On our one & only bush camp experience ... on a water hole down in a gully behind the Kynuna Servo ... we had an interesting Brolga experience.
I got out of bed early to enjoy early morning overlooking a misty waterhole while I cooked my breakfast on an open fire at a just safe distance, about an awning's width from the van.
I noticed that about 100m away on the other side of the waterhole a pair of brolgas were gradually working their way down to the edge. So I got out my movie camera and with super zoom & a steady rest I began to record the event speaking/whispering into the mike.
After a bit they came over to our side and were getting nearer to the van.
I went into the van to get SWMBO to enjoy the moment & waited for her to get ready.
When we crept to the door, imagine our surprise when we saw that they had just strolled between my cooking fire & the van! I had to scare them off to save what was left of my bacon & eggs.
It seems that they were well used to having vans parked on that waterhole & took the opportunity to scrounge whatever they could from the camp.
ps. Last time we were there at a Winton CP there were a couple that do a daily stroll up to be fed by the resident park manager & wander thru the CP before going back to a bit of scrub across the highway.
edit ..
Just recalled an incident many years ago when on a shooting trip.
I got out of the car at a gate & on an open bit of land 50m or so away were several Brolgas doing a very stylised 'dance'. The only such display that I have ever seen. Pity that I didn't have a movie camera in those days.
-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 16th of July 2017 11:27:17 PM
We had 2 pair on the dam at the property we were caretaking a while back - never got pics though, too busy gawking. They are breathtaking when they dance..........
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The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
2years ago ,whilst staying at Julia Creek in Qld, we had a very friendly Brolga hop up into the caravan to help himself to a piece of bread. Quite a few pieces of bread, in fact! When I decided he needed to get out of our van and shooed him a bit, he hopped out. I closed the wire door to watch him, but he was not at all happy about being ousted. He proceed to pick our green rubber matting up and jump angrily onto it several times. Very amusing and quite a gathering of onlookers by then. He eventually wandered off to the water with an audience watching.
