Look into my eyes …

Green ant, East Kimberley region, Western Australia

It was early morning in the warm and humid Kimberley region, far north of the State, between Kununurra and Wyndham, when I woke in tree tops, to a wonderland.  There was a Pretty Face wallaby below at the billabong and I watched anxiously, hoping the resident saltwater crocodile was not around.  The birds were waking and the air filled with birdsong.  They were all species new to me, some tiny finches and other large water birds, up in the trees.  I didn’t know where to point my camera.  I didn’t want to miss a moment of the experience.  But, nothing could have prepared me for the next few minutes.

The Kimberley region is stunning country.  The landscapes are expansive and humbling.  The coast, rugged and just gorgeous.  The weather can be harsh.  Extreme heat and tropical storms.  Accessibility to some places can be restricted at certain times of the year as there are some unsealed roads to usual tourist spots.  It is country that demands respect for all that nature delivers.  This is also snake, spider and crocodile country, so I’m instinctively cautious when I travel in this region.  Spiders don’t scare me, but we do have some in Australia that are best left alone.  A quick check around one’s environment, is good practice.  As I stood above the billabong in the shade of the tree canopy, and went to lean on the metal railing, they caught my eye.  A steady stream of ants.  Jewel like, they their bodies glistened like emeralds.  I had never seen green ants before.  I was fascinated.

Have you ever looked into the eyes of an ant?  I was mesmerised.  The intelligence, the awareness of my presence, the guard, all in one tiny creature.  In that moment of connection, I was tiny, and the ant, a giant presence.  An unforgettable moment, a moment larger than life!

May you seek and experience those moments, too.

As always

Until next time

a dawn bird

In response to RDP – Friday – Macro