Greenery, scenery, in-betweenery

How could you wander around Tyto for almost five years and have so few pictures of the place? Well may you ask. Perhaps a bit obsessed by birds and other wildlife. Yep! Don't care much for scenery? Yep! A Green who doesn't hug too many trees? Yep!

But there's a reason for the last. There aren't many trees in Tyto worth hugging and almost no standouts of any species. It's slowly being regenerated but decades of misuse and neglect will take decades to repair.

The dominant guavas and tulip trees face the axe (and poison) but such weeds don't lie down and die without a huge fight.

Construction of a major new lagoon and boardwalk system close to the information centre has just begun. This year's major replanting effort also shifted the focus away from the main lagoon and closer to the info building. (Many tourists will not, or can not, walk the kilometre to the main lookout.)

So, having made some of my many excuses, here's a look at Tyto, but without much chocolate box (for that, go to July posts).

Scleria (Razor grass) in front of hide. Manmade treed island to north.

Black-necked Stork in the reedy shallows at northwestern end of lagoon.

Pandanus (spirals go left and right), bladey grass and open woodland.

Eastern edge of a lagoon created two years ago. White-faced Heron with fish.

Typical interlaced guavas, with rufous form of Black Butcherbird.

The dreaded tulip tree - multiply by thousands - with Helmeted Friarbird.