CYCLONE DEBBIE DIARY

A cross between  a  noisy Noah's Ark  Boarding Party , a  Hard  Day's Night and a  Book Fair  

Having  been through  Cyclone Tracy  in 1974  in which  our  house   was  badly damaged , the  roof  torn off  , and  had  to be  demolished , our children  evacuated   to  Sydney ,  we are  now  awaiting  the  approach  of  Cyclone Debbie   hovering  off  the  Queensland  coast  in  the Coral Sea   with the  threat  of  destructive  winds  equal  to  Tracy .

In  preparing for  the  coming  event , time  was spent yesterday  packing  things away , removing  and  storing   objects  which  could  become  missiles . Along  the  way  there  were  unusual  and  unexpected  diversions .

On helping  the   nearby Germanic   Queen of the Jungle to clear  her  veranda, which included  two  cases of   Kiwi  wine ,  a  wildlife  carer  friend   arrived   bearing  a   limping   Curlew   seeking   the  royal  person's   opinion  on  what  to  do .

Assorted   items  were  stored in  a  large , empty  Torres Strait Pigeon  aviary which  the  Queen  used  for  research  some  years  ago .  Placed  in a  safe  place  was a  large  pot   containing  the   remains of   Beep-Beep , a  pet  Lorikeet ,  the Queen had   for  22 years .  A stream of green ants  was noticed  moving to  the heights . 

Due   to  a  prior  arrangement , there was a  quick   trip  to see  a woman with an exciting  65  boxes  of  books   and   returned  to  Little  Darwin  with   four ,  which included  an  extensive run  of the  ABC  magazine  24 Hours , Australian National  Library  journals , Australian state of  the art magazines , crime  novels , classics  and even a photocopy of  a  Dad and Dave cartoon which  had appeared in the Sydney Bulletin . No  time to  peruse  the  treasure  trove  because of   the  cyclone threat , but a   quick peek  raised  great  expectations. 

 While moving  objects  about   our  backyard   Kookaburras  were   giving  voice  and  darting  about , at times  dive bombing our resident  Curlews . Crows were also heard  making  a racket . 

Beaks  of  Sunbird  twins  visible . 

Then , noticed missing  was  the Sunbird  nest  blowing in  the  wind, above,   near  the front  door, with two babies inside , from  the  light  cord  to which it was artistically  attached .  On  investigating , the nest was  found   on  the   ground  and  , fearing  the  worst , picked  up  and  once more attached  to the cord . On close examination with  a  torch, the poor chicks  appeared  head  down  inside  , their  backsides up in the air .  Carefully moving them  one  by one  and examining , they  appeared  to  be  okay   and  were  placed  right  way up .  Poor little  birds probably thought I was an  awful creature  from another planet  carrying out  an  anal  examination , which happens to so many Americans whisked  away  in   UFOs.   No sign of  any  parent Sunbird .

It is possible  a Kookaburra  cut the  nest down as  they  are known to do so  and  one had been   seen   darting  nearby.  Fortunately , a  parent  ,  not eaten by  a  Kookaburra, was  later seen  at  the nest .  This morning  it was seen sitting in the nest with the chicks . Now the  worry  is   how will the  birds and    the nest  fare  in  the  winds   which could  be  up  to  250kph  if  we  experience the   full force . 

In  preparation for   Cyclone  Tracy , I  specially stored away  in a   cupboard   a  two volume   set  of  the 1880s  Picturesque  Atlas  of  Australasia , hoping  it would  survive ; it ended  up in a pile of  debris in  the  yard . In  the bottle  collection   packed  away  yesterday were   some  dug  up at  Pine Creek  in  the Northern Territory , including sensual   Dutch case  gins ,  Chinese  Samsu jars  and   hotel   soda  siphons   from  New Zealand and  Australia .  An essay on  Miss  Olive  Pink of Alice Springs  in   an edition   of     the  anthropology  journal   Oceania , recently obtained at a garage sale on Magnetic Island ,  was   tucked  away  in  the  hope  that  it  will  survive the   cyclone  and make an entertaining   read  in  the aftermath . 

A second  visit to  the Queen  of the  Jungle  involved  moving  a large concrete  Rhinoceros, which  had  survived  Cyclone Yasi ,  to protect its   ears,   valuable horns  and  tail  from being  damaged  in   the  tempest .  A  large  Curlew, above ,   rushed  in  and   took  up  a  position near the  Rhino, demanding  a  feed  . 

Then  a   Curlew , made  from driftwood , was  found in pieces , and assembled    for  the  above  photograph  before  being stowed away in another   aviary .  What  to move next  ? Scores of  horseshoes   used for  artistic purposes in a  basket , a   rock containing   fossils , Cinderella's  dainty  shoe  (another garage sale find )  and  surprise , surprise...a multiple amputee    John   Lennon  figure (bought at a garage sale years ago)  with a  dismembered  crocodile , a terracotta   clown's  face  and   a  Cockatoo .    

 

Several wonderful  birdwing butterflies   have been seen fluttering lazily  about the garden this morning and if they are  caught  up  in  the cyclone could find themselves  flying  faster  than  the  speed  of  sound .