Who turned out the lights? (and more importantly, the air conditioning!)
You may have heard in the news that ALL of North Queensland (from Townsville up to the tip at Cape York) was blacked out from 5.30 last night. That’s over 700,000 homes and everything else without power. We tried the radio in the cars to find out what was happening but even the stations were’nt transmitting anything but static.
At first it was rather Robinson Crusoe, with candles alight and chatting to people in the street. But once the lack of Air Conditioning kicked in, it lost it’s romantic appeal pretty quickly. My neighbour said that after he checked his fuse box, he went to see if my air conditioners were running. When he saw a still fan, he knew the power must be out everywhere. Operating air conditioners are the one constant in my household, after all I need my AC in the Tropics!
So to “escape the heat” we headed down to one of our spots by the beach, the place where I get my fancy frozen cocktails-in-a-martini-glass. It’s an almost new $4 million building, so surely they had their own genny. Nope. With only one cash register operating on batteries that were fast running out, the call was for “LAST ROUND”.
“What about first round?” I asked.
“As they’re your first drinks, on the house!” was the reply.
Sipping from deliciously icy glasses, chatting on the balcony overlooking the beach, blackouts were not so bad after all.
But as it was getting dark, the orders were given to lock up and leave. This was the story all over the city. The whole area was deepest black.
Except for one shining light in the darkness - the Golf Course Clubhouse has a genny the size of a whale, so onwards for more refreshments and most needed AC! A lovely evening in spite of everything.
The power returned later in the evening, and the sort-of explanation today is that a bird’s nest was the culprit. Amazing.
So in keeping with the theme, here are some recent nest builders that have kept me enthralled.
You may remember a previous post where this Willy Wagtail was busily constructing this nest.
Can you see what is sticking out from underneath the white belly feathers?
Two hungry beaks squawking.
As soon as the parents flew away to find food, the little beaks closed, heads drooped and they dropped off to sleep. But as soon as the parents returned, they stretched those beaks wide and clamoured and wailed like any hungry child. All with their eyes closed.
The chores of parents are the same the world over.
Now here’s another sort of nest, and not the traditional kind. More like “where ever I lay my eggs, that’s my home”.
I’ve not seen speckled eggs in the wild before. The mother was standing not far off, and we thought it odd that she wasn’t running away, until we spied her treasures. We quickly moved off and she was blissful once again.
They still look Jurassic, those Bush Stone Curlews. Waaaaailing away every night, outside the bedroom window, for all the world sounding like they are committing/witnessing bloody murder.
I think we’ve almost kinda used to it now. Almost.
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I did see it on the news Cindy and you were the first person I thought of…..I wondered how on earth is Cindy going to cope without air conditioning…..lol
Thank goodness for the golf club….
Those baby birds are something I could do with right about now…..Self explanatory in my post as to why…..
Hope you`re nice and cool now….Next week it looks like we are in for a heat wave…40 degree days…How wonderful!!!!
Enjoy your weekend….
No air con. That hurts. Thank goodness for the Golf Club genny. How did the freezer manage?
The willy wagtail shots are terrific. Those curlews can drive you bonkers.
hey Cindy……been away for a long, long weekend……can only just phone surf the net…could read most of the text here but not the photos….
some of them are a bit ewwww…..that poor gecko…
that nasty mosquito…..as if there needs to be anything else up that way…..it doesnt sound so good though - the reports say it will travel down the coast - mossies love me (and Lauren)…
Cheers….and Vodkas……Kim
OH MY GOD!!! No air-con. I dont know how you did it. I would have sat in the shower all day. Love the willy wagtails. so cutie. Just like a little Jez xx
Hope the power has been holding on…… Love those willy wagtail nests, great photos. Those curlew “nests” seem pretty casual though!
Thanks everyone for your thoughts.
Heatwaves across the continent, stay cool everyone!
PS. I’m all for casual nesting too.
Sorry….I would have been much further away from the spider than you were. I cant stand them. Hmmm….. Man-eating fish I can deal with. Now I head this morning that CROCS are being caught your way. Will wait to see a pic xxx