Frosty visit to the Tassie Highlands

I wasn't sure whether to actually put this in Social or General, or somewhere else entirely...so here it is for now 

With a trip anywhere long overdue, the loose plan over the Tas long weekend was for us to make a day trip to my absolute favourite spot, Cradle Mountain.

We didn't quite make it there Sunday, not even getting as far as Waratah, as we stopped many times along the way, distracted by all sorts of beauty.

A couple of my favourite sightings for Sunday were, a small party of Green Rosellas (Tas endemic).  I find these elusive birds almost impossible to get anywhere near usually.  Also glimpsed quite a distance away, foraging on the ground, a female Olive Whistler (or a juv ? I am not completely certain), but a first for me as I have only ever seen adult males.

Monday was a planned a little better, but not by much and we only arrived at Cradle Mountain at lunch time, much later than hoped.

Heavily overcast but dry, with patchy light dustings of snow here and there, and that beautiful crisp clean mountain air that you just wish you could take away with you.

There were a few Superb Fairy-wrens about braving the chill, and we heard Pink and Scarlet Robins far away over the Buttongrass Plains.  I would imagine many of the smaller avian inhabitants naturally head to lower altitudes for Winter.

We saw many Wombats grazing throughout the park, and after our hike to Wombat pools, we headed up to the Waldheim Cabin area to see what we could see.

There were a few Forest Ravens around, and a huge number of the ever present Black Currawong, one of my favourite characters.

Juvenile Black Currawong

Black Currawong (Adult)

With the natural lack of birds so late on a Winters day, I got a little distracted myself and took a few snapshots of some icy bird perches and frozen (potential) bird food instead..well that's my story anyway.  Hope you enjoy.

Buttongrass Ice Crystals

Ice crystals on Pandani

Still trying to get an ID on this abundant Alpine plant.  It may be a type of Tasmanian Waratah, or not, but thought it was very pretty and imagine it would perhaps be a great source of honeyeater type food in warmer months.