone, had we been infected). I'vs posted in this Banter thread rather than the summer report thread as it's photos near Buller, rather than from it. We’re hoping to plant our feet actually on Buller in another week or two Despite the months being away, the locals hadn't forgotten us and formed a welcoming committee. Even the King Parrots could hardly wait to get back on the beers. Colourful mountain wildflowers are in full bloom. The mountain views are superb Here she is Not to be outdone by the colour on the ground, the sun nad clouds got together to create some colour too. This was quite amazing, I've never seen such a vivid sunbow in Australia. Although the snowgums are next level
We're a little east of Taggerty, @wolly . It's such a privilege that the locals allow us to share their home
Great pics Will try sneak up next week for a poke around - haven't been since our brief window of freedom mid year.
thanks @mx_boarder. That was our first trip since those precious few weeks inbetween lockdowns, too. We’re making up for it now though, as we’ve also made a sneaky trip up here for a few days. I suppose that makes us a good pair of sneakers (lame Dad Joke) We're only staying at the base as there didn't seem much available on mountain. What a stunning day for it though, it’s spectacular up here today! We plan to hike around the summit at some point, perhaps catch a sunset. It sure is good to getting amongst it all again at last. I hope you enjoy it as much as we will (I’m sure you will) that first sweet glimpse Its so good to be back, thanK you for the welcome, Mansfield!
Thanks @wolly, we do. We did! That was our lunch plan for the homeward trip. No need for the fire which we’ve sat in front of during winter, and the food was equally good. Beans and goodies, Jobkeeper for the win so we can bring a little bit of Mansfield home with us I’ll continue a mini trip report here. I can’t even describe how good this week was, all the more precious in this Year of Covid. With the rainy forecast for Tuesday, we hiked up Buller on Monday afternoon not long after my previous post here. With a group of people already at Summit hut, we watched the sunset from Kofler’s instead. With thick low haze possibly from several burn offs in the valley, we knew the sunset wouldn’t be as grand as some so it didn’t bother us not to climb the rest of the way up. It wasn’t the best sunset we’ve seen here but it’s always a good day up here, especially when it’s your “once in a Blue Moon” Birthday. Before long, that Blue Moon came to my party, peering through Venetian blinds above Mt Stirling. Heaps of wildlife on the night drive down. Wombats, roos and so many deer we lost count, including a stag with a pair of massive antlers standing raodside. The sky made more of an effort the following night. Looked stunning as we wathed it surround the mountains from the base The storms that other areas experienced on Tuesday missed us. A couple of midday showers after which plenty of Delatite trout said G’day. Always only catch and release only so they're still blurping about the river pools. The morning was warm so we spent it poolside where we had quite a few locals joining us for sunbaking.
A great set of pics RNR! I love how trusting the bird life can once accustomed to human presence. It’s quite a calculated risk - as we discovered when an injured adolescent raven chose our porch and ‘us’ over mixing with bigger ravens up above the house!
sleet/snow here, I wonder if the bike buses are very full today, plenty full yesterday. Good day to catch up on the paperwork for me.
I'd wondered if it might snow today @djam. Had to turn the heater on this morning at home, and I can't remember the last time we had to do that in December! @snowgum , it sure is wonderful to befriend these beautiful creatures. Rosellas are notoriously timid, and I’ve managed to gain the trust of one over these past months of lockdown. We’re fortunate to live on a little bit of land, so other people can’t hear me, but it’s a little known fact that I’m fluent in speaking parrotese If it’s not snowing, last week was stunning mountain weather, Mother Nature turned up the dial to spectacular. Cloudless deep blue from horizon to horizon, beauty in every direction. An early start on one of our days, only 2 degrees in the village at 8am. Colder than it sometimes is in winter. The clear cloudless sky accounts for the the crisp starts which were perfect for hiking. A little part of me thinks spring and autumn may be just as scenic as winter. According to SM (Soul Mate) we hiked every single Buller trail, twice over. SM is not a skier or into long hikes, so I encouraged and praised by saying things like, Well done you, there’s not many who could hike the whole mountain in a day, and twice over that’s for sure. (We actually only hiked the loop to Corn Hill that day, and just the once) Wildlflowers spread splashes of colour across the mountain. Showy blues pinks and vivid yellows to the tiniest little white ones. The tip of my finger is beside these microscopic things as an indication of size. Delicate ferns unfurled new growth.Love the iridescent wings on the photobombing bug We saw a couple of the gorgeous green Macleay's Swallowtail butterflies but they just flitted so quickly and didn't settle so I couldn't get a picture. I only managed to get one of the common Forest Brown
Thanks @snowgum . Speaking of which, I could admire the mountain's majestic snowgums all day. The colours, textures and shapes are incredibly beautiful. I love the shadow cast by this one Ths pair appears to be saying May I have this dance? The natural sculptures outshine the manmade ones, some by a long shot. It may be “renown” and world travelled, but I thought the gender stereotypes of this sculpture went out with Medieval times. The Powder-hound in front, the "little lady” ski-bunny at the back, trying to hang on keep up as though she can’t ski on her own. Really, Mt Buller? The facial expressions on the locals summed it up Thnakfully there are plenty of natural views that make up for the sculpture.
Awesome pics, keep them coming. Great to see even if there is no snow around! Really missed the Mountain this year, sigh!
Beautiful!! Any chance I can share on Buller's social stories please? Can credit / no credit whatever you prefer.
thanks @MickM , it felt like a physical ache not to be there most of this year, not just psychological. It was fantastic to be up there again although this trip will have to sustain us now until the worst of summer is over. Bring on 2021. Thank you @Dave Clark . I've sent you a Private Message
