Website Migration

In an effort to be independent from whatever ISP I happen to be using, my website is now hosted on the Google Sites servers. Here is the URL. I guess I am now tied to Google (what with email, Blogger and now Google Sites). At least Flickr is separate...

The old Optus webpage will be removed and redirect to this one shortly.

Mute Swans at Northam

Last weekend we went for a drive to Northam. It was a nice day for a picnic and it allowed me to see the famed Mute (White) Swans. There were only two I could find and they were located in a pond separate from the Avon River that has been set up to help build up numbers.

Mute Swans are on the Australian list, but given that these two were in captivity (I assume they can't fly over the 1.5 m fence) I can't really count them.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

1. Work switched from using a web-based Citrix login system to a Remote Desktop Connection system, making it impossible to login in to the company system from the main site that I work on up north (they block outgoing RDC);
2. The workaround provided was a PCMCIA Telstra Wireless Broadband Card, which I installed on my laptop;
3. The (very buggy) installer required a reboot (why?);
4. On reboot, I could no longer log into my laptop (cached domain logins had expired, normally I just hibernate the laptop);
5. Thankfully I knew the Local Administrator password so I can get to my work.

Firstly, why replace a working solution for people on site with one that only works for a very limited number of sites (certainly not out main client sites)? Secondly, is there any rational use for Windows Domains? *

* I know the reasons that domains are used, they just seem to be the main cause of grief for me at the moment.

First Pelagic

Yesterday I survived my first pelagic birding trip. We departed from Hillarys Boat Harbour at just gone 0700 and returned just after 1500. As this was my first pelagic, pretty much any sea bird that turned up was going to be a first for me. Here is my list (all are firsts for me):

• Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator);
• Hutton's Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni);
• Soft-plumaged Petrel (Pterodroma mollis);
• Yellow-nosed Albatross (Diomedea chlorohynchos);
• Brown Skua (Catharacta skua);
• Black-browed Albatross (Diomedea melanophris);
• Cape Petrel (Daption capense);
• Great Winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera);
• Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus).
  

Overall the trip was good. The birds showed up as planned and I didn't get sick. The sea wasn't too rough and the weather held out (despite threatening to rain for most of the day). Experienced sea birders were quite happy to identify and discuss birds to complete novices like myself. I will post some photographs once I have had a chance to sort through them.

Thanks to Frank O'Connor and the rest of the people who helped organise the day!