The Light House, Nobby’s Head, Newcastle

Saturday, and we move out of the Old Brush to a hotel in Charlestown – nearer to Dan, Morgan and the kids, and with a few more creature comforts. In the afternoon we enjoy a family outing to see the sights of Newcastle’s water-front, treat ourselves to ice cream and, by some complete fluke, collect our first Australian ‘tick’ of the trip! Casually looking out to sea, Jane spots a largish brown sea bird off shore. Dan confirms that it’s a Wedge-tailed Shearwater and then, scanning further out to sea, sees another interesting pelagic species – a probable Noddy, blogging over the rocks, just off of Nobby’s  Lighthouse. We quickly clean the kids up, collect optics from the car and head off up the Point. Sure enough, with the aid of a telescope, we are able to confirm the identification features of Common Noody – a rare summer visitor to Newcastle and a ‘planet earth tick’ for Jane and I. We continue to the end of the breakwater to enjoy the spectacle of an Australian Fur Seal, swimming about to the delight of the small assembled crowd.

The gorgeous ‘tribe’ of grand kids – Jonah, Samuel & Solomon, enjoying an ice cream!

Distant shots of Common Noddy, blogging off Nobby’s Head, Newcastle

and Australian Fur Seal, courtesy of Jane.

A lovely family afternoon and a completely unexpected ‘life tick’ into the bargain.