Posted on September 9, 2022September 13, 2022 by Ken Banks

Birdlife on the NSW North Coast

Bird life at Crescent Heads, Woolgoolga & Lennox Heads.

Having returned from our holiday on the NSW North Coast, the following are a few bird pics I took. The bird life species can differ a little as you move from area to area and I came across some interesting species on our travels along the NSW North Coast areas.

Some species I had never before seen / photographed; such as Helmeted Guineafowl, Spangled Drongo’s, Scaly Breasted Lorikeets, Cattle Egrets and a female Brown-Quail.

Click on images to enlarge

Helmeted-Guineafowl @ Woolgoolga

Australian-Bush-Turkey, male @ Woolgoolga

Australian-Bush-Turkey, female @ Woolgoolga

Spangled-Drongo @ Lennox Heads

Rainbow-Bee-Eater @ Lennox Heads

Scaly-Breasted-Lorikeets @ Woolgoolga

Rainbow-Lorikeets @ Crescent Heads

Cattle-Egret on farmland near Crescent Heads

Brown-Quail-female @ Lennox Heads

Pied-Butcherbird @ Woolgoolga

Pied-Currawong @ Woolgoolga

Satin-Bowerbird-male @ Coffs Harbour

Satin-Bowerbird-female @ Coffs Harbour

Welcome-Swallow @ Crescent Heads

White-Cheeked-Honeyeater @ Lennox Heads

Lewins-Honeyeater @ Lennox Heads

Noisy-Friarbird @ Lennox Heads

Destination Mollymook Milton Ulladulla

Ken B., Mollymook Beach Waterfront: Editor for Mollymook News, Destination Mollymook Milton Ulladulla and Mollymook Ocean Swimmers

Posted on August 2, 2020August 2, 2020 by Ken Banks

Bird Photography: Crescent Heads July 2020

Regent-Bowerbird

Sightings of the above ‘Regent Bowerbird’ are usually very rare. This pic was my sole sighting over 7 days at Crescent Heads, ‘it was there one moment and gone the next’. Reportedly one of the quietest Bowerbirds, seldom calling away from the bower, usually just soft grating calls.

I would spend about an hour each morning photographing the local bird life that were relatively few in number due to the winter months and I am sure would be more plentiful during spring. Most mornings were spent at a variety of areas surrounding the Crescent Head beach, mainly north and south sides, although on one morning I took a drive to Hat Head and walked around the headland, but being closer to mid-day I only saw a few birds in the Hat Head National Park. Birds that were new to me included the ‘White-cheeked-Honeyeater’, (I thought it was a Yellow Faced Honeyeater like we have down here in the Morton National Parks.) Nor was I familiar with the ‘Fantail-Cuckoo’, the ‘Masked-Lapwing’, the ‘Brown-Thornbill’ and the ‘Rufous-Whistler’. A very pretty bird and there were many of them was the ‘Welcome-swallow’. I hope you enjoy looking at the different species.

I would like to acknowledge bird enthusiast Charles Dove who helped me identify the various bird types.

Best to click and make the pics bigger

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Posted on May 26, 2019May 26, 2019 by Ken Banks

Winners & Finalist on Day 4 at Crescent Heads

The Winners and Finalist in a great day of Long Board Surf Competition

Today we witnessed the best against the best at Crescent Heads in their annual long board competition. Clubs represented included: Burleigh Heads Long Board Club, Noosa Qld., Manly, Old Bar, Skenes Creek Vic., Shellharbour, Coffs Harbour, Mermaid Beach Qld. to name a few. One competitor who was runner-up in the Open Male category had 2 or 3 weeks earlier surfed the infamous ‘Shipstern Bluff’, the notorious surfing slab of Tasmania that plays host to the best big wave surfers in the world.

Final events postponed from yesterday saw a 6.20 am start today. The finals ran continuously at 20 minute intervals. The commentator mentioned that in surf board competition the judging is subjective. That explanation helped me understand why some whom I thought were brilliant were placed 2nd rather than first. Thankfully there was no ‘sheep station’ at stake for the winner.

The pics below are just a sample of finalist and winners this morning.

Click on pics to enlarge throughout

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Posted on May 25, 2019 by Ken Banks

Day 3: Crescent Heads Long Board Comp.

Tom Bennett, Grandson of Barry Bennett Surf Boards representing the Manly Long Boarders

Day 3: A beautiful Autumn day, blue sky and no wind throughout the morning albeit the surf was again small. However all competitors were contesting these events in similar conditions. All afternoon finals were postponed until tomorrow Sunday with the first event scheduled for 6.20 am. It was a challenge this morning taking pics looking into the sun and glare off the water. So tomorrow’s finals will be somewhat similar for photography, we are just hoping the surf is more suitable for the finals for all age groups.

Speaking to Tom Bennett this morning he reminded me that his Dad Greg was getting married in Hawaii this weekend. Greg and Tom use to stay at Mollymook Beach Waterfront and Beach View during Tom’s teenage years. I met Greg’s partner at Glenelg last November and again in March at the Aussie Surf Championships. A lovely lady and we wish them all the best. I also had the chance to meet up with some of the youngsters in the large contingent of surfers up from the Manly Long Boarders club. They featured in yesterday’s Day 2 post.

Finals throughout Sunday morning and the presentation following at the Crescent Heads Country Club. (A big day)

Click on pics to enlarge throughout

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Posted on May 24, 2019 by Ken Banks

Day 2: Crescent Heads Long Board Comp.

Annual Crescent Heads Long Board Surfing Competition – Day 2.

Day 2 of the long board comp. began just after sunrise at 7.00 am and once again continued uninterrupted throughout the day till 4.00 pm. The contestants who had travelled from up and down the NSW coast as well as from Qld. and Victoria were to experience relatively flat surf conditions that deteriorated throughout the day as a slight nor-east wind prevailed.

Nonetheless full marks to the contestants who persevered and demonstrated their surfing skills albeit in poor conditions.

Click on pics to enlarge throughout

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Posted on May 23, 2019May 24, 2019 by Ken Banks

Crescent Heads Long Board Comp – Day 1

2019 Crescent Heads Annual Long Board Comp. Day 1

Day 1: Today saw approx 25 heats, commencing at 7.00 am and running none-stop through to 4.20 pm with each given 20 minutes / heat with 6 entrants in each heat. That relates to 150 contestants of the approx. 260 entries in the 2019 Annual Crescent Heads long board comp. with 3 from each heat progressing through to the next round.

The sun shone, there was negligible wind however the surf was quite small. Nonetheless today was all about the elderly, if I may use that term. The majority of heats were for the 55 + age group, the 60+, 65+, 70+ and 75+ age groups other than a few heats of lower and open age groups.

One could not help but marvel at today’s participants. It was mind boggling to see so many ‘elderly’ surfers do what they have done throughout their life, ride surf boards. Although their age was obvious, they were fit and demonstrated some exceptional skill. Those competing in the over 75 age group could possibly have some surfers around 80 or even 80+. The camaraderie was amazing. I even witness grand-children barracking for grand-parents.

The following are just a small selection of over 1000 pics taken today. When looking at the pics, the surfers demonstrated great skill but had no responsibility for the small surf they inherited.

Click on pics to enlarge throughout

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Posted on May 22, 2019July 17, 2019 by Ken Banks

Crescent Head Annual Long Board Competition

2019 Annual Long Board Competition at Crescent Heads

The annual long board comp is scheduled to start tomorrow Thursday and run through to Sunday. The Crescent Heads caravan park is full to capacity with mums and dads, retirees, workers, teenagers and youngsters all preparing to compete in this prestigious annual event.

The surf is its usual predictability, not big but the usual long slow right handers attractive to walking the plank and hanging five whilst some actually hang ten.

One of the first persons I met after arriving was Dick Davenport from Mollymook, a regular surfer at the Mollymook Golfie Reef Break.

The water temperature is in the pleasant 20’s and the surf is teaming with fish. The following pics were taken today, prior to the commencement of events tomorrow, they show the talent attracted toward these types of surfing conditions.

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