One of the things that makes Port Douglas so interesting is the abundance of birds and frogs. In the evenings we take Leroy for a walk along the quiet bike path that runs parallel to the main road. There’s never any traffic on the road, nor on the path. What there is, invariably, is one or more pairs of stone curlew.  These birds are really quite amusing. They get around mainly by running, and when any of us get near them they tend to stand stock still, evidently of the view that if they’re not moving then they can’t be seen.  Each time this happens I’m reminded of the scene in Avengers Infinity War, where Drax proudly informs Star-Lord and Gamora that ‘I have mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still that I have become invisible to the eye’ (https://youtu.be/EIM78NrhixA).  He is of course completely visible, as are these stone curlews.  Indeed, their numbers are dwindling, because instead of flying away when confronted by danger they often just stand still, even if the approaching danger is a car. Fortunately for us, and for the birds, Leroy seems generally disinterested in them.

Whilst I have often marvelled at the colourful plumage of so many of Australia’s birds, I have not previously given much thought to their behaviour. However, in Port Douglas we have witnessed all sorts of engaging avian behaviour.  We have been confronted by large flocks of extremely noisy parrots, which congregate in the fig and other trees in the evenings and make an incredible racket, moving like a single organism en masse from one tree to another. There are also a few kookaburras around, often sitting in pairs, making us laugh with their trademark infectious hysterics, many orange-footed scrub fowl which get around with an amusing lopsided waddling gait and various smaller birds like the peaceful doves and wagtails that display endearing courting rituals. The one thing many of these birds seem to have in common is that they mostly get around in pairs and exhibit an air of confidence around people. I even managed to go right up to one little bird in a bush on the main street and take a video of it up close without it seeming remotely inclined to fly away