CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

At camera club we have been learning about bird photography so a trip to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary was organised.  The sanctuary has an interesting history: Alex Griffiths moved from NZ and bought a 26h property in Currumbin in 1944, where he grew flowers. To stop the lorikeets from ruining the flowers he started feeding them with a honey mixture so that they would leave the flowers alone. Every evening at 4:30 flocks of the wild honey eaters would fly into his property to be fed. It soon became a tourist attraction.  In 1956, National Geographic wrote an article about the flocks of wild birds that came to be fed at Currumbin. This increased the number of international tourists. In 1976 Griffith donated the property to the people of Queensland and it was to be run by the National Trust. Now it has developed into a great wildlife reserve with lots of shows and activities as well as the largest collection of Australian wildlife species in the world. It also cares for sick and injured animals in its wildlife hospital. They have great educational programs for children too. 

The bird feeding has continued  ever since 1947. It is at 8:30am and 4:00 pm. The birds fly in and sit in the trees waiting until the dishes of honey mixture are ready. 

Staff members give tourists the plates to hold and then the birds come in droves . They sit on the plate and drink the solution. They screech and peck each other at times. 

They sit on your thumb,......

they sit on your head, your glasses, your arms and shoulders.

One of our dedicated camera club members, Ros tries to do both; feed the birds and photograph them at the same time. She takes fabulous shots too.

It was easier for me as I didn't take a dish.

You are probably sick of lorikeets now after this and my last post. I'll show you some other birds that we saw there next time.