Day 3 – Some people aren’t too fond of Currawongs, in fact the poor things never seem to be anybody’s favourite bird. Maybe it’s because they lack in vibrant colours or melodic and dainty song, rather they are black and grey with their song more like a squawk. Or maybe it’s their beady eyes and slight resemblance to the kind of birds likely to star in old school horror films. But me, I have a soft spot for the Currawong. Once, when I left Tassie to visit Melbourne, for some strange reason it was that sound that I missed the most as I walked through the streets surrounded by unfamiliar buildings. I guess because hearing their call is a reminder to me that I am home. It is the every day sound of life in the Upper Florentine Valley, which lies on the other side of Mount Mueller, and has been home to me for several years. There you can hear their cries echoing eerily across the valley. And sometimes they would gather together in a tree, hundreds chattering away in some kind of Currawong convergence. It’s nice to hear them here in my new home too.

Last night I slept out on the deck and fell asleep looking at the stars scattered across the sky between the top branches of my tree. Across the gully the moonlight reflecting on leaves made the forest look as though it was speckled with stars too.

This morning I woke to the chirps of White Throated Honeyeaters busy getting breakfast in the branches above me. Today was the first time they came to visit. I wonder if they’ve been a bit cautious of my presence these past few days. It must seem strange having a human move in up here. It made me smile to see them. They are one of my favourite birds, and they too remind of feeling home at home in the Upper Florentine.

We’ve had several tree-sits at Camp Floz, but the tree I spent the most time in was called Front Sit. I know we didn’t have the most original names – Front Sit, Middle Sit, Back Sit – though we also had The Lungs of the Land (or simply ‘Lungs’ for short), Birds Nest and Floating Sit (a platform suspended mid-air between several trees). But Front Sit was my special tree where I spent many nights and days. Every morning the same group of White Throated Honeyeaters would visit me like clock work. Well, to be honest, they weren’t really there to see me, they were there for breakfast. But I enjoyed their presence. They have a sweet and happy sounding chirp as they hop around on the branches. Sometimes I would catch them watching me watching them. Interestingly they didn’t come to the other tree sits, only the Front Sit on a regular basis. Perhaps it had the best tucker on the block, I don’t know. I wonder if they feel the same about the empty space where the Front Sit once stood as I do.

I hope that today’s Honeyeaters will be back to visit me tomorrow morning. I guess we’ll wait and see. I hope you’re having a good night, talk to you again tomorrow – Miranda.