Bird of the week – Jarlajirrpi – the Australian Owlet-Nightjar
The Owlet-nightjar, known to the Warlpiri people as Jarlajirrpi, is commonly regarded as a familiar spirit of the Kurdaitcha man - part mercenary contract killer, part quasi-judicial executioner.
A wild day out at the Tour Down Under
Behind, beside and in front of us all is chaos. Hurtling at over 100 km/h down a steep, narrow and windy road through the Adelaide Hills. In front is a car with half-a-man's body poking through the sun-roof - his arms are waving wildly and he is yelling into a hand-radio.
Ten(?) questions for Martin Hardie
Martin has the bad back that I should have from too many years of carrying black boxes around. Martin being back in Geelong reminds me of the last time we were there together - it was sometime in the summer of 1981-82 and we were doing a gig with the Laughing Clowns (he) and The Birthday Party (me) at the Eureka Hotel.
Where to go tomorrow – Festival au Desert, Mali
If you jump on a plane RIGHT NOW and get yourself to Mali in west Africa and somehow find your way out to Timbuktu and then get to the small town of Essakane and then hitch a lift to the gig, you just might make this year's Festival Au Desert.
Bird of the week – Luurnpa – Red Backed Kingfisher
The Luurn (Red-backed Kingfisher) Tjukurrpa is of prime importance to the groups of the western deserts region, since it represents one expression of a major initiation cycle, Tingarri, a Law bequeathed to them by Luurn and other ancestral beings.
A King Brown Pseudechis australis in the backyard
Eater-of-all-the-budgerigars is another name for the King Brown, he climbs up to get at them in a bloodwood tree, for example, or in a ghost gum, in a hollow. He puts his mouth into the hollow and then eats up all the little budgerigars.
Ten Questions for Paul Kelly
I caught up with Paul Kelly recently and asked him a few questions...including: Tell me something you've never told anyone else before. PK - No!
Why the NT needs an independent Police & Corruption watchdog…Part 1
The NT Ombudsman's Report for 2007/2008 details a pretty good justification why the NT needs a standing Commission to conduct independent investigations of misconduct by the NT Police, politicians and government agencies.
China – not a good place to be a bird…or a birder
China is not a good place to be a bird...The Li men jostle to sell me supper, all of it live: white-breasted waterhens, little egrets, a black-crowned night heron and a spot-billed duck, the only duck where male and female look alike.
Ten (thirteen really) questions for…Shane Marshall
Bob Gosford - Tell me something you’ve never told anyone before. Shane Marshall - My parents sent me to school on St Patrick’s Day when I was in Prep. school because they didn’t believe it was a holiday. I sat in the playground and cried and then went to the lady that lived across the road.