Dawn in Camp

The dawn chorus is deafening at times in camp. We have a huge resident flock of rainbow bee eaters and their PRRR PRRR PRRR fills the air as I walk from my room to the mess hall. The wood swallows are still huddled on the power lines, and the zebra finches scatter from the path before me as I walk. The sunrise is a glorious spread of pink and gold, with the sun burning deep red as it rises. The air is fresh and cool...I love dry season dawns in camp.

Kangaroos and brolgas

I must have spoken too soon, saying yesterday that I hadn't seen a kangaroo or wallaby on my walks home. Tonight I spotted a big red on the track in front of me. It hopped off into the thick scrub on the side and disappeared instantly. I could hardly believe that such a big roo could worm his way into those thick creepers and vines, let alone disappear so quickly!

Later on, I saw a pair of dark coloured herons flying over. I didn't get a really good look, so I can't be sure, but I think they were White-Faced Herons (about the right size and colour for those anyway). A few minutes later, I saw the unmistakeable outline of a pair of brolgas winging their way towards Jacko's Dam, the local watering hole. The waterbirds are gathering closer as the dry season wears on and our dams and ponds become the only water around. Should be some good bird watching coming up!

Walking home from site

As the weather has cooled and the birds crowd in around the camp in search of water, the walks home from site have become more and more enjoyable. It's about 5km along a graded dirt track that winds through scrubland and reed-filled swamp. I constantly hear rustlings in the bushes but have yet to see a wallaby or kangaroo hiding in there. The pest bush Calatrope is in full flower and even if it is classed as a weed, it is still a very pretty plant.

The birdlife is abundant and I see the following every day: crows, magpie larks, willy wagtails, whistling kites, black kites, corellas, masked and black-faced wood swallows, bar-shouldered doves, bower birds, rainbow bee eaters, zebra, masked and long-tailed finches, black-faced cuckoo shrikes and yellow-throated miners. On a less common basis, I also see yellow-tinted and brown honeyeaters, double-barred finches, diamond doves and the stunningly beautiful crimson finch. I'm still waiting to spot some Gouldians this year and I'd love to see a red-backed fairy wren or, if amazingly lucky, a purple-crowned fairy wren.

Views from the Primary Crusher

I had to go up to the top of the Primary Crusher today, to do a walk-through on some of the Work Instructions I've been writing. This was my first time up there - which is the very top part of the mine site. The views were spectacular. My little camera phone doesn't begin to do them justice.

• View from the top of the Primary Crusher: This shows a bit of the mine itself on the right, the Underground Project area in centre, the Processing Plant on the left and the ranges in the distance. Take note of that yellow walkway in the foreground.

• The Overland Conveyor: This shows the Conveyor that brings the ore from the Underground up to the Crusher and a bit of the Plant. It also gives a good idea of the height of that yellow walkway

• The walkway: Oh yes, I'm going to do it hehehe - walking out on this was SOOOOO cool!!

• The Overland Conveyor seen from the end of the walkway: Unreal view from up here!!

• The Processing Plant looking left - also with a bit of the tails dam showing:



• Lastly - looking down into the Primary Crusher Bay area, where the guys are doing maintenance work on the crusher. The pic doesn't really show just how far down that is, especially when you're standing on an open grid mesh.

Life in the Kimberley

Hi everyone!

My name is Fanny Adams... well not really, but that's been my internet nickname for so long, that I answer to it in real life! I live in the beautiful city of Perth, Western Australia but work over 3,000 km (1,864 miles) away, on a mining site in the far northern part of the state known as the Kimberley. I fly to and from work every week, and feel I get the best of both worlds - I have all the convenience and fun of city living but still get the amazing sights and experiences that abound in the exotic outback.

The scenery up here is beyond spectacular - I never seem to get tired of watching the play of the colours on the rocks as the sun rises and sets. Sunrises are filled with the twittering of thousands of birds in the scrublands. Sunsets are glorious splashes of crimson and gold across the sky. Dry season days are long, warm and sunny; wet season days are all furious tempests and sweltering heat.

I get around a bit up here - bird watching, checking out interesting stuff on the mine, out and about in the great outdoors. So follow me on my adventures... I'd love to share them with you!!