Anne and I returned to the Esplanade at four p.m. to look for birds and birders.  We had heard that the four o’clockers might be there.  In any case we knew that the tide would be in and the sun behind us making for good birding.  We became optomistic finding a sign saying “Welcome the Winter Migrants” at the waterfront.  Seems the local birding club added an event to the Cairns Festival.  It’s members were great help to us identifying the shore birds and suggesting places to find birds.  

They told us where the lorikeets roosted and we walked there at dusk.  On the way we passed the library which has two giant ficus trees in the side yard.  Something was chirping there and two people were looking up.  I asked if they were looking for frogs.  The lady looked at me as if I was crazy.  She said, “the screeching are the flying foxes.”  We looked up to see hundreds of giant bats waking as the sun set.  The women explained that she was a volunteer.  It was birthing season and they were rescuing fallen babies.  Can you imagine?  She said that the birds would begin flying soon.

So, we went on to see hundreds of flashy parrots rush into street trees at the edge of downtown and then returned to see the bats with a wingspan of almost one meter flying from the trees.  Quite a sight.  

When we were watching the parrots, a gentlemen reported on their roosting.  We mentioned that we were going back to see the bats.  He grimaced and said he hated them.  “They should kill them all.  Crap on your car and the paint comes off.  I thought Ishould introduce him to the women we had talked too.  Then again.  Better not.