About Me

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Canberra-based naturalist, conservationist, educator since 1980. I’m passionate about the natural world (especially the southern hemisphere), and trying to understand it and to share such understandings. To that aim I’ve written several books (most recently 'Birds in Their Habitats' and 'Australian Bird Names; origins and meanings'), run tours all over Australia, and for the last decade to South America, done a lot of ABC radio work, chaired a government environmental advisory committee and taught many adult education classes – and of course presented this blog, since 2012. I am the recipient of the Australian Natural History Medallion, the Australian Plants Award and most recently a Medal of the Order of Australia for ‘services to conservation and the environment’. I live happily in suburban Duffy with my partner Louise surrounded by a dense native garden and lots of birds.

Monday 31 December 2012

As the Sun Sets on 2012...

It is traditional to review the year that is about to slip below the horizon (as my friend Martin from The House of Fran_Mart has done so comprehensively here), and I was tempted to do so, but in practice I've been working most of the day (preparing the index for a forthcoming book on Australian bird names) so I'm going to settle for some symbolic sunset shots from a variety of places. I haven't been to all these places this year!
Blanquillo Lodge, Peruvian Amazonia.
The highlight here is undoubtedly a fabulous parrot lick, but sunsets over the cocha are also a feature.
Kata Tjuta, central Australia.
You may know it as 'the Olgas', but we haven't called it that here for some time.

Waza National Park, northern Cameroon.
The Sahel is a harsh landscape, and under threat, but still beautiful.
Blackburn Island, off Lord Howe Island.
We had a delightful week on Lord Howe early this year - you've not heard the last of it!
Volcan Chacabuco, over Puerto Montt, southern Chile.
Darwin, Northern Territory of Australia; the Timor Sea hosts excellent sunsets!
Sacha Lodge, eastern Ecuador.
Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda.
Later that night there were lions around my suddenly flimsy-feeling fixed tent;
they're not supposed to be there, but of course I was glad they were. In principle...
May 2012 end happily, and 2013 dawn bright and hopeful for us all. I look forward to sharing some of it with you; my thanks for coming with me this far.

Back on Wednesday.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for ending the year so superbly! I have really enjoyed reading your blog this year, and I look forward to continuing the pleasure in 2013. All the very best to you and yours for a fabulous New Year!

Ian Fraser said...

I'm sorry I can't thank you by name, but I greatly appreciate your comments. I'm very pleased that I can give you some pleasure with these little pages. We'll talk next year!