Adel’s Grove 31-8-12 to 2-9-12

We had a small fire for breakfast and Tony cut up the wood he and Michael gathered.  A little bird came down straight away and started pecking the white ants out of it.  I wondered if he had learnt that sawing means newly exposed food.
Michael checked up at reception about the cane toads and yes definitely that’s what they were, and yes please kill them.  They have been here since 1984.  I doubt that the few we kill will make any difference. (Rod has now said ‘kill them and 30 more will take their place.  I.e. not worth the effort.
We went for a walk beside the river looking at all the fish, there a a few species here.  On the way back we called into the cafe for coffee and lunch.  Tony asked at reception if there was anyone who could repair his strut bracket.  Possibly.  The owner comes down to have a look and YES he can re-weld it. We have lunch and he comes back, all fixed no charge.
I am sitting here in the shade writing rough notes, I have a willy wagtail at my feet and a kite? in the trees above me.  Wonderful.  The bird life is pretty special.  This morning I saw 2 different species of heron sitting on the same log in the water.
Tony and Michael took the Sea eagle out this afternoon, Jen did washing and I went for a swim with the fish there are heaps if fish here – smallish ones – and I don’t know how good eating they are.  Apparently there are barramundi here this year, but we haven’t done any fishing.
As I was waiting at the swimming hole for Michael and Tony to come back from their paddle, I was told that there was a snake down by the river, just up the path a little. I went to have a look and the owner here turned up to have a look as well, apparently it is a keel back snake, it was lying on the little mud ‘beach’ well down the bank.  Rod (owner) said it is only venomous if you stick your finger in it’s mouth.  Tony and Michael came back quite excited because the little Johnston’s croc was in the same spot as yesterday and Tony got a photo.  When I have more power, I will put it into the photo album.
Next day.
Power is an issue here, as is internet connection. I had the laptop charged at reception this morning and I am going to post this using their network this afternoon ($5 1/2 hour or part thereof).  We went for a walk up the lookout hill this morning – we can get phone connection up there but it is a long way to lug a laptop.  Last year we could drive up another hill to get 3G, but this year it is ‘off limits’ – private land.
On the top of the hill there are lots of ‘constructions’ built from the rocks lying around.  Tony made one for himself this morning.  There is a photo.
We went to have our usual morning coffee at the cafe and had a very long chat with Rod (owner) since he took on this park, the attendance in the ‘season’ has grown from 4000 to 20000.  It is closed in the wet.  Cathy and Rob, if you are reading this, if you had got into Adel’s Grove during the wet when you were up here in July, the gates would have been shut to prevent you from leaving (for your own good).  I believe you said you got in later when the roads were open.
Tony and Michael will probably kayak again this afternoon, I plan to swim.  Tomorrow we are going to  Lawn Hill for the day and then we head off to Normanton.  If we take a motel, I may be able to upload again.