M is for Nuisance

 

bird in grass with yellow beak and stilt like legs
Nuisance #1. The Masked Lapwing

These plovers are all over the place and are always vocalizing. The noise is a high pitched caw. They are always concerned or finding fault and need to voice their opinion. They are great at having cute little chicks but this means more vocalizing. I see them on rooftops but mostly on the ground and yelling. They do fly (obviously) but I don't see them flying enough to readily recognize them. 

I didn't get any good pics of this years chicks but here is one from last year

small fluffy chick

While mostly shorebirds, we have seen them a fairways inland!

Nuisance #2. The Magpie

black and white bird with large beak

A magpie alert map exists. They apparently come in different forms, including aggressive swoopers. We saw one of these in Canberra. It was dive bombing a lone cyclist.
map of magpie swoops

Seems to be another good reason to wear a helmet (from the magpie alert site)
magpie pecking at helmet of cyclist

This one was on the headlands near Potato Point, demanding snacks --or blood? 

black and white bird glaring at camera


The peewee (magpie lark) shares coloring but not attitude!
black and white bird with head tilted

Nuisance #3. Storms.
Gus is not a fan of stormy weather
older dog on floor being patted, looking unhappy
We finish up in Swansea early Monday morning and then go to Sydney, A friend of Scott's will put us up for a couple of days so we don't have to go back and forth between Monday am and my flight out to Seoul on Thursday.  More on Seoul later!

I managed to drop my phone in the pool so spent a good few hours on the phone trying to reconnect my US number and then a few hours updating things. Still a bit more to do but need a phone for that trip to Seoul. 

Had a videochat with Casey and Matt yesterday - they both look good. They did celebrate Halloween, even it if mostly bypassed us. Luckily it sounds like both have some candy leftover. We are currently trying to arrange a simultaneous netflix party (reminiscent of Covid times!). 

Our house buying process is moving forward! All contracts signed. Money transition on Dec 18. Hoping to connect with current owners prior to that time. They are leaving us some farm equipment and a bed along with some other things; we could move in without stuff on that date. Except we will be in South Australia in December. Still, should be easy enough. As Scott's cousin said, we have lots of time to move in and fewer opportunities to see Australia. 

Hope those of you in the USA are staying fed and housed during the government shutdown. Thinking of you all. 

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