"Jungle Fever"

One of my pieces ("Jungle Fever") in the Art Exhibition opening this Friday. I also have two framed Infrared photos, a set of abstract photos mounted vertically on a metal bar representing global warming ("Earth on a stick - time to turn the heat down"), a set of six small square framed filtered photos ("Drink Coasters"), another 6 photos on mat boards, my book of haiga, two sewn book covers and a small chennell bag.

Ummm, it's not just my exhibition - other members of the community are contributing :-)

Dusk

This is some of the coastline in front of Tai Jin House - shot from a distance.

Yacht

Yachts are a common sight in Flying Fish Cove. I get to talk to some of the travellers when they come up to Tai Jin House to look at the Historical exhibition.

Steep point rock pools

It's not hard to see why this section of coast is covered with rock pools.

Steep Point

I only recently found out about the short walk to this spot. The rock formation along this coastline is absolutely awesome.

symbolism

There is a lot of symbolism in my "Refugee Boat". The flags flying at the prow are looking towards the future and hold the hopes and dreams of the refugees (painted nuts inside the boat). The "smoke" spewing out of the exhaust represents their hunger and illness. The net dragging behind represents their "emotional baggage". It carries in it the experiences that have impacted on them which make it difficult for them to move forward (war, persecution). It also carries things they cherrish which they had to leave behind (family, home land, community).

Art Adrift - Refugee Boat

This was my major piece for the Art Adrift project. It is constructed from a sliced up sheet of thong foam which I stained with coffee. I wasn't able to attend the "launch" so had photos sent to me.

Art Adrift Project

While I was on Cocos, I took part in an Art Adrift project which involved constructing vessels from anything that had drifted onto the beach. Our introductory project was to create a vessel from a single thong. I made this little row boat. At the time, I was amazed by the variety that came out of the group. Everyone constructed something that looked unique.

Golden Bosun

Finally - a good shot of a Golden Bosun :-)

Female Frigate

One of the Frigates that was raised by Max and released back into the wild. Sometimes she returns for a free feed.

Max

Max from Parks hand feeding a rescued Frigate.

Red Tailed Tropic Egg

This is a late egg - laid because the first chick of the season didn't survive. This egg is probably doomed because the adult will have to forage too far from the nest too soon - leaving the chick unguarded and vulnerable too long.

Red Tailed Tropic Chick

This Red Tailed Tropic Chick was a real highlight.
It's nest is in an area where the local moggies haven't discovered. Unfortunately most of the chicks in the settlement area have been taken by cats - not all feral either. Luckily there are colonies on other parts of the Island.

Dr Nick Dunlop

Nick - another expert on the Island for Bird Week - specialises in sea birds such as Bosan's, Tropic's and Frigates. Here he is holding an adult Red Tailed Tropic - already tagged.

Abbott's Booby Nest

This is the Booby on it's nest with it's chick. The adult can be captured for tagging while nesting because it won't abandon it's chick.

Tagging a Booby

Janos and his assistent attaching an electronic transmitter. We had to keep very quiet and stay back to avoid over stressing the bird. Afterwards, Janos had to climb the tree again to replace the Booby on its nest. They can't take off from the jungle floor because they need a large clearance.

Dr Janos Hennicke

Janos is another expert on the Island for Bird Week. He specialises in climbing trees in order to tag and monitor the Abbott's Booby - an endangered species.

Bush Tea

There is a native plant on the Island that can be used to make tea. I love the taste, so I am looking into the idea of packaging some for sale at the Information Centre.

Tim Low

Tim Low was on the Island for Bird Week. He is an expert on plants and has published a book on bush tucker. It was very interesting doing a couple of tours with him. One involved a walk to Hosnie's Spring - a very unique fresh water mangrove area that only has a track leading to it. I have wanted to do this walk ever since I found out about it. Now I know where to go I can take Simon.

Workshopping

We had lots of fun. At the end of the first day we each had to do a presention. We all chose to include an activity to help emphasise our points. Believe it or not, Alex and I beat Jonathan and Ann at Tug of War :-)

Jonathan Presenting

Everyone at the course was impressed and said that what they learned would be very valuable.

Jonathan at the blackboard

Simon's brother Jonathan came for a very quick vist so that he could run the first part of the Entrepreneurial & Leadership course here on CI as well as on Cocos.

Kites

All the kites flying in front of the Information Centre for Bird Week.

Golden Bosun Kite

Another kite flying in front of the Information Centre for Bird Week.

owl kite

One of the kites flying in front of the information centre for Bird Week.

Fluffy bird

The tree that Michael and his class made is filled with these nesting birds - they are sooo cute!

Bird Week Tree

I might not be able to post pictures of Michael - but I can post this. Michael and his class made this tree out of drift wood and other bits and pieces to mark Bird Week. It's on the main road near the school and looks fantastic :-)