"Calling all Wildlife lovers!" ??…common Azure Kingfisher - not so fast?! This 'Tasmanian Azure Kingfisher' ( Calyx aureus subsp. diemenensis ) is endangered and endemic to Tasmania - and to our knowledge - has never been photographed on Bruny Island with only a handful of irregular 'unconfirmed' sightings in the past; 'hence, it was considered to have never existed on Bruny.' So, you could imagine our excitement in having this beautiful specimen frequent our 'Bruny Island Coastal Retreat's' nature reserve - obviously due to being exceptionally rare throughout Tasmania, let alone Bruny - but then our complete dismay to learn of the federal 'Department of Environment' (who are tasked with stopping Australia's world-leading and accelerating species extinction rate) having its job numbers slashed by a third, all in the same day!
What's the population of this beautiful bird - 'numbers are scarce estimates'? Are they holding steady or heading towards extinction - 'no one knows'? Unfortunately, the only authority that 'monitored such' is experiencing its own reclassification from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered and most likely hastening the negative trend for many Australian species by receiving yet another nail in their collective coffin!
From the ramblings of a meandering mind, today I am wondering if the appreciation of nature is an intrinsic part of our soul or is something that we choose to acknowledge.
* Henry David Thoreau
Yes, it really was a night to remember!
Bruny Island Coastal Retreats ambassador, Lizzie Stokely, shows her creative side and talks about the values she holds in common with Bruny Island Coastal Retreats.
The Endorfun Labillardiere Pensinsula Trail Run was held on September 24th, 2017. The 17.5km run took participants around picturesque trails on southern Bruny.