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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 9h

Meet the Red-legged Pademelon, one of the smaller members of the kangaroo-wallaby family. They are adapted to moving through dense forests with narrow feet and almost hairless tails. They are found on the northeastern coast of Australia. #wildlife #Australia

Small forest kangaroo with smooth tail, gray-brown back, rusty-red legs and head and cream belly.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The Red Wattlebird will be checking on you this week. It is Australia's second largest honeyeater and is bold enough to chase away both smaller and larger birds, including kookaburras and sparrowhawks. #Australia 🪶

Brown and white streaked bird on a branch with head cocked to peer downwards. Both red fleshy flaps, or wattles, are visible along with a red eye and yellow belly

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Cheesecake, I did not ask you to judge my piano playing. #Caturday

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat perched on a shoulder

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

New Holland Honeyeaters, seen in Royal National Park in New South Wales. Honeyeaters are important pollinators like the hummingbirds in the Americas. #Australia🪶

Small black and white bird with a curved beak and yellow on its wings and tail

Black and white bird with yellow on wings and tail perched in a dead tree

Three black and white birds with yellow on wings and tail, perched on some bare twigs. Two are looking directly at the camera

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Our group was delighted to find a group of Red-backed Fairywrens flitting among tall grasses near the side of the road. All that flitting made photos difficult so I only have a few that are sharp. #Australia #AthertonTablelands 🪶

Tiny black bird perched on dried grasses, turned to the left so that a small part of his red back is showing.

Small shiny black bird perched on a dried grass shaft. His long tail is pointing up and part of his red back is showing

Two male and one female Red-backed Fairywrens in tall grasses. One male is pointed down in flight, showing off his bright red back.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

On our birding tour in the Atherton Tablelands we encountered a large group of Black Kites hanging out together in several trees. There's also one Whistling Kite in the second photo. #Australia 🪶

Three Black Kites perched in a tree along with a Whistling Kite on the right

A dozen Black Kites perched in a bare tree

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Australian Magpie is not a corvid but their coloration reminded settlers of the Eurasian Magpie. They do have lots of character like magpies. 🪶

Black bird with reddish eye and white on nape, upper wing edge and tail coverts

Black bird with reddish eye, and white nape, wing edges and under tail. The beak is pale with a dark tip.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Something about these Kangaroos staring at us made us laugh. #Australia #wildlife

Three Eastern Gray Kangaroos in a field, standing on their back legs with ears up and smaller front legs dangling, staring at the camera

Three Eastern Gray Kangaroos at the edge of a forest. Two are staring at the camera. The largest is stretched to full height with front legs dangling.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Cheesecake gets high on #Caturday while Ooshi strikes a prim pose.

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat held aloft with his front legs dangling

Gray tabby with white on face, chest and paws sitting in a prim pose with her tail wrapped around reaching her front paws

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The male Scarlet Myzomela (AKA Scarlet Honeyeater) is knock-your-socks-off red. They are tiny compared to some of the other honeyeaters but that red really got my attention. #Australia 🪶

Small bird with sharp curved beak, bright red head and body and black wings seen from the front hanging onto twigs

Small bright red bird with sharp curved beak seen from side hanging upside down from some twigs. It has a white belly and a black tail.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Who doesn't need a picture of a limpid-eyed Wallaby chewing on grass today? #wildlife

Wallaby with big eyes and long eyelashes standing upright and with grass sticking out of the side of its mouth

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

To continue dove and pigeon fashion week, here are the Brown Cuckoo Dove, Emerald Dove, Peaceful Dove and the only photo I was able to getof a Topknot Pigeon. #Australia 🪶

Brown Cuckoo-Dove in shades of golden brown

Emerald Dove with a brown body and emerald green wings

Peaceful Dove with powder blue around its eye and brown and white barring on neck and chest

Topknot Pigeon up in a tree with wavy crest partially visible, red eye and gray wings

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I'm starting to think that Bluesky really doesn't like pigeons. Third try - Crested Pigeon and Squatter Pigeon, both pretty but not as flashy as the Fruit-Doves. The Crested is fairly widespread but the Squatter Pigeon is only in Queensland. Australia 🪶

Crested Pigeon with crest sticking straight up, red eye, a rosy blush on the neck and green and purple bars on the wings

Squatter Pigeon with a red eye, black and white striped on the face, a white stripe on the side of the body and some purple iridescence on the wings.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Cheesecake easily adjusts to fit in too small places since cats are really liquid anyway. #Caturday

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat sleeping in the small round basket at the top of a small cat tree. One back leg is hanging over the side.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

While the adult Nankeen Night-Heron maintains a dignified appearance, the juvenile looks more scruffy and skulks off to party for the weekend like a typical teenager. #Australia 🪶

Adult Nankeen Night-Heron standing in the grass. It is reddish brown with a light beast and has a black cap with a long white plume extending done its back

Brown and white streaky juvenile Night-Heron skulking along with one foot raised.

Juvenile Nankeen Night-Heron looking at the camera with feathers floofed and two gulls lurking behind.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Time for yet another gorgeous Australian kingfisher, the Sacred Kingfisher. We saw this one on the mudflats at Cairns when the tide was out. #Australia 🪶

Kingfisher with turquoise on wings and head, dark brown band on the head under the eye and buffy belly, perched on a branch

Kingfisher with turquoise on head, wings and tail and buff belly perched on a rock in mud flats

Kingfisher in flight over some water in the mudflats at low tide.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

For #WildlifeWednesday here is the Mareeba Rock Wallaby, found only in the granite country around Mareeba in Far North Queensland. Rock Wallabies have feet adapted to climbing vertical rock surfaces.The colony we saw are accustomed to visitors so we were able to see them up close. #wildlife

Rock Wallaby standing balanced on back feet and tail

Rock wallaby sitting on a boulder grooming itself.

Mark sitting on the rock surface holding his camera while a Rock Wallaby inspects him

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

While we were looking for the Double-eyed Fig-Parrot (1st pic) we spotted the Australasian Figbird (2nd pic). Our guide said "never mind that bird, look for the Fig-Parrot." But they were all exciting to us. Later on our own we went back and found the Figbird. #Australia 🪶

Colorful Fig-Parrot with a mouth full of fig.

Figbird in a tree. It has a yellow front, dark brown head and a patch of red textured skin around its eye.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Australian parrots bring all the colors to Monday. Here's a cheeky Pale-headed Rosella and both side of the Eastern Rosella. #Australia 🪶

Small yellow, white, blue and red parrot perched in some lacy dried plants.

Small parrot with bright red chest and head, white cheeks and yellow sides perched in grasses near the ground

Eastern Rosella seen from the back which bright red head, yellow and black patterned back, blue on wings and green on tail.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

This is at least the 4th baby rat snake that my son’s cat, Ooshi, has brought to him in the middle of the night along with one or two adults over the last 2 months. All chucked over the back fence.Hubby found a torn cover on a vent. I’ve come to appreciate snakes but not in my house. 😬🐍

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Oh no, I think Cheesecake partially melted. Hopefully, he’ll firm up when it gets cooler.#Caturday 🐈

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat flattened on a countertop

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This is the beautiful Forest Kingfisher, which we saw in northern Queensland. They live in forest areas and make their nests in termite mounds. #Australia 🪶

Forest Kingfisher perched on an intersection of mossy branches. It has a white spot on its head above the beak. The head, tail and edges of the wings are royal blue and the rest of the wings are aqua to turquoise The neck and front are white

Kingfisher in shades of vibrant blue sitting on a wooden fence while holding an insect in its beak

Forest Kingfisher perched on the top of a broken dead tree. It has a white spot on its head above the beak and a white front and neck. The wings and back are shimmering shades of royal blue and aqua.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The Victoria's Riflebird, found only in northern Queensland, was elusive until our last stop at the Canopy Treehouses where they were constant visitors. No displaying, but I guess you can't have everything. They really like bananas, which Mark was happy to give them. 🪶

Black bird with curved bill perched on the side of a small tree. There is green iridescence on his head and neck.

Black male riflebird on a rail glaring at the camera and with one foot raised. There is bright green iridescence on his head and on a crescent-shaped patch on his upper chest.

Female riflebird with curved beak, reddish-buff belly and chest with brown spots, pale eyebrow and brown head and back.

Male riflebird sitting on a balcony table waiting for Mark to dispense pieces of banana

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

How lucky are Australians that they get to see these beautiful pink parrots - Galahs - everywhere? I was so happy that we managed a few photo ops. 🪶

Two parrots on a wire, one preening and the other looking to the side. The head and breast are a beautiful pink and the wings and tail are light gray.

Two Galahs on the ground. Their breasts and faces are deep pink, with a lighter pink cap, the backs and wings are light gray and the tail is darker gray

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Meet the Spotted Catbird, found only in the wet tropics of northern Queensland. Although nothing like our Gray Catbirds in the US they do make a yowling catlike call. #Australia 🪶

Chunky emerald green bird with a light spotted head, red eye and black spot below the eye. It is perched on the side of a tree with a mottled trunk and lacy rust-colored dead leaves.

Chunky bird with emerald wings, olive green breast with light spots, and red eye, perched on a branch.

Two chunky emerald green birds eating pieces of banana on a log.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

It‘s #Caturday and Cheesecake is courting disaster while Larry watches to see what happens next.

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat playing with the tail of a cat eating while another dark tabby cat watches.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

It's Platypus Friday! One of the great thrills of our trip was seeing a Duck-billed Platypus swimming in a stream in northern Queensland. They are much smaller than I thought, only 17-20 inches (43-50cm). #wildlife #wildlifephotography #Australia

Dark brown Platypus seen from the side, swimming with water rippling around it.

Platypus surfacing at a slight angle with beaver-like tail extended behind and duck-like bill at the waters surgace

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Since I'm on a Kookaburra kick, here is a Blue-winged Kookaburra (15-17 inches long) compared with a Little Kingfisher (4.4-5.1 inches long), both seen in northern Queensland. #Australia 🪶

Large Kingfisher with a large head and heavy beak perched in a tree. It has a bright blue band on its wings.

Tiny bright blue and white Kingfisher perched on top of an unopened water lily.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Fun sequence of a Laughing Kookaburra with a small lizard. Kookaburras, the largest Kingfishers, catch insects, worms, small rodents, lizards, frogs, and snakes but rarely fish. #Australia 🪶

Closeup of a Laughing Kookaburra with a small lizard. Only the front and back legs and part of the tail can be seen

Closeup of a Laughing Kookaburra tossing a small lizard in its beak.

Closeup a Laughing Kookaburra with a lizard dangling from its beak. The lizard's body and back legs can be seen and the tail is curled into a circle.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

The real stars of our Whale-watching excursion in Sydney were the Bottle-nosed Dolphins. We did see the backs of some Humpback Whales, but no breaching or tails. Trying to use a big zoom lens on a lurching boat did not work out well. #Australia #WildlifePhotography #MarineWildlife

Two dolphins arching out of swirling waves

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The Rainbow Bee-eater brings all the colors to Monday. #BirdsSeenin2026 #Australia 🪶

Bee-eater sitting on a wire fence. It has a long, curved black bill, black mask, red eye, bright yellow chin, and green body shading to turquoise

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Why yes, Cheesecake I did put the cutting mat on the table for you, but I don’t think you need that exacto knife. #Caturday

Light red tabby American cat on a green cutting mat with his paw on an exacto knife

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

At the very end of our bird tour our guide excitedly pointed out this Double-eyed Fig-Parrot in a fig tree eating figs along the Cairns Esplenade. I have no pics without a mouthful of fig. Found only in northern Queensland and New Guinea, this is a female, males have red cheeks. #Australia 🪶

Small parrot in a tree with food in its beak looking down at the camera. It is bright green with turquoise on its head and a band of red on its forehead.

Small parrot perched in a tree with food in its beak and looking to the right. It is bright green with turquoise shading to purple around its eyes, white cheeks and a sliver of red can be seen on its forehead.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

One of the birds I most wanted to see in Australia was a Superb Fairywren. We were fortunate to spot one in breeding plumage in Royal National Park because it was a little early for that. We also saw a non-breeding male and a female, all with that perky upright tail. #Australia 🪶

Male Superb Fairywren with dark blue chest, back and tail and light bright blue head, cheeks and shoulders.

Non-breeding male with grayish brown back and head, light breast and belly and blue upright tail. There are some bright blue feathers starting to come in on the head and near the wings.

Light brown female Superb Fairywren with light buff front, orange legs and orange around the eyes.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

We were fascinated by the Gray-headed Flying Foxes, Australia's largest native bat species. We saw them roosting together in large groups in Sydney's Centennial Park and flying around near dusk in Cairns and Port Douglas. #Australia 🪶

Flying Fox in flight. The bones in the wings show through the skin and the claws on the end of the first digit are visible. The back feet and toes are stretched out as it flies

Flying Fox hanging from a tree branch by its back feet. It's leathery wings are folded around it and it's fox-like head is visible. The fur on the body is reddish-gold and the head is gray.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

It's only Tuesday and the Bush Thick-Knee is already so over this week. We saw a number of them in Queensland and they always made us laugh. #Australia 🪶

Brown-and-white streaked shorebird with long legs standing by a tree

Closeup of the head of a brown-and-white streaked bird witha large yellow eye.

Brown-and-white streaked bird resting on the ground on bent legs, looking at the camera with a droll expression

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Happy Monday! If you're groggy this Australian King-Parrot should help jolt you awake. We finally spotted this beautiful parrot at the last stay of our trip at the Canopy Treehouses in northern Queensland. 🪶

Large parrot with bright red head and front and bright green wings sitting on a bare tree branch

Side view of a large parrot with bright red head and front, bright green wings and touches of royal blue on the back of the neck, wing edges and tail.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

It’s #Caturday and Cheesecake and Crazy Larry are practicing their wrestling skills.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

We took a day trip from Melbourne to Dandenong Ranges National Park to spot the Superb Lyrebird. The male uses its truly impressive tail to court females, but we weren't there at the right time for courtship display. #Australia 🪶

Brown and grayish bird with very long banded tail feathers mixed with wispy white tail feathers.

Brown and gray bird heading into underbrush with spectacular trailing tail feathers

Brown and grayish bird heading into underbrush. It's very long tail feathers are closest to the camera and golden-orange barring can be seen on the widest feathers.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Today's bird, seen in northern Queenland, Australia, is a Sahul Sunbird. The male has a beautiful iridescent blue throat. 🪶

Small bird with a curved beak, bright yellow breast and belly, olive back and a blue-black iridescent throat. It is perched on top of a plant with a fuzzy green pod.

Small bird with a curved beak, olive back, yellow breast and blue-black iridescent throat, seen perched on a plant with red flowers and fuzzy green pods.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

It's Australian #WoodDuckWednesday! So they are also called the Maned Duck. Their mane isn't very impressive but they do nest in trees. Our American Wood Duck wins for color. 🪶

Male duck is grey with a dark brown head, mottled breast, and very thin, white-and-black stripes on sides/flanks.

Female duck has white stripes above and below the eye and mottled underparts.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

So many colorful birds in Australia! Also, so many hyphenated bird names. On our last day of a birding trip with FNQ Nature Tours we spotted this Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove along the Esplanade in Cairns. 🪶🌈

Dove perched in a tree, looking to one side. It has a rose forehead, orange belly tinged with rose and yellow, and iridescent green wings.

Dove perched in a tree, looking straight at the camera. The entire forehead is rose, rimmed in yellow. The orange-yellow belly is tinged with rose at the top. The breast is buff and the wings are iridescent green.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Let's fly into Monday with a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo! 🪶

White parrot with a yellow crest and yellow showing under its wings while flying in a blue sky with wispy white clouds

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

More Rainbow Lorikeets! Is this too many? 🌈🦜🪶

Colorful parrot in shades of blue, green yellow and red, taking off in flight

Two colorful parrots on a hollow dead tree branch.

Parrot in shades of red, blue yellow and green perched on a tree branch with green needle-like leaves and small yellow flower clusters

Colorful parrot in shades of red, blue, yellow and green, in midflight with wings forward.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Now that we are back home, Cheesecake has resumed his practice of insisting that piano time for me means lap time for him. #Caturday #CatsofBlueSky 🐈

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat on a lap wia black grand piano right behind him

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Our first view of Rainbow Lorikeets was at St. Kilda in Melbourne. We were in awe of their colors and personality. #Australia 🪶

Two parrots on a dead tree branch. They have red beaks, blue heads, bright green backs, red breast and blue bellies.

Colorful Rainbow Lorikeet perched in a tree, showing its red beak and breast, blue head and belly and green on its wings.

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

We spotted large Eastern Gray Kangaroos right away when a bird guide took us to Dandenong Ranges National Park outside Melbourne. We were pretty excited to have such a close encounter. #wildlife #Australia

Large brownish-gray kangaroo standing upright, looking to one side

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Digeri is back home with Cheesecake. Many pics of Australian birds and animals to follow soon. #catsofbluesky

Light red tabby American Shorthair cat with a small koala figurine snuggled next to him

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Digeri is waiting to go to the Cairns airport to back home. We’ll finally get that day back that we lost on the way to Australia.

Small koala figurine tucked into a camera backpack pocket

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Carol Pope Gordon @carolpopegordon.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

This is what Digeri was doing today and is grateful to have survived snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef on a choppy day. 😬

Small koala figure on top of goggles and a snorkel.

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