Our World Tuesday - Remarkable Rocks

They really did have their “let’s give these places sensible names” hat on when these remarkable rocks were named.  They are called Remarkable Rocks.  If only everything was as straight forward as this!

They are on the western end of Kangaroo Island and are one of the islands most well known attractions.  These rocks have been blasted by wind, rain, salt and summer heat for 500 million years.  That’s a long time by anybodies standards.  Now busloads of tourists (and me) add the erosion of feet to the process.

I’d love to be there when I did not have to dodge and weave around the crowds, and I’m sure the crowds thought the same about me.

What is not apparent in these pictures is just how windy it was.  A significant storm system was moving up the coast and this was one of the more exposed sections.  At times it was hard to stand up, let alone think about composition or exposure. (Well I was thinking about exposure – but of the hypothermia type!)

You can find more pictures from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

You can find the latest post to my other blog by clicking on the Paying Ready Attention image on the RHS of the screen.

Enjoy the pictures.

Macro Monday - Heath Goanna

The roadsides of Kangaroo Island are rather heavily littered with road kill – wallabies, possums and kangaroos.  This supply of often less than fresh meat is highly valued by Heath Goannas.  These are one metre plus lizard of the same basic form as the Komodo Dragon. 

This individual was pulling out the intestines of a well dead wallaby.  As you can see form the images this was not a subtle operation.

You can find a full account of my encounter with this roadside horror here on my wordy blog.

You can find more marco shots at Macro Monday.

Enjoy the close ups.

SkyWatch Friday - While the kettle boils

At present my kids still get up early – and before all you parents of teenagers tell me it’s not going to last – and I try to make a virtue of necessity.  The house on Kangaroo Island had a stove top kettle complete with steam whistle.  So as the water was heating for that first, all important, cup of tea of the day I wandered outside to have a bit of a look.

As you can see it was worth it.

These have to be some of the best morning skies I have seen in a very long time.  The sky was just ablaze.

If you are interested, you can find the first of my “wordy” posts about Kangaroo Island here on my other blog.

You can find more skies from around the world at SkyWatch Friday.

Enjoy the skies (and hopefully my other blog as well!)

World Bird Wednesday - Pelican (s)

You were never very far from a Pelican on Kangaroo Island – or more precisely, never far from an Australian Pelican - Pelecanus conspicillatus.  Interestingly, the second part of this name does not mean ‘conspicuous’ (which they were!), but ‘spectacled’.  This seems to refer to the bare skin around the eyes of these huge birds.

One evening (in light rain and appalling light) I watched these birds trying to roost on long topped street lamps.  There was much squawking and squabbling, and not a small amount of falling off as well. 

In the end I stopping taking pictures – I could tell they would be not much chop – and sat back and watched. 

Anthropomorphism be dammed, they were funny and looked like slightly drunk teenagers arguing about the best seat at the bar.  

You can find more birds from around the world at the sensibly named World Bird Wednesday.

You can find the latest post to my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention image on the RHS of the page.

Enjoy the birds.

Our World Tuesday - Beach

Kingscote Bay

Too much going on this week!  Birthdays stuff, work stuff, family stuff – it’s not all good stuff, but things just have a habit of happening together.

American River

  

I had to learn to love the beach when I arrived in Australia – and it’s still a work in a progress.  But here are a few examples from Kangaroo Island showing why the beach is slowly winning.

Emu Bay

So, if you are having a week like mine, I hope these pictures will bring down the blood pressure and reduce the temptation to pour yourself just one more glass of wine.

You can find more pictures from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

Pennishaw Bay

You can find the latest post to my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention image on the RHS of the screen (although you may want to wait unit Wednesday!)

Enjoy the pictures.

Macro Monday - Kelly Hills Cave

Kelly Hill caves on Kangaroo Island are a remarkable place to visit.  They have formed within solidified sand dune systems rather than from the more typical marine limestone.   The caves are heavily ‘decorated’ – that is they have lots of stalagmites, stalactites and curtain formations.

Marco work in dull light is never that easy, but I like the light effects on the close up of the section of stalagmite.  The red colour comes from minerals dissolved in the water, or possible plant materials.

As with most “show cave” a few features have names – and this is called “The Ballet Slipper”.  Its the end of a stalactites, and it really does look like its name – which is not always the case.

You can find more close up shots at Marco Monday.