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Book / 06.10.2019

Darryl Jones well and truly launched my book at the mountain’s Zamia Theatre in front of close to 60 people this afternoon. He recounted how his research into brush turkeys led him to the mountain over 30 years ago and that close observation of their mounds revealed previously unknown aspects of their mating behaviour. He exhorted people who buy the book to closely study its images before reading it, precisely because the images are the result of sustained observation. He spoke with a generosity of spirit about my work. The event was expertly compered by Janene Gardner, owner of Under the Greenwood Tree bookshop, who has officiated at innumerable book launches. She too had lovely things to say about the book and my project.

For me, the most important aspect of the launch was the atmosphere in the room, which, based on what I was told by those who were there, was exactly what I was after. I saw the launch of the book as an opportunity to have as many people as possible who contributed to it, attend and be acknowledged by the gathering. First and foremost was Jan Watson, the designer. Amanda Klaer read the book… Read Complete Text

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Book / 25.09.2019

An order, received today, for a book from Toowoomba City Library brought the number of books sold since I took delivery of the shipment from China on August 5, to exactly 100. One box was severely damaged on arrival, two slightly damaged – resulting in 10 books unfit for sale and 5 held in reserve. I have ‘presented’ 21  complimentary copies, of which five were posted overseas. One of the reasons I was so loath to self-publish, apart from having to sell the book myself, was the absence of review copies – although people have told me how impressive the book is when first handled. Jan’s design is much appreciated. It is always pleasing to have one’s work acknowledged.

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Other / 16.09.2019

This morning I posted a USB with the latest 23 species videos and a corrected version of ‘The Rainforest at Night’, part 1, to the NFSA. The NFSA has the vast majority of my 568 videos on Vimeo, which are accessed on this site. Because I have been busy with my book, I haven’t filmed much since February, so it will take  a while for me to build up footage for further videos.

 

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Book / 10.09.2019

This evening, a week after I submitted my application form, I got a phone call from the lady who is in charge of booking the Zamia Theatre. She confirmed that I have the venue for my book launch, from 3 to 5 pm, on Sunday October 6.

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Film Diary / 01.08.2019

Robyn Law, a night filming crew stalwart, showed me twin bowerbird bowers in a garden which she looks after, a short drive from my place. Twin bowers, which are separate structures that stand close together, are an even greater rarity than double bowers, whose two passages share a dividing wall. I filmed the remains of a double bower in April 2010. The builder appears to have blocked off the right-hand passage by moving its side wall next to the dividing wall. I have been unable to find an explanation for the twin bowers, which are the only ones I have ever seen. They contain more twigs than other bowers I have filmed, presumably because there was such a plentiful supply at the construction site.

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Film Diary / 17.07.2019

After a six months gap, I filmed with my video camera this afternoon. I went to The Knoll to film the giant vine I had intended to film a month ago, except that the camera batteries were both flat. For good measure I also filmed the buttress or plate roots of a yellow carabeen tree I had passed many times without seeing that its buttresses were an impressive height, perhaps because the tree itself was not that big.

 

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Other / 01.07.2019

Jeff Wray emailed me confirming the safe arrival of the USBs  with the latest batch of 125 species videos for the NFSA, bringing the total in their collection to 511 videos.

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Other / 24.06.2019

Today, I sent Jeff Wray – senior curatorial officer, film, at the National Film & Sound Archive in Canberra – 3 USBs by registered post, filled with my third selection of HD species videos. It is two years since the previous offering.  The latest batch contains 125 videos to add to the NFSA’s  collection of my footage, which includes all 123 SD species videos. I need to send corrected footage of Supplement 4 of the Archive and the remaining 23 HD species videos on file, once Jeff returns the USBs.

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Film Diary, Other / 21.06.2019

On my morning walk on the 17th, I photographed an unfamiliar spider enjoying the sun on a timber fence in Driscoll Lane. It turned out to be the smallest species of huntsman spider I have seen. Today, I photographed an obliging fly on a metal rail next to the fence. It was confirmed by an expert as a genus new to my album. Flies seem to like the rail, judging by the number I have photographed there.

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Film Diary, Other / 19.06.2019

I wanted to film a giant vine in The Knoll National Park, which was hitching a ride to the canopy on an immense strangler fig tree, located near the bridge over Sandy Creek. I had measured the vine’s girth just above its base at 113 cm. Alas, both my batteries were flat, so I took my stills camera which made the going far easier, though I picked up a tiny grass tick, which lodged in my waste. I charged the batteries today and still plan to film the vine.