If one day I see a small bird and recognize it, a thin thread will form between me and the bird.If I just see it and don’t really recognize it, there is no thin thread. If I go out tomorrow and see and really recognize the same individual small bird again, the thread will thicken and strengthen just a little. Every-time I see and recognize that bird, the thread strengthens. Eventually it will grow into a string, then a cord and finally a rope. This is what it means to be a Bushman. We make ropes with all aspects of the creation in this way.
I awoke to a quietness among the birds outside my window. Unlike the usual chatter among the sparrows, the minor birds and of course the magpies. All was silent. Nothing alarmed me to start with . Maybe the change in weather? I didn’t even see them when I first went outside to prepare the maggies dog biscuits or again while waiting for my cuppa to brew. It was then I looked up and saw the kookaburras! Four of them, making their way along the power lines adjacent the vacant field looking for bugs and mice in the over grown grass. One came down and sat on the lines leading from the shed to the main power pole almost 20 feet from me. I stood there drinking my hot cup of tea watching them for almost 20 minutes, until the one closest to me flew straight threw the yard in front of me. The remainder moved further up the lines to more productive hunting grounds. The maggies returned and one in particular always flies down to greet me Ive named her piglet. Shes always hungry and I went back inside to see if there were any left over food scraps, since the biscuits weren’t soaked enough to feed them. Once again they had all disappeared. Looking up 15 feet in the power lines directly above me was another Kookaburra. I must have stood there watching people pass using the walking track unaware of what was going on above their heads as the kingfisher preened oblivious to all around. I had never realized how much of a calming effect of just standing there watching a kingfisher preen for 15 minutes would be. Until an alarm call from an erratic swallow alerted the kookaburra to some unknown menace and it disappeared as mysteriously as it first came to me.
working the power linesa good way to start the day watching huntingsentinel behaviorsitting above my head preening
I remember being told once that Australia actually had six seasons and not four. Bush Seasons in fact!Which ends up being an over simplification. I thought that will be easy looking up and researching. However that would depend on which part of the country you actually lived. All of them having different interpretations of calendar revolving around weather patterns and when differing species of animals and fish were available to hunt or plant species were ready to harvest. I couldn’t find much for the southern and eastern states but I’m still looking.
Gulumoerrgin/Larrakia people from the Darwin region in the Northern Territory
Ngan’gikurunggurr (Ngan’gi), MalakMalak and Wagiman people from the Daly River region in the Northern Territory
Tiwi people from the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin in the Northern Territory
Kunwinjku people from western Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory
Gooniyandi and Walmajarri people from the Fitzroy River area in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Ngadju people from the Great Western Woodlands region in south-west Western Australia
Kundjeyhmi people from the Ngurrungurrudjba (Yellow Water) region in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.
South West Climate Example
Birak | December – January
Known as the season of fire and the young, Birak is very hot and dry. Burning of scrub was once done to encourage new shoots to grow.
Bunuru | February – March
Long days and short nights signify Bunuru,the hottest of the six seasons. Traditionally this was, and still is, a great time for living and fishing by the coast, rivers and estuaries.
Djeran | April – May
Djeran is marked by cooler nights, dewy mornings and when leaves fall to the ground. Ngari (salmon) are prolific.
Makuru | June – July
Makuru is the coldest season with rain, storms and long nights. There is good hunting of yongka (kangaroo), wetj (emu), kaarda (goanna),
koomal (possum) and kwenda (bandicoot).
Djilba | August – September
Djilba is a transitional time of the year, with some very cold and clear days combined with warmer, rainy and windy days. You’ll notice budding djet (flowers) and koola (emu plum) start to fruit. It’s also a great time to catch some djildjit(fish).
Kambarang | October – November
Kambarang sees longer and warmer days and less rain. The djet are in full bloom and plants used for mereny (food), medicine, crafts, tools, kaal (fire) and ceremony are collected.
I managed 15 kms yesterday and didn’t pull up very well. The legs seized up on me later in the day I had trouble getting in and out of the car. I did 25 kms today, so I’m not looking forward to a few hours time. I found another track the day before I really wanted to check out and the weather was too nice to turn back when I should have.
I started chatting to another cyclist and found another way to where the tracks meet up on either side of the river. Ive gone from doing one side of the river and having to use the electric motor to make it home to minimally using the motor for a boost for the knee and now doing a complete circuit of both sides .
That track has shown me where to get better pictures of the Grey Headed Fruit Bats. I thought I must have been loosing my touch. I wasn’t looking out for spots to stealth camp. I found some really pretty spots.
It looks like I am living in Gunaikurnai Country. The Gunaikurnai or Gunai/Kurnai people, are an Aboriginal Australian nation of south-east Australia. They are the Traditional Custodians of most of present-day Gippsland and much of the southern slopes of the Victorian Alps. The Gunaikurnai nation is composed of five major clans. The five clans that make up the Gunaikurnai community: The Brabralung people of Central Gippsland The Brayakaulung people around the current site of Sale The Brataualung people in South Gippsland The Tatungalung people near Lakes Entrance on the coast The Krautungalung people near the Snowy river. The creation story of the Gunaikurnai features Borun the Pelican. The first Gunai was Borun the Pelican, who ventured down from the mountains and reached the flat country, carrying a bark canoe on his head. As he was walking, he heard a constant tapping sound and tried to find where it was coming from. When he finally reached the waters of the inlet (near what is now known as Port Albert), he put his canoe down and was surprised to find a woman sitting in it. She was Tuk the Musk Duck and they fell in love, becoming the parents of all the Gunai. In scientific terms, evidence of human occupation at Cloggs Cave near Buchan, has been dated at up to 17,000 years, while occupation at New Guinea Cave in the same area has been dated to over 20,000 years.
Ive now developed three separate sit spots. One in particular is just to watch the flying foxes or fruit bat colony near my home. It takes me a 4kms bike ride to reach it and I can only watch from the opposite side of the river. I’m hoping to try and find an alternative route to the other side to capture closer pictures. I’m finding them absolutely fascinating.Ive also found a burrow I believe belongs to a fox. Ive placed a stick over the entrance to see if its still being habitated. There are lots of signs in the area saying snakes live in this area. Particularly Tiger Snakes, so holes in the ground are no go zones. I wasn’t sure what species of fruit bat they were until looking up my area and found them to be an actual tourist attraction of the township. Pictures below.
If you don’t think this applies to bushcraft then try using a firebow for the first time! Amor fati = Acceptance + Patience + Action. Be present and check your perception. I probably read too much however I find things that I apply outside the box that I think others may find of interest. When your stuck in the bush for the first time and out of your comfort zone. Mindset is the key to making it an enjoyable experience!
The first season of Alone Australia is premiering in 2023, in which ten people are dropped in the Tasmanian wilderness, totally alone and with only a handful of equipment and tools, and forced to survive.
Three women and seven men make up the first Alone Australia cohort, hailing from NSW, ACT, TAS, SA, and VIC (our theory is that it’s too cold for Queenslanders, Territorians, and West Aussies).
Walked out the front door to have breakfast after my morning bike ride and a magpie flew down and sat on the hand rail. The baby maggie walked along the hand rail toward me and came to a stop at the upright and peered around the post looking at me. Then hopped down to the table and back up and again onto the opposite side of the post. Then I thought alright here’s a piece of toast and placed it a foot away from me. I didn’t look at the maggie, only out the corner of my eye until he finally grabbed the toast and promptly dropped it off the side into the garden bed. Where I had to fish it out with a tent pole until he could reach it from behind the plants.
cheeky maggie this one has an injured foot
Magpies are smarter than most people think. I was telling this story to a mate that does voluntary work for wildlife rescue and he told me that many people feed mince to wild birds.However the mince doesn’t have enough calcium in the meat and the birds beaks eventually break down. Your better off feeding them dog biscuits with a higher calcium content. The larger ones soaked in water. I saw a bin at the local supermarket for donations of pet food to the dog rescue in the town. I was going to grab a cheap bag of feed to place in there next shopping day but I think Ill grab a second bag for the magpies. Last night they flew down wanting to be fed. I hadn’t given them any left overs for two days and they seemed starved. They usually leave bread alone for the smaller birds but they actually fought over a few slices of bread. There’s been no rain in a few days maybe the worms and bugs have gone to ground.
kookaburras hunting
Update 07 MAR
size of a pinky finger nail unsoaked
Brought the dog biscuits, $13 for a large bag of no brand name. Two bags one for the rescue donation bin and another for the birds. I tried throwing out a handful for a test but they were too hard and had to soak them.
they actually like themsoaked up to thumb nail size much softer
