(and sometimes the beast!)

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13.10.16

LIFE BOTANIC...

Another walk around the Noosa Botanic Gardens at Cooroy on Lake MacDonald yielded 2 waterbirds I hadn't seen there before.  These magpie geese were resting up in the favourite resting spot of the regular pelicans and ducks.
The usual suspects sans ducks and 4 guests.
They rest with their eyes open it seems, or perhaps they are just ultra aware of me blundering around in the undergrowth looking for the perfect shot.
Far off on the furthest side of the lake I spotted this bird and when I zoomed in realised I'd not seen one before. Turns out to the a Jabiru or Black-necked Stork.  With no way to get over there I had to be content with this slightly unfocussed shot.  Nevertheless, I was happy.
Strolling around the gardens, I spotted this handsome, orange dragonfly cunningly camouflaged against some rusty looking dying flowers.
This damselfly was much harder to spot and it was even harder to get a decent shot because of his size. Too much 'traffic' in the background to focus properly but, again, happy to see him and his brilliant colours.
Speaking of brilliant colours, the Iris growing near one of the ponds are spectacular at the moment and you can see how blue they look in the close up below. There are clumps of mauve, white and cream coloured ones in other parts of the Gardens.
Also in this floral collection is a white waterlily found amongst all the purple and pink lilies, a pretty pink lily of some sort and flowers of the large Brazilian potato tree
This Australasian Darter or snake bird was sunning itself above the lake and showing his plumage off to advantage.
I just love taking photos of pelicans with their beak buried between their wings as they rest. Again, keeping an eye on me.
There are several examples of grass tree in the Gardens in varying states of growth. On the left with this fairly small tree taken from above, I almost feel as if the photo is in 3D; perhaps I've finally working out the focus? and on the right the flowers of a more mature tree with visitors. None seen that had the thick trunks we are used to seeing in the bush.

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