The serendipity of sharing company and conversation with my lovely cousin Heather, in West Wyalong, was only enhanced by sighting some parrots that neither of us recognised. Fairly dull grey on the back with a splash of red and yellow underneath I thought they may have been a variety of cockatiel.

Out came my trusty ‘bird book’ and they were easily identified as Blue Bonnets.

Thank goodness Wikipedia has photos as I would never have captured them with my phone camera and they were too far from me to see the blue face markings but the belly markings were distinctive and that’s how I was able to identify them.

I get a real buzz seeing new birds, finding them in my book and then noting where and when I saw them.

The book has become a sort of travel diary as it has wandered Australia with me for the last 6 years and my notes remind me of the places I’ve been and the birds I’ve seen.

And now I’ve seen a Blue Bonnet – and so special to share the sighting with Heather.